# FreshTomato > Distribution of Tomato firmware **Wikidata**: [Q130356339](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q130356339) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreshTomato) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/freshtomato ## Summary FreshTomato is a distribution of Tomato firmware, a Linux-based open-source firmware designed for gateway routers. It builds upon the original Tomato project, offering enhanced features, customization, and performance optimizations for home networking devices. ## Key Facts - **Based on Tomato firmware**: FreshTomato is a distribution of Tomato, a Linux-based firmware for gateway routers. - **Inception**: Tomato was first released in 2008. - **Latest version**: Tomato version 1.28 was released on June 28, 2010. - **License**: Tomato is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). - **Platforms**: Supports MIPS and ARM architectures. - **Derived from HyperWRT**: Tomato was based on HyperWRT, another embedded operating system for wireless routers. - **Operating system**: Linux. - **Aliases**: Also known as TomatoUSB. - **Website**: [PolarCloud's Tomato page](https://www.polarcloud.com/tomato) (archived version available). - **Instance of**: Embedded operating system, Linux distribution, and open-source software. - **Subclass of**: Router firmware. - **FreshTomato version**: 2025.5, released on December 21, 2025. - **FreshTomato website**: [FreshTomato.org](https://freshtomato.org). - **Source code repository**: [FreshTomato-Project on GitHub](https://github.com/FreshTomato-Project). ## FAQs ### Q: What is FreshTomato? A: FreshTomato is a distribution of Tomato firmware, which is a Linux-based open-source firmware designed for gateway routers. It provides enhanced features and customization options for home networking devices. ### Q: What is the latest version of FreshTomato? A: The latest version of FreshTomato is 2025.5, released on December 21, 2025. ### Q: What architectures does FreshTomato support? A: FreshTomato supports MIPS and ARM architectures, making it compatible with a wide range of router hardware. ### Q: Is FreshTomato open-source? A: Yes, FreshTomato is open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). ### Q: Where can I find the source code for FreshTomato? A: The source code for FreshTomato is available on GitHub at [FreshTomato-Project](https://github.com/FreshTomato-Project). ### Q: How does FreshTomato differ from the original Tomato firmware? A: FreshTomato is a distribution of the original Tomato firmware, offering additional features and optimizations tailored for router firmware. ## Why It Matters FreshTomato plays a significant role in the router customization community by providing users with more control over their networking hardware. As a distribution of Tomato firmware, it leverages the stability and flexibility of the Linux kernel while adding features specific to router firmware. Its development highlights the growing trend of open-source solutions for embedded systems, allowing users to optimize their routers for performance, security, and customization. FreshTomato's continued development and updates ensure that it remains a relevant and valuable tool for enhancing consumer-grade networking devices. ## Notable For - **Linux-based router firmware**: One of the widely used open-source firmware projects for home routers. - **Customization and performance**: Provides advanced features beyond stock router firmware. - **Community-driven development**: Built on contributions from the open-source community. - **Architecture support**: Compatible with MIPS and ARM, expanding its hardware compatibility. - **Legacy in router modding**: Influenced later projects like DD-WRT and OpenWRT. - **Continuous updates**: FreshTomato continues to receive updates, with the latest version being 2025.5. ## Body ### Overview FreshTomato is a distribution of Tomato firmware, a Linux-based open-source firmware designed for gateway routers. It offers an embedded operating system with features tailored for home networking, providing customization and performance optimizations for router hardware. ### History and Development - **Inception**: Tomato was first released in 2008. - **Derivation**: It was based on HyperWRT, another embedded operating system for wireless routers. - **Latest version**: Version 1.28 was released on June 28, 2010. - **FreshTomato version**: The latest version of FreshTomato is 2025.5, released on December 21, 2025. ### Technical Specifications - **License**: GNU General Public License (GPL). - **Platforms**: Supports MIPS and ARM architectures. - **Operating system**: Linux. - **Aliases**: Also known as TomatoUSB. - **Website**: [PolarCloud's Tomato page](https://www.polarcloud.com/tomato) (archived version available). - **FreshTomato website**: [FreshTomato.org](https://freshtomato.org). - **Source code repository**: [FreshTomato-Project on GitHub](https://github.com/FreshTomato-Project). ### Significance - **Open-source router firmware**: FreshTomato is one of the widely used open-source firmware projects for home routers. - **Customization and performance**: It provides advanced features beyond stock router firmware, allowing users to optimize their networking hardware. - **Community-driven development**: The project is built on contributions from the open-source community, reflecting the collaborative nature of Linux-based projects. ### Legacy - **Influence on later projects**: FreshTomato's development has influenced later projects like DD-WRT and OpenWRT. - **Architecture support**: Its compatibility with MIPS and ARM architectures expands its hardware compatibility. - **Legacy in router modding**: FreshTomato remains a notable example of how open-source software can enhance consumer-grade networking devices. ### Related Projects - **DD-WRT**: An open-source firmware for routers that has been influenced by Tomato. - **OpenWRT**: Another open-source firmware for routers that has been influenced by Tomato. ### Community and Development - **Source code repository**: The source code for FreshTomato is available on GitHub at [FreshTomato-Project](https://github.com/FreshTomato-Project). - **Website**: The official website for FreshTomato is [FreshTomato.org](https://freshtomato.org). ### Conclusion FreshTomato is a significant distribution of Tomato firmware, offering enhanced features and customization options for home networking devices. Its continued development and updates ensure that it remains a relevant and valuable tool for enhancing consumer-grade networking devices. ## References 1. [Source](https://freshtomato.org)