Portable software is a class of software that is suitable for use on portable drives such as a USB (thumb) drive or digital audio player or PDA with "drive mode", although any external hard drive can be used. The concept of carrying one's favored applications, utilities, and files on a portable drive for use on any computer is one which has evolved considerably in recent years.
Programs in this category (also known as portable applications ) are typically 'lite' versions of their parent software, but there are many exceptions.
To be considered portable, for purpose of this list, a software program must:
- Not require any kind of formal installation onto a computer's permanent storage device to be executed, and can be stored on a removable storage device such as USB flash drive, enabling it to be used on multiple computers.
- Settings are stored with, and can be carried around with, the software (i.e., they are written to the USB drive). If the registry is used to store settings, the application's configuration isn't portable, and must be set up on every PC it is used on
- Leaves a zero (or near-zero) "footprint" on any PC it's run on after being used. i.e., All temporary files/registry settings should be removed once the program has exited, and files created by the user can be saved directly to the same removable media as the application is stored on.
Generally, smaller utility/toolkit software is inherently fairly portable; though larger applications are sometimes changed in order to allow a portable versions to be released (e.g., Opera@USB and OperaTor).
Application launchers
See also: Comparison of application launchers
- Appetizer (Dock application)
- ASuite
- Ceedo Easy Access Menu
- Launchy
- OpenDisc
- PortableApps.com Menu
- PStart
- RocketDock
- SyMenu
- U3 Launchpad (only included on U3 drives)
Development
Scripting Languages
- Portable Python
- Portable NSIS Version
Compilers
- MinGW
- Tiny C Compiler
IDEs
- Alice (software)
- Portable Code::Blocks (needs MinGW installed, which is portable too)
- Portable Dev-C++
- Hackety Hack, which is an educational version of ruby, can be installed on pendrive.
- JCreator Not entirely portable, because it leaves some settings on the host computer.
Visual mapping tool/Productivity tool
- XMIND
Graphics
3D Modeling And Rendering
- Anim8or - Free 3D modeling and animating software.
- Blender:
- BlenderPortable
- Blender Pocket
- XBlender
Graphic Editors
- ArtRage
- Artweaver
- EVE
- GIMP:
- GIMP Portable VS 2008 is the Gimp portable version of Gimp on Microsoft Windows platforms (Windows XP,Vista,NT Server 2003,NT Server 2008)
- Portable Gimp - for Mac OS X
- X-Gimp
- X-GimpShop
- Inkscape:
- X-Inkscape
- Portable Inkscape - for Mac OS X
- IrfanView
- Pixia
- XTuxPaint
Viewers
- FastStone Image Viewer
- Irfanview
- XnView
Document Based
Office and Publishing
- Abiword
- Atlantis Word Processor
- Jarte
- OpenOffice.org
- Qjot
- RagTime
- Scribus
- StarOffice
Editors
- AkelPad - for portability, select Save Settings to INI File from Registry Tab in Settings dialog
- EmEditor Professional - for portability, select Import and Export on Tools menu
- Geany
- gVim - for advanced users
- Notepad++
- Notepad2
- NoteTab Light
- Programmer's Notepad
- PSPad - for portable use choose CAB archive
- Q10
- SciTE - for portability, set SciTE_HOME environment variable
- TED Notepad - for portability, create tednpad.ini file
- Textpad
- UltraEdit (UE3)
- VEDIT - for portability, check "Install onto removable USB drive" checkbox on the first setup dialog
Personal Notes
- NotesHolder - desktop notes, for portability install it in Portable mode.
- Personal Knowbase - note organizer. For portability, select the removable drive letter as "Destination" during installation.
Educational
- Celestia
- GCompris
- Maxima
- Stellarium
Games
See List of portable computer games
Internet
Web browsers
- Avant
- Firefox Portable
- Google Chrome Portable
- Maxthon Browser
- Opera
- OperaTor, includes Opera, Tor and Polipo packaged together.
- Pocket K-Meleon
- XeroBank Browser
- SRWare Iron Portable
- Sleipnir
Email clients
- Mail - for Mac OS X
- Mozilla Thunderbird Portable
- Pegasus Mail
- Pine
- Opera (Integrated Email client)
- The Bat! Voyager
Instant messaging
- Adium - for Mac OS X
- Brosix
- Coccinella
- Google Talk
- Miniaim
- yahoo! Messenger
- Miranda IM
- Pidgin Portable (formerly Gaim Portable)
- Portable PSI
- TerraIM
- Trillian Anywhere
- Portable iChat - for Mac OS X
- Digsby
FTP clients
- WinSCP
- FileZilla
- Portable Cyberduck
- SmartFTP
- FlashFXP
Download managers
- Wget
- HTTrack
- WxDownload Fast
- Orbit Downloader
- Free Download Manager - Note: installation required to create portable version.
