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<title>Free Software for Education 
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Free Software for Education</h2>

<p>Here are two lists of high-quality free/libre software applications 
that can be used in schools and educational institutions of all 
levels. The first one is a list of free/libre programs along with the 
popular proprietary (nonfree) applications they replace. The second 
one contains free/libre programs that do not necessarily replace a 
proprietary counterpart but can be very useful to students and 
teachers.</p>

<p>When we say these programs are free/libre, we mean they are 
released under a license that grants all users <a 
href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">four essential freedoms</a>: the 
freedoms to run, study, copy, modify and redistribute the program so 
as to contribute to the community. It does not necessarly mean zero 
price, although almost all these programs are gratis. This is a 
secondary additional benefit that schools may take into 
consideration.</p>

<p>Everyone should use free software, because only free software gives
users the freedom that lets them control their own computers. 
Proprietary programs put the users under the power of the software 
developers. However, there are <a 
href="/education/edu-schools.html">specific ethical reasons</a> that 
apply to education.</p>

<p>In addition to the wrong of nonfree software, the use of 
third-party network services in schools poses yet another problem: <a 
href="https://www.eff.org/press/releases/google-deceptively-tracks-students-internet-browsing-eff-says-complaint-federal-trade">
the collection of students' (and teachers') personal data by 
companies</a>. But even if the school never uses those services, one 
cannot be sure that the nonfree programs are not sending personal data 
<em>somewhere</em>. In fact, the source code of proprietary programs 
(with a few exceptions) is secret, so users can't know what the 
software is really doing.</p>

<table class="programs">
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Category</th>
      <th>Free/libre program</th>
      <th>Features</th>
      <th>Replacement for</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr class="even">
      <td>Operating systems</td>
      <td><a href="/distros/free-distros.html">GNU/Linux Distributions</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Composed exclusively of 
      software that respects your freedom.</td>
      <td>ChromeOS (Google) <br />
      ChromiumOS (Google) <br />
      Microsoft Windows (any version) <br />
      MacOS, iOS (Apple)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="browsers">Web browsers</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Epiphany">Epiphany</a><br />
          <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/IceCat">GNU IceCat</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">These browsers do not track users.</td>
      <td>Chrome, Chromium (Google)<br />
      Internet Explorer, Edge (Microsoft)<br />
      Safari (Apple)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td id="office" rowspan="2">Office</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/LibreOffice">LibreOffice</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Complete office suite. No need 
      to upload documents to third-party servers.</td>
      <td>Microsoft Office, Office 365</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Etherpad">Etherpad</a>, 
          <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/EtherCalc">EtherCalc</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Real-time collaborative text 
      editor and spreadsheet that run in your browser.</td>
      <td>Google Docs, Sheets</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="e-learning">E-learning platforms</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Moodle">Moodle</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">
      <ul>
        <li>Self-hosting (can be installed on private servers) </li>
        <li>Desktop (GNU/Linux, Windows, MacOS) </li>
        <li>Mobile App (Android, iOS) </li>
      </ul>
      Manage classrooms and courses, give lessons and assignments, 
      create groups, take tests, synchronize data and collaborate in 
      forums, chats and wikis.</td>
      <td>Google Classroom, Blackboard</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td id="synchro">File synchronization</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Owncloud">ownCloud</a></td> href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/OwnCloud">ownCloud</a><br />
          <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Nextcloud">Nextcloud</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">
      <ul>
        <li>Self-hosting (can be installed on private servers) </li>
      </ul>
      Allows collaborative document editing and bookmark 
      synchronization as well.</td>
      <td>Drive, Calendar, Contacts (Google)<br />
      OneDrive, Outlook (Microsoft)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="media-sharing">Media sharing</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Mediagoblin">GNU 
      MediaGoblin</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">
      <ul>
        <li>Self-hosting (can be installed on private servers) </li>
      </ul>
      Share all kinds of media in safety.</td>
      <td>YouTube, Google Photos, Picasa (Google)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td id="email">Email</td>
      <td><a href="https://docs.kolab.org/">Kolab</a></td> href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230710185415/https://docs.kolab.org/">Kolab</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">
      <ul>
        <li>Self-hosting (can be installed on private servers) </li>
      </ul>
      Complete groupware solution which includes email, calendar, 
      address books, file synching and tasks. Clients are based on 
      Roundcube (web interface) by default but any other email client 
      can be used. This way, only the school can read the students' 
      mail, and nobody else.</td>
      <td>Gmail, Google Calendar, Contacts, Google Drive (Google)<br />
      Outlook, Live (Microsoft)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="conferencing" rowspan="3">Conferencing (video, audio, chat, text)</td>
      <td><a href="https://jami.net/">GNU Jami</a></td>
     <td class="features-description">
     <ul>
       <li>Desktop (GNU/Linux, Windows, MacOS)</li>
       <li>Mobile App (Android, iOS)</li>
       <li> P2P (no centralized server) </li>
       <li>Encryption, anonymity, no facial recognition, no data 
       collection and storing. </li>
     </ul>
       
