Open Source Licenses

The cluster focuses on discussions about choosing open source software licenses, with many commenters recommending permissive licenses like MIT, BSD, or Apache over copyleft options like GPL.

➡️ Stable 0.5x Open Source
4,752
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#689
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Keywords

MPL e.g ICLA FPL node.js MIT LGPL OSI GPL IDGAF mit license licenses bsd gpl apache permissive licensed source source license

Sample Comments

brasetvik Jan 3, 2016 View on HN

Have you considered a more permissive license, like Apache/MIT/BSD?

giancarlostoro Oct 9, 2017 View on HN

Why wouldn't MIT or BSD License be closer?

noosphr Jan 11, 2026 View on HN

Use a license that doesn't allow it then.Not everything needs to be mit or gnu.

seba_dos1 Feb 18, 2024 View on HN

Simply don't shy away from copyleft licenses. MIT has its uses, but GPL is there for you too.

trailfox Jun 28, 2013 View on HN

Might help to give it a well known open source license e.g. BSD, MIT, Apache

ioquatix Sep 2, 2015 View on HN

Why not the MIT or BSD license? It would be more useful for other developers.

zzzcpan Sep 6, 2017 View on HN

Like BSD or MIT licenses? That would be great.

rKarpinski Nov 29, 2023 View on HN

Yes MIT is a very permissible license, the only requirement is to include it & you can do practically anything. But they didn't even do that so I'm not sure how a different license would help?

john-h-k May 6, 2025 View on HN

The other big thing iirc is they’re all MIT licensed rather than GPL(et variants) licensed

wyldfire Oct 22, 2024 View on HN

Don't use that license, use something similar like MIT, BSD or Apache instead.