

If you're running the app on a desktop machine or Android, you just need to grab the app from either the website or the associated app store. Kodi is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android (mobile and TV), iOS, and Raspberry Pi. If you want a plug-and-play app, Plex might be a better choice. It requires a lot of user input to make the app run the way you want it to, and it necessitates more effort to keep everything working as time goes by. Lastly, be aware that Kodi's customizability comes at a cost. Let's stress that again because Kodi newbies often overlook it: if you don't have any locally saved media, and you don't have any interest in learning how to use repos and add-ons, you don't need Kodi. Without your input, Kodi is an entirely underwhelming shell and provides nothing beyond the interface. The community is responsible for all the good stuff the app offers. If you're a skilled coder, you can even make changes to the source code yourself. Because it's open-source, a vast community of programmers and developers has built up around the app.

It finally transformed into Kodi in 2014.Īrguably, Kodi's most significant selling point is that it is open-source.

It began life back in 2002 as the Xbox Media Player, and quickly evolved into the Xbox Media Center (XBMC). Kodi is best described as a home theater app, and can double up as a retro gaming console if you need one.
