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The Free Software Foundation (FSF) defines free software by the freedoms it gives users: to run, study, share, and modify it. “Free” means liberty, not necessarily a zero price. The FSF is a nonprofit that advocates and educates on software freedom.
What does “free software” mean?
The FSF’s concise explanation is: “Free software is software that gives you the user the freedom to share, study and modify it.” Its fuller definition identifies four freedoms. These are permissions users may exercise, not obligations to use, inspect, or distribute a program. The FSF’s definition explains the freedoms in detail.
Run the program for any purpose
You may use the software for any purpose, without being restricted from running it because of how or where you use it.
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Study how it works
You may examine the program and change it to do what you wish. This freedom requires access to the source code; without it, you cannot meaningfully study and modify the program.
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Share exact copies
You may redistribute copies to help others. The freedom concerns permission to share, not whether you charge for a copy.
Share modified versions
You may change the software and distribute copies of your modified version. License terms can place conditions on redistribution, including conditions for derivative works.
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Does free software have to cost nothing?
No. “Free” refers to users’ liberty, not necessarily the price. A program can be sold and still meet the definition if its users receive the four freedoms. Conversely, a program available at no cost is not necessarily free software if users cannot study, modify, or share it.
Richard Stallman expressed the distinction in a talk in Brussels on April 1, 2007: “To understand the term Free Software correctly, think of free speech, not free beer.” The wording appears in an FSF-hosted transcript of his GPLv3 talk.
What does the Free Software Foundation do?
The FSF describes itself as a nonprofit that advocates and educates on behalf of computer users. Its history begins with the GNU project: Richard M. Stallman launched GNU in 1983 to create a UNIX replacement that would respect users’ freedoms, then started the FSF in 1985. The FSF’s about page describes the organization, and its GNU history account explains the project’s origins.
The Foundation promotes software freedom through explanatory materials, including an introductory handout, posters, and stickers. It also maintains the Free Software Directory, a collaborative catalog. An FSF explanation last modified February 15, 2024, stated that the Directory listed 17,000 programs and tools; the page does not say when that count was compiled, so it should not be treated as a verified current total. The FSF’s explanation gives that figure.
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How do licenses determine whether software is free?
A software license is the legal instrument that grants rights to copy, modify, and distribute a program. A label such as “free” or a price of zero does not settle whether users have the freedoms in the FSF’s definition. Check the actual license and the conditions it sets.
The FSF recommends GNU licenses, which it says grant the freedoms in its definition. Some GNU licenses use copyleft: when distributing derivative works, users may be required to keep them under the same license. The exact obligations depend on the license and what you do with the software. See the FSF’s license guidance.
A practical checklist
- Can you run the program for any purpose?
- Can you obtain and study its source code?
- Can you share exact copies?
- Can you modify it and share modified copies?
- What conditions apply when you distribute copies or changes?
Evaluate each freedom separately, then read the relevant license terms, especially any conditions on redistribution. The FSF’s definition and license guidance explain the criteria and how license terms can shape sharing.
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