How to prevent getting into trouble when using Open-Source plugins
Tags: opensource, development, product, programming
Published: 2023-02-10 00:57:30

## **TWO Categories of Open Source**

**1. Permissive (CopyRight)**

A permissive open source license is a non-copyleft open source license that guarantees the freedom to use, modify, and redistribute, while also permitting proprietary derivative works. Permissive open source licenses, lovingly referred to as “Anything Goes”, place minimal restrictions on how others can use open source components. That means that this type of license allows varying degrees of freedom to use, modify, and redistribute open source code, permitting its use in proprietary derivative works, and requiring nearly nothing in return in regards to obligations moving forward.

**2. Restricted (CopyLeft)**

When an author releases a program under a copyleft license, they make a claim on the copyright of the work and issue a statement that other people have the right to use, modify, and share the work as long as the reciprocity of the obligation is maintained. In short, if they are using a component with this kind of open source license, then they too must make their code open for use by others as well.

**License Type(s)**

**1. MIT**

The MIT license gives users express permission to reuse code for any purpose, sometimes even if code is part of proprietary software. As long as users include the original copy of the MIT license in their distribution, they can make **_any changes or modifications to the code to suit their own needs. MIT licenses allow commercial use._** Users do not have to provide any other source code when releasing new software.

**2. BSD-3/X11**

The BSD 3-Clause License has two key requirements of those who want to use the licensed code. They’re actually the same as those of the MIT license. **_If you plan to copy, modify, or distribute any code licensed under BSD, you must include:

- The full text of the license
- The original copyright notice_**

Users of BSD-licensed code may:

- Use the code commercially.
- Modify the code.
- Distribute reworked versions or copies of the code.
- Place warranty

**3. GNU GPLv2/v3**

These GPL series are all copyleft licenses, which means that any derivative work must be distributed under the same or equivalent license terms. It is more restrictive than the Lesser General Public License and even further distinct from the more widely used permissive software licenses BSD, MIT, and Apache.

Any software created using an open-source component with a copyleft license must be released as open source as well. **_The result is that any software product containing an open source copyleft license, even when it’s only a few lines out of mountains of code, must make its entire source code available for free, along with the rights to modify and distribute it. _**

**4. Apache 2.0**


Apache License 2.0 can be easily used by other projects without any rewording in the license document itself.

The Apache License is also a permissive license. However, it has stringent terms when it comes to modifications. It requires you to explicitly list out all the modifications that you’ve done in the original software, i.e., you’re required to preserve modification notices.

You can use any Apache License 2.0 licensed software in your commercial products for free. **_However, you must not name your product in a way that it looks like an endorsement from Apache. You must also not use any of the Apache marks (like the multi-colored feather) anywhere in your product or its documentation._**

Stay safe till we e-meet again!!