# Linphone

> open source voice over IP phone (VoIP)

**Wikidata**: [Q119979](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119979)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linphone)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/linphone

## Summary
Linphone is an open-source Voice over IP (VoIP) phone application that allows users to make voice and video calls over the internet. It was first released in 2001 and is available across multiple platforms including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

## Key Facts
- Linphone is open-source software licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0 or later
- The application was first released in 2001 and has had over 30 major version releases since then
- It supports voice and video calls, instant messaging, and file sharing over IP networks
- Linphone is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Windows Phone, and Linux platforms
- The software is written in C and C++11 programming languages using the Qt framework
- It can be downloaded from official sources including the Google Play Store, F-Droid, and various package managers

## FAQs
### Q: What platforms does Linphone support?
A: Linphone supports Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Windows Phone, and Linux operating systems, making it available across virtually all major computing platforms.

### Q: Is Linphone really free to use?
A: Yes, Linphone is completely free and open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, allowing users to freely run, study, modify, and distribute the software.

### Q: What features does Linphone offer?
A: Linphone offers voice and video calling, instant messaging, file sharing, and supports various audio and video codecs for high-quality communication over IP networks.

## Why It Matters
Linphone represents an important contribution to the open-source software ecosystem by providing a free, cross-platform VoIP solution that respects user privacy and freedom. In an era where many communication tools are proprietary and data-hungry, Linphone offers users complete control over their communications without vendor lock-in or surveillance concerns. The software has played a significant role in making internet-based voice and video communication accessible to everyone, regardless of their operating system or budget. Its open-source nature has also made it valuable for developers and organizations who need customizable communication solutions they can modify and self-host. Linphone has been particularly important in regions and communities where privacy, data sovereignty, and software freedom are prioritized over convenience.

## Notable For
- Being one of the earliest and most mature open-source VoIP applications still actively developed
- Supporting an exceptionally wide range of platforms including legacy systems like Windows Phone
- Maintaining strict adherence to open-source principles while remaining competitive with commercial alternatives
- Providing enterprise-grade features like encryption and SIP protocol support in a free package
- Having a strong international community with support for multiple languages and localization

## Body
### Development History
Linphone was first released in 2001, making it one of the pioneering VoIP applications in the open-source community. The software has undergone continuous development with over 30 major version releases, from version 1.4.0 in September 2006 through subsequent versions including 2.0.0 released in November 2007. The project maintains an active development cycle with regular updates and improvements.

### Technical Architecture
The application is built using C and C++11 programming languages, with the Qt framework providing the graphical user interface toolkit. This choice of technologies ensures cross-platform compatibility while maintaining performance and reliability. The software supports various audio and video codecs and implements the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) standard for VoIP communications.

### Platform Availability
Linphone is available across a comprehensive range of operating systems. On mobile platforms, it supports Android (since 2010) and iOS (since 2010). Desktop support includes Microsoft Windows (since 2006), macOS, and various Linux distributions. The application was also available on Windows Phone starting in 2013. This broad platform support makes Linphone accessible to users regardless of their device preference.

### Distribution and Packaging
The software is distributed through multiple channels to maximize accessibility. Users can download it from the official website, install it via package managers on Linux distributions (including Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and others), or obtain it from app stores like Google Play and F-Droid. The project maintains official repositories and provides source code for those who wish to compile it themselves.

### Community and Support
Linphone benefits from an active open-source community with development hosted on GitLab. The project provides documentation in multiple languages and has established a presence on various platforms including SourceForge and Freshmeat. The community contributes to localization efforts, ensuring the software is available in numerous languages to serve a global user base.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "Linphone",
  "description": "Open-source Voice over IP (VoIP) phone application for voice and video calls",
  "applicationCategory": "CommunicationsApplication",
  "operatingSystem": ["Android", "iOS", "Windows", "macOS", "Linux"],
  "license": "GNU General Public License v3.0 or later",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "0"
  },
  "url": "https://www.linphone.org/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linphone",
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119979"
  ]
}

## References

1. [3.9.0 · Tags · BC / public / linphone-desktop · GitLab. 2015](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/3.9.0)
2. [3.9.1 · Tags · BC / public / linphone-desktop · GitLab. 2015](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/3.9.1)
3. [4.0 · Tags · BC / public / linphone-desktop · GitLab. 2017](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.0)
4. [Linphone 4.0 for desktop platforms is available!](http://www.linphone.org/news/55/26/Linphone-4-0-for-desktop-platforms-is-available.html)
5. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.1.1)
6. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.0-alpha)
7. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.0-beta)
8. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.0)
9. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.3.0-alpha)
10. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.1)
11. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.2)
12. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.3)
13. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.4)
14. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.2.5)
15. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.3.0-beta)
16. [Major new features are available in linphone 4.3 for desktop platforms. 2021](https://linphone.org/news/new-features-available-in-linphone-desktop-4.3)
17. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.3.0)
18. [Linphone 4.4.0-alpha on GitLab](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.4.0-alpha)
19. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.3.0)
20. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.3.0)
21. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.0-alpha)
22. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.3.1)
23. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.3.1)
24. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.3.2)
25. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.0-beta)
26. [Linphone 4.4.0-beta on GitLab](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.4.0-beta)
27. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.0)
28. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.0-alpha)
29. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.4.0)
30. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.1)
31. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.2)
32. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.3)
33. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.0-beta)
34. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.4.1)
35. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.0)
36. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.4.4)
37. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.6.0-alpha)
38. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.1)
39. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.2)
40. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.3)
41. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.4)
42. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.5)
43. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.6.0-beta)
44. [Linphone 4.7.0-alpha on GitLab](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.7.0-alpha)
45. [Source](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.3.1)
46. [Linphone 4.3.2 on GitLab. 2021](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/4.3.2)
47. [Linphone 4.5.6 on GitLab](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-android/-/tags/4.5.6)
48. [Linphone 4.5.1 on GitLab](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/4.5.1)
49. [Linphone 5.2.4 on GitLab. 2024](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop/-/tags/5.2.4)
50. [Linphone 4.4.0-beta on GitLab](https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-iphone/-/tags/6.0.0-beta)