Free Software & Tools for Developers

Useful Software & Tools — Updated 2026

This page contains a collection of website links for free software, tools, apps and utilities I have used over the years that will help you with your projects.

Python

Python is a programming language that lets you work quickly and integrate systems more effectively.

Download Python

The official home of the Python Programming Language

Python.org

PyCharm

PyCharm is an integrated development environment used in computer programming, specifically for the Python language. It is developed by the Czech company JetBrains.

Kali Linux

Our most advanced penetration testing platform we have ever made. Available in 32 bit, 64 bit, and ARM flavours, as well as a number of specialized builds for many popular hardware platforms. Kali can always be updated to the newest version without the need for a new download.

Get Kali | Kali Linux

Home of Kali Linux, an Advanced Penetration Testing Linux distribution used for Penetration Testing, Ethical Hacking and network security assessments.

Kali Linux

Virtual Box

VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high-performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software

ParrotOS

Parrot Home Edition is a general purpose operating system with the typical Parrot look and feel. This edition is designed for daily use, privacy and software development. Parrot Tools can be manually installed to assemble a custom and lightweight pentesting environment.

Parrot Security

Parrot Security website

YUMI – Multiboot USB Creator

YUMI (Your Universal Multiboot Installer), is the successor to our Multiboot ISOs. It can be used to create a Multiboot Bootable USB Flash Drive containing multiple operating systems, antivirus utilities, disc cloning, diagnostic tools, and more.

Universal USB Installer

Universal USB Installer aka UUI is a Live Linux Bootable USB Creator that allows you to choose from a selection of Linux Distributions to put on your USB Flash Drive. The Universal USB Installer is easy to use. Simply choose a Live Linux Distribution, the ISO file, your Flash Drive and, Click Install.

Rufus

The most popular free USB bootable creation tool for Windows. Create bootable USB drives from ISO files for Windows, Linux, UEFI, and BIOS systems. Fast, reliable, and actively maintained. Replaces the discontinued Windows USB/DVD Download Tool.

WinMerge

WinMerge is an Open Source differentiating and merging tool for Windows. WinMerge can compare both folders and files, presenting differences in a visual text format that is easy to understand and handle.

WinMerge

Download WinMerge for free. Windows visual diff and merge for files and directories. WinMerge is a Windows tool for visual difference display and merging, for both files and directories. It is highly useful for determining what has changed between file versions, and then merging those changes.

SourceForgeradiocam

NotePad++

Notepad++ is a free (as in “free speech” and also as in “free beer”) source code editor and Notepad replacement that supports several languages. Running in the MS Windows environment, its use is governed by the GPL Licence.

Downloads | Notepad++

Notepad++Author

7-Zip

7-Zip is an open-source file archiver, an application used primarily to compress files. 7-Zip uses its own 7z archive format, but can read and write several other archive formats.

HTTrack

HTTrack is a free (GPL, libre/free software) and easy-to-use offline browser utility.

It allows you to download a World Wide Web site from the Internet to a local directory, building recursively all directories, getting HTML, images, and other files from the server to your computer. HTTrack arranges the original site’s relative link-structure. Simply open a page of the “mirrored” website in your browser, and you can browse the site from link to link as if you were viewing it online. HTTrack can also update an existing mirrored site, and resume interrupted downloads. HTTrack is fully configurable and has an integrated help system.

Audacity

Audacity can record live audio through a microphone or mixer, or digitise recordings from other media. With some sound cards, and on any recent version of Windows, Audacity can also capture streaming audio.

Audacity ® | Free Audio editor, recorder, music making and more!

Audacity is the world’s most popular audio editing and recording app. Edit, mix, and enhance your audio tracks with the power of Audacity. Download now!

Audacity

Blender

Blender now features a powerful new unbiased rendering engine called Cycles that offers stunning ultra-realistic rendering.

The built-in Cycles rendering engine offers:

GPU & CPU rendering
Real-time viewport preview
HDR lighting support
Permissive Licence for linking with external software

Unity

Unity is the ultimate game development platform. Use Unity to build high-quality 3D and 2D games, deploy them across mobile, desktop, VR/AR, consoles or the internet.

balenaEtcher

Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives, safely and easily.