Pixelitor

Judgement

What it is

Complete system

What it does

A Java desktop image editor with layers, masks, text layers, over 110 filters and adjustments, and multiple undo.

Adopt it when

You want a cross-platform free image editor with many filters and are fine running Java.

Watch out

One maintainer, and it requires a recent Java runtime.

Ready for

Usable

Runs as

Desktop app

Built with

Java

How established

Established: started 12 years ago, latest release v4.3.1.

What the license allows

Use inside your business is unrestricted, but anything you distribute that includes it must be released under the same license.

Judged on 2026-11-03 from the project's README and GitHub data. The license and age lines are worked out directly.

Built from

Follow it down: Pixelitor → JDK → LLVM project → runs on a microchip

How compilers were built, back to punched paper tape

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