Explaining Licenses: Difference between revisions
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== Types of Open Source Licenses == | == Types of Open Source Licenses == | ||
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== Permissive Licenses == | == Permissive Licenses == | ||
Permissive licenses allow users to modify and redistribute software with minimal restrictions. They are often preferred for commercial use due to their flexibility. Some popular permissive licenses include: | Permissive licenses allow users to modify and redistribute software with minimal restrictions. They are often preferred for commercial use due to their flexibility. | ||
Some popular permissive licenses include: | |||
'''MIT License''' | '''MIT License''' | ||
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== Copyleft Licenses == | == Copyleft Licenses == | ||
Copyleft licenses require that any modified versions of the software be distributed under the same license terms.This helps maintain the open source nature of the software. Notable copyleft licenses include: | Copyleft licenses require that any modified versions of the software be distributed under the same license terms.This helps maintain the open source nature of the software. | ||
Notable copyleft licenses include: | |||
'''GNU General Public License (GPL)''' | '''GNU General Public License (GPL)''' | ||
*Strong copyleft license | *Strong copyleft license | ||
*Requires all derivative works to be distributed under GPL | *Requires all derivative works to be distributed under GPL | ||
*Suitable for commercial, patent, and private | *Suitable for commercial, patent, and private use | ||
'''GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL)''' | '''GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL)''' | ||
*Similar to GPL but closes the "network loophole" | *Similar to GPL but closes the "network loophole" | ||
*Applies to software used over a | *Applies to software used over a network | ||
'''GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL)''' | '''GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL)''' | ||
*Less restrictive than GPL | *Less restrictive than GPL | ||
*Allows linking with proprietary code without requiring full source disclosure | *Allows linking with proprietary code without requiring full source disclosure | ||
Latest revision as of 02:12, 25 December 2024
Types of Open Source Licenses
Open source licenses are legal agreements that govern the use, modification, and distribution of software source code. They play a crucial role in the open source ecosystem by defining the terms under which developers can use and contribute to open source projects.
There are two main categories of open source licenses: permissive and copyleft.
Permissive Licenses
Permissive licenses allow users to modify and redistribute software with minimal restrictions. They are often preferred for commercial use due to their flexibility.
Some popular permissive licenses include:
MIT License
- Extremely simple and permissive
- Allows reuse in proprietary software
- Requires only that the original license be included
Apache License 2.0
- Similar to MIT but includes an express patent license from contributors
- Allows sublicensing of modifications
BSD Licenses
- Come in 2-clause and 3-clause versions
- 3-clause version restricts using contributors' names for endorsement
Copyleft Licenses
Copyleft licenses require that any modified versions of the software be distributed under the same license terms.This helps maintain the open source nature of the software.
Notable copyleft licenses include:
GNU General Public License (GPL)
- Strong copyleft license
- Requires all derivative works to be distributed under GPL
- Suitable for commercial, patent, and private use
GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL)
- Similar to GPL but closes the "network loophole"
- Applies to software used over a network
GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL)
- Less restrictive than GPL
- Allows linking with proprietary code without requiring full source disclosure
