10 open source tools to boost your productivity

He open source software It is a very attractive alternative to commercial or proprietary software. These are tools that have been developed by communities of programmers and are characterized by being accessible, generally free or even low cost.

They usually provide fast support or constant updates, since it is the members of the developer community themselves who create solutions to security problems or implement new tools available to all users.

In addition, you can download these types of programs from their official sources and use them at any time, making it quite easy to integrate them into your projects.

There are many open source programs that you can use to improve your productivity. In this article you will find a list of the most popular ones. 10 best open source tools that can help you be more productive in your day-to-day life.

Popular and free open source tools

These are the best open source tools that you can start using to increase your productivity without having to pay money.

LibreOffice

Photo of LibreOffice

The first open source program on this list is LibreOffice. This is a powerful office suite that rivals Microsoft Office and where you will find a whole suite of programs available.

For example, Writer, one of the best alternatives to the Word word processor; Calc, the spreadsheet alternative to Excel; Impress, the presentation editor alternative to Power Point; Draw, the application for making drawings and flowcharts; Base, the database and interface with other databases offered by the project, and Math so you can edit mathematical formulas.

This system has been developed by The Document Foundation and is characterized by offering a clean and very simple interface so that you can give free rein to your creativity according to your needs.

The best thing of all is that you can use it on Windows, macOS or Linux operating systems. To download it, you just have to go to the project’s website (where you can even collaborate as a volunteer) through https://es.libreoffice.org/, download the files and install the software, and that’s it.

GIMP

photo from GIMP

GIMP is one of the best free open source alternatives to Photoshop. It is a tool with which you can edit and retouch your images whether you use Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux.

It is a program that you can use for free and you even have the possibility of modifying its source code if you have knowledge in this field and thus you can distribute your own versions.

It is ideal if you work as a content creator, photographer or designer since the tool provides you with functions so that you can make your pieces in a professional manner and without having to resort to such complex processes.

With this software you can improve the color of your graphic materials, add layers, masks, filters, illuminate pixels, duplicate elements and much more.

However, when it comes to exporting, you should know that this program works with an original format called XCF, which is responsible for maintaining the quality of the captured information. However, you can still import or export with the format you mostly work with.

Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird photo

Mozilla Thunderbird is a cross-platform email tool that was launched in 2003 and is another of the best free and open source applications that you can use to increase your productivity.

This platform, an alternative to Microsoft Office, offers an important solution for managing your daily emails from different providers, keeping your email communications with your contacts organized and up to date and maximizing your freedom when using it.

It offers a very user-friendly interface where you can access your messages, calendars, friends and more according to your preferences, since you decide how to filter them. In addition, if you usually work with several email accounts, in this tool you can manage them in a unique way so that the management process is easier.

You can use it on Windows, Linux and macOS operating systems by downloading the file from the website https://www.thunderbird.net/es-ES/.

Penpot

Photo by Penpot

If design is your thing, then you have to try Penpot. It is a multi-platform, cloud-based, collaborative tool where you can start creating your work as a graphic designer.

It doesn’t matter what operating system you use, because you can use it on any one you use, even the application is browser-based, so you just have to access its website penpot.app, register and start taking advantage of it.

Being collaborative, you can start working with other people around the world on certain projects that are available. However, you can also manage your own privately, whether for professional or educational purposes.

Of course, you should know that the format this software works with is SVG, it is an equally open standard for vector graphics that helps you keep your designs high-quality and rich.

Excalidraw

photo by Excalidraw

Excalidraw is another open source tool where you can also make drawings or diagrams without the implications of having proprietary software. It is an online platform where you can create your sketches in a simple and intuitive way.

One of its advantages is the interface, since it is minimalist and user-friendly to interact with each of its functions.

In fact, if at any time you need help on a project, you can receive help from other users, since this application works collaboratively in real time, so it encourages simultaneous work.

The essence of this project, however, is the graphics that give the impression that they were made by hand. These can then be exported in the formats you want, such as SVG, PNG, JPG and many others.

Jitsi

Photo by Jitsi

Jitsi is an open source software that you can use to make video conferencing simple and efficient. This system was launched in 2003 and still continues to offer solutions for users looking to stay in touch on a daily basis with their family, friends or simply colleagues.

You can use it on iOS and Android operating systems, although it also supports Windows, Linux and Mac OS through the web version.

The best thing of all is that you won’t need to create an account as such to be able to use it, so you can avoid those cumbersome processes of having a user ID.

You won’t have any user limitations either; anyone you want can connect there, and according to the company, it offers a powerful server so that there are no unexpected crashes when you’re in a video conference.

CherryTree

Photo by CherryTree

CherryTree is the ideal open source program for taking notes. It is a manager that allows you to organize your things in a hierarchy, allowing you to structure your tasks in a kind of tree so that you can access them easily and with the priority required for the day.

Although it may look like a program for creating basic trees, it actually allows you to work even with large projects and documents that are complex and, logically, require a step-by-step guide to be able to work on them in the best way.

This app is the free resource you should turn to if you need to jot down your ideas or create a to-do list so you never miss a task.

Workrave

Photo by Workrave

Workrave is an open source tool that has been on the market since 2002 and is responsible for taking care of the health and well-being of its users.

This is achieved by promoting healthy daily habits to try to prevent the spread of diseases that are so common in this technological age, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injuries and myopia.

This platform prevents you, as a computer user, from suffering the consequences of these illnesses. By having it, you will be able to receive suggestions for body breaks and exercises that help you avoid illnesses caused by prolonged computer use. In addition, the app reminds you when you should take a break, how you should do it, and even tells you if you should look away from your screen if necessary.

The best thing about it is that the application gives you time limits for using the PC and, when the time has elapsed, you must stop using it as a preventive measure. In addition, it provides you with statistics on computer usage, breaks and even tells you how many times you have not followed the software’s suggestions.

Nextcloud

photo by Nextcloud

It is an open source platform that you can use as an alternative to services such as Dropbox, iCloud or Google Drive. With Nextcloud you can share files between devices and with other people through the cloud in a simple and efficient way.

In addition, they include an online text editor which is based on LibreOffice, so it is an additional resource that can help you process your texts without any complications.

Please note that this software is not only used for personal storage purposes, but the manufacturer itself also emphasizes that it is suitable for small businesses or SMEs. In fact, it provides other collaborative functions such as calendar, contacts and email so that you can keep everything synchronized and accessible at your fingertips.

Dub.co

Photo by Dub.co

Finally, we recommend Dub.co. It is another open source platform that you can use to increase your productivity on a daily basis. This tool allows you to shorten and manage all your links in a simple and fast way.

One of the advantages of this service is that it provides you with a series of functions that you can use depending on the need you have at that time, whether you need to manage a series of URLs or just one.

This software helps you manage tracking data, customize your links, create effective links for your brand, optimize your website links, and much more.

Although you don’t need to have a user account to start using this service, it is important that if you are going to work on large projects, you create your account so that you can have better control over the links you are working on. This way you will be able to manage them better and more easily within the platform.

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