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Linux alternatives to Windows software
New Variety
Users who migrate from Windows to Linux often question which software options they will find on the new operating system in place of Windows applications. You may hear that Linux does not have the same variety of programs as Windows, but the exact opposite is the case. On Windows, neither an office suite nor a usable media player exists after installing the operating system – meanwhile, out of the box, most Linux distributions offer many free programs for every possible area of use, along with a graphical user interface. Additionally, several thousand applications sit in the repositories of large distribution projects. The developers work continuously on these and keep further alternatives ready for virtually every application area. Proprietary software, sometimes requiring payment, completes the array of offerings.
If you have already used free software on Windows such as Firefox browser, LibreOffice, and OpenOffice suites; or multimedia applications like Audacity and VLC, or the mail client Thunderbird, you can easily keep using these on Linux. Free software often exists first for Linux before developers port it to Windows. Thus, you should first check whether the software you are already using is also available on the free operating system. The distribution's website will give information to this effect.
If your search is unsuccessful, you still have options. You should first check whether it is necessary for the desired program to have a particular function. Handling of specific formats should be considered, along with the ability to exchange data with other programs from the commercial realm via standardized interfaces. Once you have made a spec sheet for the new software on Linux, the hunt begins.
Office Alternatives
Many users primarily use the PC to manage daily paperwork, and as a result, Office applications are among those most frequently used. On Linux, LibreOffice and
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