The date is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of September since 2004 and has been celebrated ever since.

Free Software is the name given to the computer programs to which the user can access, study, use, share, distribute and modify in any way he or she chooses, for the purpose he/she wishes. Importantly, free software is not equivalent to free of cost software, the term "free" refers to more than simply monetary notions.

Software Freedom Day aims to publicize free software and its advantages by encouraging its use in everyday activities such as school, work or at home.

Hundreds of events are celebrated worldwide that celebrate the use of free software. Some of the best known and most used free software in the world include Linux, Apache, MySQL, VLC and Wordpress.