What is Asterisk?

Asterisk is an open-source software framework used to build and run communication systems—especially telephone systems—over a computer network.

Asterisk turns a computer into a PBX (Private Branch Exchange)—basically a phone system for businesses or individuals. It lets you:

• Make and receive calls over the internet (VoIP)
• Set up extensions (like office phone numbers)
• Create voicemail systems
• Build interactive voice menus (“Press 1 for sales…”)
• Route calls automatically

Key features

• Voice over IP (VoIP) support
• Call recording
• Conferencing (group calls)
• IVR (interactive voice response)
• Integration with other apps (CRM systems, databases)