What is Free Software? A Comprehensive Guide for WordPress Users
Hi there! If you‘re a WordPress user, you may have heard that WordPress is "free and open-source software". But what does that really mean? How is free software different from other types of software? And why should it matter to you?
In this guide, we‘ll break down the concept of free software in plain English. We‘ll explore how WordPress embodies free software principles and the benefits this provides you as a user. By the end, you‘ll have a solid understanding of free software and how it powers much of the web today. Let‘s dive in!
Free Software is About Freedom, Not Price
First, let‘s clear up a common misconception. While most free software can be downloaded at no cost, "free software" doesn‘t necessarily mean "free of charge". It‘s really about the freedoms users have in running, studying, modifying, and distributing the software.
Richard Stallman, founder of the free software movement, explains it well:
"Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of ‘free‘ as in ‘free speech‘, not as in ‘free beer‘."
In fact, there‘s a whole class of software known as "freeware" that‘s free to use, but doesn‘t provide access to the source code or allow modification and redistribution. A better term for software that costs $0 might be "zero-cost software".
So while WordPress itself can be downloaded for free, its status as free software is more about the rights you have to use and build upon it. Speaking of which…
The Four Essential Freedoms of Free Software
What exactly are these freedoms that define free software? Free software licenses like the GNU General Public License (GPL) used by WordPress enshrine four essential freedoms for users:
- The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose.
- The freedom to study how the program works, and change it as you see fit.
- The freedom to redistribute copies.
- The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions.
The last two freedoms require access to the program‘s source code. This is a key distinction between free and proprietary software – with the latter, the source code is treated as a trade secret.
Why are these freedoms so important? In Stallman‘s view, they‘re essential for preserving users‘ autonomy and control in an increasingly digital world. He argues that without these freedoms, users are at the mercy of software vendors who can restrict how they use programs, spy on their computing activities, or cut off support at any time.
Free Software Powers Much of the Web
WordPress may be the free software project you‘re most familiar with, but you probably interact with many others on a regular basis. For instance:
- Mozilla Firefox, the popular web browser, is free and open-source software.
- Apache HTTP Server powers over 30% of the world‘s websites. It‘s also free software.
- Linux, the free and open-source operating system, runs 96.3% of the top 1 million web servers.
| Project | Purpose | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Website & Blog Publishing | 64.1% of CMS market, powering 40% of websites |
| Linux | Operating System | 96.3% of the top 1 million web servers |
| Apache HTTP Server | Web Server | Powers 30% of websites |
| Mozilla Firefox | Web Browser | 7.7% of browser market |
Sources: W3Techs, Netcraft, StatCounter
As you can see, free software is a dominant force in web infrastructure. By some estimates, free and open-source software constitutes 80-90% of all software. The web as we know it today simply wouldn‘t exist without it.
Benefits of WordPress and Free Software for Your Website
So why does this matter for you as a WordPress user? The free software nature of WordPress provides some powerful benefits for your website:
Customization and Extensibility – Don‘t like how something works in WordPress? With access to the source code, you (or a developer) can change it! The WordPress plugin and theme ecosystems are also enabled by the ability to modify the core software.
Portability and Ownership – With proprietary website builders, your content is often locked into that platform. Because WordPress is licensed under the GPL, you‘re free to move your site to any hosting provider. You have full ownership and control over your data.
Interoperability – WordPress plays nicely with a wide variety of other systems and tools thanks to its embrace of open standards like RSS, XML-RPC, and the REST API. This allows you to integrate WordPress with everything from social networks to e-commerce platforms.
Community and Transparency – As free software, WordPress is developed by a global community of volunteers in an open and transparent way. Anyone can suggest features, report bugs, or contribute code. This community scrutiny leads to faster innovation and better software for everyone.
Try Free Software Alternatives for Your Web Needs
If you‘re curious to explore other free software options beyond WordPress, there are many great tools available for common web needs:
| Purpose | Free Software Options |
|---|---|
| Web design | GIMP, Inkscape, Blender |
| Web development | VS Code, Eclipse, Laravel |
| Office & productivity | LibreOffice, CryptPad, EtherPad |
| Audio & video | Audacity, Kdenlive, VLC Media Player |
Give one of these a try next time you‘re tempted to reach for a proprietary tool. You might be surprised at how capable and usable they are!
Getting Involved with Free Software Communities
Finally, if you‘re excited about the potential of free software, there are many ways to get involved and contribute beyond using the software itself:
- Volunteer to write documentation, answer forum questions, or create tutorials for your favorite project. WordPress has great resources for getting involved.
- Attend or organize local meetups to connect with other users and developers. WordCamps are a great way to plug into the WordPress community.
- If you have design, programming, or other relevant skills, contribute them directly to the project. Most free software projects have "good first issue" labels on their development trackers to help new contributors find a place to start.
- Donate or purchase premium add-ons to financially support the projects you depend on.
Whatever your interest or skill level, there‘s a way to get involved and help keep free software vibrant and growing.
Free Software is the Future
We at WPBeginner believe deeply in free software as the future of web publishing and development. It‘s why we‘ve built our business around WordPress and the open web, and why we‘re committed to educating and empowering users like you.
By choosing WordPress and other free software, you‘re not only getting incredible tools at minimal cost. You‘re participating in a global movement to make technology more open, transparent, and accessible to all. That‘s a pretty amazing thing!
We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of what free software is all about. For more on how it differs from open source, check out our guide comparing free software vs open source. And of course, keep learning and growing with WordPress using our wealth of tutorials and resources.
Here‘s to your success with WordPress and free software!
