Is Inkscape Safe?

Inkscape is a free open source vector graphics editor, which can be used for creating and editing of all kinds of shapes, text, images, diagrams and other objects in the form of digital artwork or print media.

It has been developed by The GNU Project as an alternative to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw, and is a popular piece of software for those who want to use something good but on a budget.

Whilst it is a common program to download, is it safe? In this article we discuss just that, as well as find out more about it.

Is Inkscape Safe to Use and Legitimate?

Inkscape is free software, meaning you don’t have to pay anything to get it. It is also open-source software, which means anyone can see how it works, modify it and redistribute the modified version.

For some people, this may seem worrying, but that isn’t necessarily the case.

If you’re worried about someone modifying the code and using it against you (such as in a virus form), then you should probably look at other alternatives.

However, if you are happy with the way Inkscape works, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue to use it.

Many people have used it for years without any issue. In fact, a lot of people have used Inkscape as their full-time way of being creative, instead of using the likes of Adobe.

Does Inkscape Have Any Malware?

If you were worried about malware being installed onto your computer when downloading Inkscape, then you needn’t worry. There is nothing malicious included with the program itself.

There are many different ways in which malware could be added to a file, such as through email attachments, web links, etc., but none of these apply here.

As mentioned above, Inkscape is completely free of charge, so there is no reason to believe that it will contain any malware.

How Can I Be Sure That Inkscape Is Secure?

The best way to know whether Inkscape is secure is to check its website. This page contains information about the latest updates to Inkscape as well as security patches.

You can also visit the official site of the developers, the GNU project, where they provide information about the development process and what each new release entails.

The official website also provides a link to the bug tracker, which lists known bugs and issues.

If you do encounter any problems while using Inkscape, then the bug tracker is the place to go to report them.

You can even submit a feature request if you think one would benefit from being implemented.

What Are Some Common Problems People Experience With Inkscape?

One of the most common complaints people have about Inkscape is that it doesn’t work properly with certain programs.

This includes Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 and 2013, as well as Apple Macintosh computers.

This problem is caused because Inkscape uses a proprietary format called SVG, whereas Microsoft Office uses the Open XML format.

To fix this problem, simply install the appropriate plugin for Inkscape. For example, if you are using Microsoft Office 2010 or later, then you can install the ‘Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack’ plugin.

Another common complaint is that Inkscape has trouble working with older versions of Windows. This is usually due to changes made by Microsoft to the operating system.

In order to solve this problem, you’ll need to update your operating system. The easiest way to do this is to download an updated version of Windows directly from the manufacturer.

Alternatively, you can try installing Inkscape on a virtual machine.

This allows you to run the software within a separate environment, making sure that the software does not affect anything else on your hard drive.

Finally, another common problem people experience with Inkscape is that the program crashes after running for a long period of time.

This happens because Inkscape uses memory inefficiently. To resolve this problem, you should increase the amount of RAM available to the application.

What Alternatives Are There To Inkscape?

Inkscape is undoubtedly one of the best vector graphics editors out there. However, it’s certainly not the only alternative.

Here are some other alternatives (though they might not be free):

GIMP – Gimp is a powerful image editor that supports all major graphic formats including EPS, PDF, PSD, TIFF, GIF, PNG, JPEG, BMP, XPM, PCX, PICT, SGI, CGM, and more. It’s open source, meaning that anyone can modify it in any way they see fit.
Adobe Illustrator – Like Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor. It was originally developed by Macromedia but now belongs to Adobe Systems.
Corel Draw – Corel Draw is an advanced vector graphics editor that offers many of the same features as Adobe Illustrator. It’s also very similar to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite.
Freehand – Freehand is a simple yet effective vector graphics editor. It’s designed specifically for beginners and does not require any previous knowledge of drawing.
DrawPlus – DrawPlus is a professional vector graphics editor that comes bundled with several useful tools such as a ruler, grid, polygonal lasso tool, etc.

Final Thoughts

Inkscape is safe to use. It’s free of charge, so you don’t have to worry about paying money to get access to it.

Furthermore, the program is open source, meaning that anyone can view the code and make modifications to it.

This means that you can easily find out how Inkscape works and modify it yourself if you want to.

However, the only thing you really need to worry about when using Inkscape is ensuring that you’re downloading the correct version of the program.

If you’re having problems with Inkscape, then you should first look at the official website to see if there are any updates available.

If you still cannot figure out what’s wrong, then you should consider contacting the developer. You can do this either through their mailing list or by visiting the bug tracker.

Remember that Inkscape is completely free, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give it a try.