Key Takeaways
- Searching GitHub can be difficult, but there are websites to help you find free and open-source software.
- Protect yourself with antivirus before downloading apps from the internet to avoid malware.
- Look for links to packaged code in the README and releases sections on GitHub repositories.
GitHub is an online platform for developers to collaborate on code and publish their software. Lots of it is 100% free, and some of it is absolutely top-tier. However, because it’s made for developers, it’s not exactly user-friendly. Here’s how to find your way around.
How to Find (Reputable!) Free Software
Searching for “free” apps on the internet can be perilous. Malware creators are just itching for you to click on a search result that leads to their malicious site (and they’re pretty good at making them look attractive), and then tricking you into downloading a virus or trojan.
So, before you go and start downloading things from the internet, make sure you’re protected with a reputable antivirus solution (ideally one with web browser integration that flags suspicious downloads before they reach your device).
Now you’re ready to start searching.
Free, open source software for productivity (word processing, drawing, video editing, and design), gaming, and even entire operating systems can be found on GitHub, but it can be difficult to wade through the vast number of projects (stored in “repositories”), especially as many of them are developer tools that don’t make much sense for regular users.
That’s why it’s much easier to use websites dedicated to curating lists of free software, than trying to browse GitHub directly. If you’re on Windows, Ninite provides an installer for a collection of high-quality free apps that cover a lot of common PC tasks (so your search for free stuff may end there if you’re after something specific).
If you know the category of the app you want, or know the name of a paid product, you can also punch it into AlternativeTo to get a list of similar software, and filter it to the free options. Every app on Alternative to has is ranked and reviewed, so you can stick to the ones that are in good standing with other users. Despite sites like AlternativeTo making it easy to find free software with a friendly interface, inevitably you’ll run into a free app that is hosted on GitHub, and need to navigate its confusing interface.
How To Download Ready-To-Use Apps on GitHub
Once you’ve landed on the GitHub page for a free app or game, the next step is to determine whether a pre-packaged version is available. Software is published to GitHub as source code, and it cannot be run directly on your computer without taking a number of technical steps to build it, something regular users don’t have the tools to accomplish. Some developers, however, do provide packaged code, either on GitHub, or on their own websites. You just have to find it!
To start your hunt for the fabled download link, scroll down the page for the GitHub project, and look for the README section (past the list of files and developer jargon). This is where the developer puts all the information users need to get started. Often, there’s an obvious download link included here, so keep an eye out for the terms “download”, “pre-packaged”, “pre-built” and “binaries” (the terms developers commonly use to refer to ready-to-use apps).
Failing that, look for a link to the project or developers’ website in the README and head there, as they may be hosting the binaries for their app themselves.
Finally, you can check the “Releases” section of the GitHub page for pre-built binaries. This is located in the sidebar to the right: Click on the bolded Releases heading, and then download a binary for your platform from there if one is supplied.
Free Stuff Shouldn’t Come With Strings Attached
The adage “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” doesn’t apply to free software, because it is often just as good as it looks. You just need to be careful about which software you trust to install on your devices.
While most free and open source software is made by honest, dedicated developers who just want to make the world better with free stuff, there are those who take advantage of this to try and push malicious software on unsuspecting users. If you have any doubts about downloading something, it pays to stop, think, and maybe check with a tech-savvy friend or family member before you continue.
If you’re looking for great software, be sure to also check out our super-charged alternative to native Windows apps, and our list of best free Windows apps to get you started.
