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gimp

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GIMP is a free and open-source image manipulation program for photo retouching, image composition, and authoring, with layers, masks, selections, and plugins on Linux, Windows, and macOS.

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This project distributes installers through its own website, not GitHub Releases

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README

Project Overview

GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program and is a free and open-source image editor. It targets photo retouching, image composition, and original artwork, offering layers, masks, channels, and selections along with plugin and scripting support. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS and is one of the oldest and most widely used open-source image editors on the desktop.

Item Value
Platform Linux, Windows, macOS
Type Image editing / photo retouching
UI framework GTK
License GPL

The classic open-source image editor on the desktop.

Key Features

  • Layers and masks: multi-layer editing, layer groups, masks, and blend modes
  • Selection tools: rectangle, ellipse, free lasso, quick select, and foreground select
  • Photo retouching: heal, clone, dodge and burn, sharpen, and denoise tools
  • Color adjustment: levels, curves, hue and saturation, and color balance
  • Format support: reads and writes PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PSD, and GIF
  • Plugin extensions: plugins add extra filters and file formats
  • Scripted automation: batch work through Script-Fu and Python scripts
  • Paths and text: draw vector lines with path tools and typeset text
  • Customizable interface: themes, shortcuts, and single- or multi-window layouts

Target Audience

  • Photo retouching and compositing hobbyists
  • Graphic designers and illustrators
  • Designers looking for a free alternative
  • Plugin and script developers
  • Image processing users in teaching and research

Quick Start

  1. Download and install the package for your system from the official website
  2. Open an image with the open command in the File menu
  3. Create a new layer in the layers panel and edit with brushes and selections
  4. Adjust levels, curves, and saturation from the Colors menu
  5. Use the export command to output a PNG or JPG

Core Advantages

  • Completely free: professional-grade features with no fees or subscriptions
  • Rich plugin ecosystem: plugins keep extending format support and filters
  • Scriptable: built-in scripting automates repetitive work
  • Available everywhere: consistent experience on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Mature community: abundant tutorials and documentation when you get stuck

System Requirements

Item Requirement
OS Windows, macOS, Linux
RAM 8 GB or more recommended
Disk space 2 GB or more recommended
Optional components Plugins extend formats and filters

Notes

  • Saving differs from exporting: projects are saved as .xcf, while PNG and JPG output uses the export command
  • Large images are heavy: very high resolution or many-layer files consume noticeable RAM and scratch disk
  • Color mode limits: some features are unavailable in modes such as indexed color
  • Plugin compatibility: check that third-party plugins match your version before installing