# kitchen table software

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/kitchen-table-software
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

## Examples

- He started his business by selling kitchen table software from home.
- She earns extra money by coding kitchen table software in her living room.
- This simple accounting tool is a classic example of kitchen table software.
- Many successful tech companies began as small projects built on kitchen table software before growing into global corporations.
- Before the app store became crowded with corporate products, you could find unique kitchen table software written by hobbyists in their spare time.
- The museum features an exhibit on early kitchen table software that paved the way for modern video games.
- While the industry now favors massive corporate teams, the era of kitchen table software fostered a unique spirit of independent innovation and personal creativity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.