Open source license chooser & lookup
Free client-side Open source license chooser & lookup web utility.
Open Source License Chooser & Legal Boilerplate Generator
Choose the right open source software license for your repository, compare permissions and copyleft conditions, customize author/year placeholders, and export valid LICENSE files.
Guided Decision Tree
✓ Permissions
ℹ Conditions
✕ Limitations
MIT License
Copyright (c) 2026 [Your Name or Organization]
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.About this tool
How to use it
- Select an open source license from the dropdown list or use the Guided Decision Tree quiz to pick based on your project goals.
- Customize your copyright year and copyright holder name to automatically inject them into the official legal boilerplate.
- Compare the permissions (commercial use, modification), conditions (attribution, copyleft), and limitations (liability, warranty).
- Click 'Download LICENSE' to export a ready-to-commit LICENSE file or copy the SPDX identifier for your package.json/Cargo.toml.
Why it matters
Publishing code without a clear open source license leaves it under default copyright, preventing other developers and enterprises from legitimately using, modifying, or contributing to your repository. Understanding the legal difference between permissive licenses (MIT, Apache) and copyleft licenses (GPL, AGPL) is essential for protecting intellectual property.
When to use it
Use this tool when creating a new GitHub/GitLab repository, configuring software package manifests, releasing an open source library, or auditing third-party code licenses.
Common questions
What is the difference between permissive and copyleft licenses?
Permissive licenses (like MIT and Apache 2.0) allow anyone to use, modify, and redistribute the code commercially, even inside closed-source proprietary software. Copyleft licenses (like GNU GPL v3) require that any derivative works or modifications also be released under the same open source license.
Why should I choose Apache 2.0 over MIT?
Both are permissive, but Apache 2.0 includes an explicit grant of patent rights from contributors to users, protecting developers from patent infringement lawsuits by project contributors.
What is the AGPL license used for?
The GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL) closes the 'cloud/SaaS loophole'. If someone runs a modified version of your software as a cloud service over a network, they are legally required to disclose the modified source code to users.
Does using this generator constitute legal advice?
No. This tool provides standardized Open Source Initiative (OSI) and SPDX legal boilerplate templates. Complex corporate licensing strategies should be reviewed by legal counsel.