📜 License Selection Guide

Choose the right license for your project

---

Quick Comparison

License	Permissions	Conditions	Use Case
MIT	Commercial use, modify, distribute	Must include license	Maximum freedom
Apache-2.0	Commercial use, modify, distribute, patent use	Must include license + changes	Enterprise-friendly
GPL-3.0	Commercial use, modify, distribute	Must open source derivatives	Strong copyleft

---

🟢 MIT License

Best for: Maximum adoption, libraries, tools

You CAN:

• ✅ Use commercially
• ✅ Modify
• ✅ Distribute
• ✅ Use privately

You MUST:

• 📋 Include license and copyright notice

You CANNOT:

• ❌ Hold author liable

Example Projects

• React, Vue.js, jQuery, Node.js, Rails

---

🔵 Apache License 2.0

Best for: Enterprise software, patent protection needed

You CAN:

• ✅ Use commercially
• ✅ Modify
• ✅ Distribute
• ✅ Use privately
• ✅ Use patents

You MUST:

• 📋 Include license and copyright notice
• 📋 State changes made

You CANNOT:

• ❌ Hold author liable
• ❌ Use trademarks

Example Projects

• Kubernetes, TensorFlow, Apache projects

---

🔴 GPL-3.0 License (Current)

Best for: Projects that must remain open source

You CAN:

• ✅ Use commercially
• ✅ Modify
• ✅ Distribute
• ✅ Use privately

You MUST:

• 📋 Include license and copyright notice
• 📋 State changes made
• 📋 Disclose source code
• 📋 Use same license for derivatives

You CANNOT:

• ❌ Hold author liable

Example Projects

• Linux kernel, WordPress, GIMP

---

🤔 How to Choose

Do you want maximum adoption?
├── Yes → MIT
└── No
    │
    ├── Do you need patent protection?
    │   ├── Yes → Apache-2.0
    │   └── No
    │       │
    │       └── Do you want derivatives to stay open source?
    │           ├── Yes → GPL-3.0
    │           └── No → MIT or Apache-2.0

---

🔄 Changing the License

From this Template

1. Delete the current LICENSE file
2. Create a new LICENSE file with your chosen license
3. Update copyright year and name in the new license
4. Update any license badges in README.md

License Text Sources

• MIT: https://choosealicense.com/licenses/mit/
• Apache-2.0: https://choosealicense.com/licenses/apache-2.0/
• GPL-3.0: https://choosealicense.com/licenses/gpl-3.0/

---

📚 Additional Resources

• Choose a License - GitHub's license chooser
• SPDX License List - Full list of open source licenses
• OSI Approved Licenses - Open Source Initiative

---

⚠️ Disclaimer

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a legal professional for specific licensing questions.