article

The Apache License (Apache Software License previous to version 2.0) is a free software / open source license authored by The Apache Software Foundation (ASF). All software produced by the ASF or any of its projects or subjects is licensed according to the terms of the Apache License. Some non-ASF software is licensed using the Apache License as well. The Apache License (versions 1.0, 1.1, and 2.0) require preservation of the copyright notice and disclaimer, but it is not a copyleft license - it allows use and distribution of the source code in both open source and closed source software.

Apache License 1.0

This is the original Apache License which applies only to older versions of Apache packages (such as version 1.2 of the Web server).

Apache License 1.1

The 1.1 version of the Apache License was approved by the ASF in 2000: The primary change from the 1.0 license is in the 'advertising clause' (section 3 of the 1.0 license); derived products are no longer required to include attribution in their advertising materials, but only in their documentation.

Apache License 2.0

The ASF approved an update to the Apache License in January, 2004. The stated goals of the license included making the license easier for non-ASF projects to use, improving compatibility with GPL-based software, allowing the license to be included by reference instead of listed in every file, clarifying the license on contributions, and requiring a patent license on contributions that necessarily infringe a contributor's own patents.

What does it mean for me (for apache license 2.0)

You may download for free, use, modify the code, keep modifications secret, and sell your modifications.

Using apache licensed code does not mean all your code become licensed too and it does not require you to be open-source.

All you must do is include some messages on the fact that you used licensed code.

There are 4 types of text messages you must include:
Put these two files at the top dir of the release

  • (1) LICENSE - a copy of the apache license. * . It only means that part of your code use this license , and not that all your code is under this license.
  • (2) NOTICE - A "notice" text document which includes a notice about you using apache licensed code and the names of the libraries and their developers. You can add other (your) work notes , if you wish.
in every licensed file
  • (3) do not delete any original copyright/patents lines. But, you can add your own lines , if you wish.

in every licensed file you have changed

  • (4) Add a notification that you made changes to that file.

GPL compatibility issue

The Free Software Foundation considers all versions of the Apache License incompatible with the Version 2 of the GNU General Public License. About version 2.0 of the Apache License, they say "The Apache Software License is incompatible with the GPL because it has a specific requirement that is not in the GPL: it has certain patent termination cases that the GPL does not require. (We don't think those patent termination cases are inherently a bad idea, but nonetheless they are incompatible with the GNU GPL.)" *

The Apache Software Foundation is still trying to make its own determination about whether the Apache License 2.0 is compatible with the GPL as quoted here.

The current draft of Version 3 of the GPL includes a provision (Section 7e) which allows it to be compatible with licenses that include patent retaliation clauses, including the Apache License.

Selected programs released under an Apache License

Well over 1000 non-ASF projects located at SourceForge are using the Apache License.

External links

Open source licenses | Free software licenses

Apache-Lizenz | Licence Apache | רשיון אפאצ'י | Licença Apache

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Apache License".

Home Page • arts • business • computers • games • health • hospitals • home • kids & teens • news • physicians • recreation• reference • regional • science • shopping • society • sports • world