What is LinkedIn used for?

LinkedIn is a professional network built around member profiles, job listings, company pages and B2B content, used by job seekers, recruiters and marketers. It is a good fit for job searching and recruiting, and B2B networking and content marketing.

Is LinkedIn open source?

No. LinkedIn is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Social Media category, open-source options include Mastodon, Bluesky and Misskey.

What are some alternatives to LinkedIn?

LinkedIn competes with Facebook and X (Twitter).

LinkedIn: features, pricing and alternatives

About LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional social network, owned by Microsoft. Members maintain profiles that work like online resumes, connect with colleagues, follow companies and read or publish posts and articles about their industries.

The platform also supports hiring, with job listings and recruiting tools, and company pages and advertising for B2B marketing and sales prospecting. It is a hosted service available on the web and through mobile apps, free to join, with paid premium and business subscriptions. This entry describes a social platform rather than a software product that can be self-hosted.

Key features

Professional profiles and connections
Job listings and recruiting tools
Company pages for organizations
Posts, articles and professional content
Advertising and B2B marketing options

Good fit for

→Job searching and recruiting
→B2B networking and content marketing

Tags: social-network; professional-network; jobs; b2b; recruiting; microsoft; company-pages

LinkedIn: questions and answers

What is LinkedIn used for?: LinkedIn is a professional network built around member profiles, job listings, company pages and B2B content, used by job seekers, recruiters and marketers. It is a good fit for job searching and recruiting, and B2B networking and content marketing.
Is LinkedIn free?: Yes. LinkedIn has a free plan.
Is LinkedIn open source?: No. LinkedIn is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Social Media category, open-source options include Mastodon, Bluesky and Misskey.
What are some alternatives to LinkedIn?: LinkedIn competes with Facebook and X (Twitter).