- Opera (Integrated Download Manager)
P2P file sharing
- BitComet - Note: needs msxml.
- BitTornado - Note: needs msxml.
- Emule
- Opera (integrated torrent client)
- μTorrent - Latest version runs independently
- FrostWire
- Limewire Portable
- Vuze Portable
IRC
- ChatZilla Note: Requires a Mozilla based browser, e.g. SeaMonkey, or Firefox.
- HydraIRC
- Miranda IM
- mIRC Note: There is a U3 version of mIRC that can be installed on U3 drives. The original application is portable, leaving behind only the license key in the registry. (This may not be true with the newer versions that are vista-compatible, as their default user data area was changed to the user's application data folder.) Since v3.1, it can be started from a command line using the -portable switch to use settings, DLLs, and license keys that are stored in the same folder as mirc.exe.
- Nettalk
- Pidgin (formerly Gaim)
- Opera (Integrated Irc client)
- XChat
- Portable X-Chat Aqua - for Mac OS X
- KVIrc
- Digsby
RSS, Atom readers
- RSSOwl Note: needs Java runtime environment.
- Opera (Integrated RSS/Atom client)
Telnet, SSH clients
- portaPuTTY
- WinSCP Portable Edition - SFTP/SCP/FTP client, remote file manager, GUI—see WinSCP.
Bookmark managers
- Portable Bookmarks
Search engines
Podcast managers
- Juice
Proxy server/clients and Routing Networks
- Portable Tor
Wiki-like (Note: These are not web-based)
- EverNote (freeware & commercial versions)
- StoneNotes (commercial/proprietary)
- Wikidpad
- TiddlyWiki (Use a web browser on a local file. No network required.)
Miscellaneous
- Moka5 LivePC Engine (Portable VMware). Note: Dynamically loads and unloads network drivers and requires administrator rights.
- Mojopac portable chopped down copy of windows. Requires administrator rights.
Multimedia
File converters
- Audiograbber
- BonkEnc
- CDex
- MediaCoder
- SUPER - has problems with portability
- TMPGEnc
- Total video converter
- FormatFactory
- AVS Video Converter
CD/DVD burning
- DeepBurner Portable Edition
- InfraRecorder
Editors
- Portable Audacity - for Windows and Mac OS X
- Audiobook Cutter Free Edition
- mp3DirectCut
Audio/Midi Sequencer
- Reaper has a .bat file for a USB stick installation
Players
- FLV player
- Media Player Classic
- foobar2000 - only supports xp and forward
- MPlayer
- K-M
Download PDA Freeware and shareware - Tucows
butterscotch.com is your portal into the world of technology. Learn how to do more with the tech you already own in language everyone can understand.
Handheld and PDA Downloads and Software at Freeware Directory
Contains Handheld and PDA software companies, businesses, internet sites, and developers offering downloads of free Handheld and PDA software.
PDA Freeware
To the main page of Earth Science Australia - no advertising, no spyware Freeware Free downloads of earth science software Cyber Education Free self-learning on-line Energy ...
PDA Freeware
Free downloads for personal digital assistants. Freeware for blackberries, Palm Pilots, and Pocket PC
Medical PDA Freeware
Free medical software for the PDA. ... Download Free Medical Software Demo Packages at NetDoc.com.
Palm pda: freeware downloads
Palm pda: Save addresses and phone numbers as you surf, PocketPC-compatible remake of classic Pac-Man, Outlook Sharing Add-in and Synchronizer
Blog Arhive » PDA FREEWARE SOFTWARE
PDA FREEWARE SOFTWARE ... Download results for pda freeware software: pda_freeware_software.zip Offers various software downloads, including games.
PDA Freeware - Free Palm OS Software.
PDA Freeware is a compilation of the best Palm OS freeware. All the software in our index are 100% Free of use.
pda freeware downloads for Windows Mobile Pocket PC.
Browse more than 6,600 pda Pocket PC freeware downloads e-books, games, themes, video, ringtones, sport, utilities.
Wilk13.Net: PDA and smartphone freeware
New apps for PDA and smartphone at Wilk13.Net (Freeware Software Directory).