Tools We Use

We prefer to use free and open source (FOSS) tools for our design work. This is a core part of the Fedora Design Team’s identity. We want everyone to be able to design for the team, regardless of their access to proprietary software. We also want to demonstrate that professional-quality design work can be done entirely with open source software.

Our primary tools include:

  • Inkscape — Vector graphics editor. This is our most used tool. Everything from logos, swag, and social media graphics are created using Inkscape. Its native format is SVG, which is our preferred delivery format for most work.

  • Penpot — A collaborative web app for interface design. It allows us to brainstorm, wireframe, prototype, and build professional user interfaces for various devices. The team use it primarily for collaborative brainstorming.

  • Krita — An open source painting program, typically used with a drawing tablet to create digital paintings and art. A lot of the most recent wallpapers were made in Krita. It can also be used for sketching when coming up with ideas for logos or other graphics.

  • Blender — A 3D computer graphics software. It is a very powerful tool that has been used to create some of the Fedora wallpapers and graphics for the Fedora website.

Why SVG?

We work primarily in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and strongly prefer delivering design work in this format. SVGs are:

  • Scalable — they look crisp at any size, from a favicon to a conference banner.

  • Editable — future contributors can open and modify them in Inkscape or any SVG-compatible editor.

  • Lightweight — vector files are typically much smaller than high-resolution raster images.

  • Web-friendly — SVGs can be used directly on websites and scale to any screen resolution.

Inkscape exports to SVG by default. Although proprietary tools like Adobe Illustrator can export as SVG, there can be issues if effects are applied or assets are not embedded. If you use proprietary software, be mindful when exporting and be open to figuring out any issues.

Why Open Source?

Lower Barrier of Entry

The most important reason we use open source tools is that it lowers the barrier of entry. Anyone should be able to contribute — students, hobbyists, beginners. Expensive software should not be a requirement to get involved. Open source tools can do almost anything proprietary software can, and anything they can’t, there is almost always a way around it.

Reusability

Design work is not created in a vacuum. When you work on a ticket and create a design asset, you are not just creating something for a single purpose. That design file will exist on our repo forever, with the potential to be reused and reworked.

Higher Cost Does Not Equal Higher Quality

There is a preconception that open source tools are not as good as their proprietary counterparts. Adobe is the industry standard, and in design colleges and studios you are taught to use Adobe. A beginner might feel that in order to become a professional, they have to use these tools. They don’t. Professional work can be made with open source software. There can be some challenges, but there has never been something we haven’t been able to do. For example, Inkscape does not currently have the capability to export in CMYK color mode, which is a requirement when sending something for print. We get around this by using Scribus, an open source desktop publishing application, to import the vector and swap the colors to their CMYK equivalents. For more detail on this workflow, see Prep for Printing Materials.

There are many options when it comes to open source design software. These are really powerful tools and there should be something that suits your needs.

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