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What is Free Software?

Published on December 8, 2020
Lyn Muldrow

By Lyn Muldrow

Senior Developer Educator

What is Free Software?

Free software is any program released with a license approved by the Free Software Foundation that allows users to view, modify, and share source code.

Like open source, the goal of free software is to amplify developer freedom using software and to curb the spread of proprietary software licenses. Learn more about the Free Software Foundation’s philosophy.

For an in-depth explanation of the free software movement, check out DigitalOcean’s tutorial on The Difference Between Free and Open-Source Software.

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About the author

Lyn Muldrow
Lyn Muldrow
Author
Senior Developer Educator
See author profile

Software engineer, writer, and speaker who loves solving problems and educating the next generation.

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