asterisk/asterisk
FreeThe official Asterisk Project repository.
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About asterisk/asterisk
Asterisk is an Open Source PBX and telephony toolkit. It acts as middleware between Internet and telephony channels and supports a vast range of telephony interfaces including VoIP (SIP) and traditional PSTN. It runs primarily on GNU/Linux and is also ported to Mac OS X and BSD. Supported hardware includes analog/digital cards from Sangoma, PortAudio-compatible sound cards, and the Xorcom Astribank. The project is developed by the Asterisk developer community and is distributed under an open source license.
Key Features
Open Source PBX and telephony toolkit
Supports VoIP (SIP) and traditional PSTN telephony interfaces
Compatible with analog and digital telephony hardware (Sangoma cards, Xorcom Astribank, PortAudio)
Primarily developed for GNU/Linux, also ported to Mac OS X and BSD
Vast support for traditional PSTN telephony
Extensive documentation and community support
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully open source with no licensing fees
- Supports a wide variety of telephony interfaces and hardware
- Large and active community with extensive documentation
- Runs on multiple operating systems (Linux, Mac OS X, BSD)
Cons
- Configuration can be complex, requiring careful security setup
- Primarily tested and supported on Linux; other OS ports less mature
- Requires specific hardware for analog/TDM connectivity
Best For
Building a full-featured PBX system for businessesDeveloping custom telephony applications (IVR, voicemail, conferencing)Bridging VoIP and traditional PSTN networksEducational experiments in telephony and telecommunications
FAQ
What is Asterisk?
Asterisk is an Open Source PBX and telephony toolkit that acts as middleware between Internet and telephony channels (like VoIP/SIP) and telephony applications. It also provides extensive support for traditional PSTN telephony.
What operating systems does Asterisk support?
Asterisk is developed and tested primarily on GNU/Linux and runs on every major Linux distribution. It has also been ported to Apple Mac OS X and BSD variants.