Developer Utilities · Free tool
Open-Source License Chooser
A 4-question decision tree mapping to MIT, Apache, BSD, LGPL, GPL, AGPL, or CC0. Permissions + conditions explained.
Are you OK with people using your code in proprietary / closed-source products?
Permissive licenses (MIT, Apache, BSD) say yes. Copyleft licenses (GPL, LGPL, AGPL) say no — derivatives must also be open.
Quick reference table
| License | Proprietary derivatives? | Patent grant? |
|---|---|---|
| MIT | Yes | No (implicit) |
| Apache-2.0 | Yes | Yes (explicit) |
| BSD-3-Clause | Yes | No |
| LGPL-3.0 | Yes (linking only) | Yes |
| GPL-3.0 | No | Yes |
| AGPL-3.0 | No (incl. SaaS) | Yes |
| CC0 | Yes (public domain) | — |
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What it does
A 4-question decision tree that maps to the right open-source license for your project. Covers MIT, Apache 2.0, BSD-3-Clause, LGPL, GPL, AGPL, and CC0 — with permissions, conditions, and SPDX identifier surfaced for each.
For commit-message conventions on the project once you've picked a license, see Conventional Commits Builder.
Embed this tool on your siteShow snippetHide
Paste this snippet into any page. Loads on-demand (lazy), no tracking scripts, and sized to most dashboards. Replace the height to fit your layout.
<iframe src="https://freetoolarena.com/embed/license-chooser" width="100%" height="720" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="Open-Source License Chooser" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:12px;max-width:720px;"></iframe>How to use it
- Answer 2-4 yes/no questions.
- Read the recommended license with permissions + conditions.
- Click through to the full SPDX text.
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