How to Get Started with Free Software on Write Free Software

Write Free Software (writefreesoftware.org) is a site for the free software movement, and its homepage offers two direct entry points: a "Get started" link and a "What is free software?" link, alongside Learn, Blog, and Community sections in the site navigation. If you are new to free software, the practical path is to read the definition first, then use the "Get started" section to move from understanding to action. The site frames free software as "a global collaborative movement to build the world's best software in a manner that respects the essential rights and freedoms of its users and authors."

Start with the definition, not the tools

Before picking software or a project, get clear on what the site means by "free." Its homepage defines free software around four freedoms: the freedom to use, study, improve, and share your software. Note that "free" here refers to rights and freedoms, not price — the site's own framing ties the term to user and author rights rather than cost.

The homepage links to a "What is free software?" page. Read that before anything else, because every later decision — which license is acceptable, whether a project counts as free software, what you are allowed to redistribute — depends on this definition.

Use the "Get started" section

The homepage's "Get started" link is the site's intended on-ramp for beginners. Treat it as your next step after the definition:

1. Open the "Get started" page from the homepage.
2. Work through it in order rather than jumping to a specific tool or project.
3. Note any terms it introduces (licenses, source code, distribution) and look them up if they are unfamiliar.

The site does not publish a separate pricing page or account requirement in the material available, so do not assume the guidance is gated behind sign-up or payment — but also do not assume everything is free of cost. Check each linked resource on its own terms.

Explore Learn, Blog, and Community

The site organizes ongoing material into three areas, each with a different purpose:

A reasonable sequence for a beginner: Learn first for concepts, Blog for context and current discussion, and Community once you have a specific question or want to contribute.

Move from using to contributing

The site's definition names four freedoms, and they map onto a natural progression:

• Use — install and run free software day to day.
• Study — read the source code and understand how it works.
• Improve — modify it, fix bugs, or add features.
• Share — redistribute it, including your modified versions, under the same freedoms.

You do not have to do all four at once. Most people start by using, then study when curiosity or a problem arises, and only later improve or share. The Community section is the natural place to find others at each stage.

Common sticking points

• Confusing "free" with "free of charge." The site's definition is about rights, not price. A piece of software can be sold and still be free software.
• Skipping the definition. If you start with a tool or a project without understanding the four freedoms, you will not be able to judge whether it actually qualifies.
• Treating the site as a software catalog. Write Free Software is an educational and community resource about the movement, not a download directory. Use it to understand principles and find your way into the community, then get specific software from the projects themselves.

A concrete first task

If you want a single action to take today: open the homepage, click "What is free software?", read it through, then click "Get started" and follow the first step it gives you. That takes you from the site's definition to its intended beginner path in two clicks, which is exactly what the homepage is built to support.