Open Source License Generator
Generate a LICENSE file — MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL-3.0, LGPL, AGPL, MPL 2.0, BSD, ISC, Unlicense, CC0 or Boost — with your name and year, file headers and a comparison.
Licence texts are the official wording published by each steward, as collected by choosealicense.com. The comparison tags (permissions, conditions, limitations) come from choosealicense.com by GitHub, Inc. and contributors, used under CC BY 3.0.
This page is not legal advice; if your project has several contributors or employer-owned code, check who holds the copyright first.
| Licence | Conditions and patent grant | Other limits |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ MIT | Keep copyright notice | — |
| Apache-2.0 | Patent grant, Keep copyright notice, State changes | No trademark rights |
| GPL-3.0 | Patent grant, Keep copyright notice, State changes, Share source, Same licence | — |
| LGPL-3.0 | Patent grant, Keep copyright notice, Share source, State changes, Same licence (library) | — |
| AGPL-3.0 | Patent grant, Keep copyright notice, State changes, Share source, Share source for network use, Same licence | — |
| MPL-2.0 | Patent grant, Share source, Keep copyright notice, Same licence (per file) | No trademark rights |
| BSD-2-Clause | Keep copyright notice | — |
| BSD-3-Clause | Keep copyright notice | — |
| ISC | Keep copyright notice | — |
| BSL-1.0 | Keep notice in source copies | — |
| Unlicense | none | — |
| CC0-1.0 | none | No trademark rights, Patent grant |
Code without a licence is "all rights reserved" by default, so nobody can legally reuse it. This generator fills in the official text of the twelve most common open-source licences — MIT, Apache 2.0, the GNU GPL, LGPL and AGPL v3, MPL 2.0, BSD 2- and 3-Clause, ISC, Boost, the Unlicense and CC0 — with your year and name, writes the SPDX identifier and a source-file header, and compares what each licence requires. Three questions help you pick one.
How to use this tool
- Pick a licence, or choose "Help me choose" and answer the two questions.
- Enter the year and the copyright holder (and a project name for GNU headers).
- Save the licence text in your repository root under the file name shown.
- Put the SPDX line or the notice at the top of your source files and the identifier in your package manifest.
Formula
Permissive (MIT, BSD, ISC, Boost, Apache) → keep the notice. Weak copyleft (MPL per file, LGPL per library) → share changes to those parts. Strong copyleft (GPL, AGPL) → share the whole work’s source; AGPL also for network use.
Apache 2.0, MPL 2.0 and the GNU v3 licences grant an explicit patent licence; MIT, BSD and ISC say nothing about patents, and CC0 expressly excludes them. GNU and Apache texts are copied unchanged — the name and year go into per-file notices.
Example
Choosing MIT with the year 2026 and holder Jane Doe gives a 21-line LICENSE whose second paragraph reads Copyright (c) 2026 Jane Doe, the SPDX identifier MIT, and the header // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT. Choosing GPL-3.0 copies the full 674-line licence and builds the FSF notice with your project name.
Frequently asked questions
Which licence should I choose?
For maximum reuse, MIT or Apache 2.0 (Apache if patents matter). To keep modified versions open, GPL v3; for libraries that closed programs should still be able to use, LGPL v3 or MPL 2.0; for software offered as a web service, AGPL v3.
What is the SPDX identifier for?
It is a standard short name that tools, package managers and compliance scanners read. Use GPL-3.0-or-later or GPL-3.0-only rather than the ambiguous GPL-3.0.
Can I change the wording of a licence?
No — modified licences are no longer the well-known licence, and the GNU texts forbid changing them. Only fill in the placeholders, as this generator does.
Sources
This result is an estimate for general information only, not financial, tax, legal or medical advice. Rules and rates change and your circumstances may differ, so confirm with the official source or a qualified professional before you rely on it. You use the result at your own risk. How we check our calculators · Full disclaimer
Last updated:
Page address with these inputs: https://kakao.mobile/tools/license-generator/
Cite or embed this tool
kakaoCalc. (2026, November 8). Open Source License Generator. https://kakao.mobile/tools/license-generator/
“Open Source License Generator.” kakaoCalc, 8 Nov. 2026, kakao.mobile/tools/license-generator/.
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