       Host small conferences, share and record your screen. Make 
       audio/video calls and place your calls on hold. Send messages 
       or chat in real time. Easily search your call history and manage 
       your contacts. Thanks to the multi-language feature, you can do 
       all this in your own language.</td>
     
      <td rowspan="3">Google Hangouts<br />
      Skype (Microsoft)<br />
      Microsoft Teams<br />
      Zoom<br />
      WhatsApp</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Jitsi">Jitsi</a><br />
          <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Jitsi-Meet">Jitsi Meet</a> </td>
      <td class="features-description">
      <ul>
        <li>Self-hosting (can be installed on private servers) </li>
        <li>Browser-based (WebRTC) </li>
        <li>Desktop (GNU/Linux, Windows, MacOS) </li>
        <li>Mobile App (Android, iOS) </li>
        <li>Encryption, anonymity, no facial recognition, no data 
        collection and storing.</li>
     </ul>  
       
        Host small conferences or teach your classes with the useful 
        raise/lower your hand feature, stream them or embed them in web 
        pages. Share your screen and record videos, share and breakout 
        rooms. Dial-in to a meeting. Chat in real time. Share documents.
        Thanks to the multi-language feature, you can do all this in 
        your own language.</td>     
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/BigBlueButton">
      BigBlueButton</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">
      <ul>
        <li><strong>Video conferencing up to 150 users</strong> </li>
        <li>Self-hosting (can be installed on private servers) </li>
        <li>Browser-based (WebRTC) </li>        
        <li>LMS integration </li>
        <li>Visual and audio accessibility (supports screen 
            readers)</li>      
        <li>Encryption, anonymity, no facial recognition, no data 
            collection and storing.</li>
     </ul>

        Host your conferences or teach your classes with up to 150 
        participants. Use the helpful mouse pointer and the multi-user 
        whiteboard. Share and breakout rooms, share screens, record 
        and store videos while enjoying the live closed captions. Share 
        your PDFs as slides. Use the polling and voting systems for 
        your surveys. Thanks to the multi-language feature, you can do 
        all this in your own language.</td>     
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td id="games">Games</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Minetest">Minetest</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Build, explore and play in vast 
      cube worlds, alone or with friends. Create mods which aren't 
      limited by proprietary restrictions.</td>
      <td>Minecraft (Microsoft)</td>
    </tr>

  </tbody>
</table>

<p>Here's some additional free software useful for educational purposes:</p>

<table class="programs">
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Category</th>
      <th>Free/libre program</th>
      <th>Description</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr class="even">
      <td id="graphics" rowspan="5">Art, graphics and design</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Blender">Blender</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">3D suite which includes a video 
      editor and a game engine that can be used without programming 
     (via logic blocks.)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/FreeCAD">FreeCAD</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">High-quality parametric 3D CAD 
      modeler.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/GIMP">GIMP</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Graphics editor suitable for 
      image retouching, editing and drawing 
      (<a href="/education/edu-software-gimp.html">case study</a>.)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Krita">Krita</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Fully featured, easy to use 
      digital painting program, suitable for students and 
      professionals alike.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/TuxPaint">Tux Paint</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Graphics editor aimed at young 
      children (<a 
      href="/education/edu-software-tuxpaint.html">case study</a>.)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="edu-games" rowspan="1">Games and educational activities</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Gcompris">GCompris</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Educational software suite 
      comprising of numerous activities for children aged 2 to 10 
      (<a href="/education/edu-software-gcompris.html">case study</a>.)</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td id="maths" rowspan="1">Maths</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Octave">GNU Octave</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">High-level interpreted language 
      similar to proprietary MATLAB, primarily intended for numerical 
      computations.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="physics" rowspan="1">Physics</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Fisicalab">FisicaLab</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Solve physics problems 
      creatively. Focus in physics concepts while the program takes 
      care of the mathematical details.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td id="music" rowspan="3">Music</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Solfege">GNU Solfege</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Ear and music training program.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/LMMS">LMMS</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Professional-grade (but easy to 
      use) music creation software and digital audio workstation.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="even">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/MuseScore">MuseScore</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Fully featured scorewriter, 
      with support for MIDI playback.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td id="programming" rowspan="3">Programming</td>
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/GDevelop">GDevelop</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Codeless game development tool 
      based on drag and drop. Ideal to teach students programming 
      concepts while having fun.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Racket">Racket</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Programming language and 
      environment suitable for both students and Lisp/Scheme wizards.
      Despite it being a fully-featured functional programming 
      language, it was designed to be educational.</td>
    </tr>

    <tr class="odd">
      <td><a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Ruby">Ruby</a></td>
      <td class="features-description">Well-known programming language 
      described by its users as “beautiful, artful, handy, and 
      practical.”</td>
    </tr>

  </tbody>
</table>

<p>The lists above are a selection of free software applications 
suitable for the most common educational activities. The Free Software 
Foundation keeps a comprehensive database of educational software at 
the <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Category/Education">
Free Software Directory</a>. If you know about a free/libre program 
suited for schools and not listed here, please contact us at 
<a  href="mailto:education@gnu.org"><education@gnu.org></a> to 
let us know.</p>

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<p class="unprintable">Updated:
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