NordVPN open sources its Linux GUI client under GPLv3

Joins its command-line client from a couple of years ago

NordVPN has open sourced another of its Linux VPN client apps under the GPLv3. This time, it's the graphical user interface (GUI) version.

The Lithuanian outfit has released the source code to version 4.2.0, which introduces the GUI client announced in May. This complements its existing shell-based client, the source code for which has been available since 2023.

The GitHub repository isn't new. The company released the source code for its in-house Linux client back in 2023, just over two and a half years ago. At the same time, it also released the libtelio client code, which is a library for creating NordVPN's Meshnet encrypted peer-to-peer networks, for which the company has a detailed explainer.

NordVPN launched the Meshnet service in 2022 and in August announced that it was planning to shut it down. However, after user outcry, it has changed its mind and at the end of last month said that the service will live on.

What's changed is that back then, the client was a text-mode one, used from a shell prompt. Now, in version 4.2.0, that's joined by the GUI app as well.

It's only the Linux client that's getting open sourced. NordVPN also offers dedicated client apps for various proprietary desktop and mobile OSes, and those clients remain proprietary themselves.

The Register has been covering NordVPN for about six years, which is coincidentally also around the time when it released the first version of its Linux client. This vulture is not a regular user of VPNs, but a few years ago, when resident in the Czech Republic, he did use one to gain access to some important English-language material for the youngest Linux user in the family. After some research, he picked NordVPN, as it seemed to be generally well regarded. It did the job, although we cancelled the service when returning to the British Isles.

Some parts of NordVPN's stack are based on FOSS components or technology, including WireGuard, but the FOSS release is only of client code.

There are already other graphical VPN clients for Linux. For instance, the NetworkManager stack has VPN support, and it also has GTK and Qt-based GUI applets, which work on GNOME, KDE Plasma, and other desktops. Indeed, NordVPN offers instructions on how to connect to its service using NetworkManager.

Setup is not trivial, though. Mind you, it isn't for any VPN. In our experience, they are quite finicky things, and thus off-putting to non-techies. Anything that makes such processes simpler or more functional is welcome. It may also prove useful to lighter-weight distros which don't use NetworkManager by default. ®