U.S. Open-Source License Selection: A Compatibility and Distribution Checklist

License selection is a legal and community decision, not a popularity contest. Compare attribution and notice duties, source-disclosure conditions, patent clauses, linking or modification triggers, network-use terms, compatibility, and whether dependencies can be distributed together. Use SPDX identifiers and keep a software bill of materials. Have counsel review a commercial distribution or a license change.

A practical workflow

1. Define whether you distribute binaries, source, hosted software, plugins, or hardware.
2. Read the full license and identify every dependency’s actual license.
3. Check compatibility before combining or relicensing code.
4. Automate notice and source-offer artifacts in the release process.
5. Document contributor copyright, inbound license, and governance decisions.

Before you submit, buy, or publish

• Do not call code “free” without naming the license.
• Preserve notices and license texts.
• Review generated code and model terms too.
• Do not change a project license without contributor and governance authority.

Caveats that matter

License interpretation is fact-specific and court decisions or project terms can evolve. OSI is a reference, not your lawyer.

Frequently asked question

Is permissive always safer for a company? It may reduce some obligations but does not remove attribution, patent, trademark, or dependency risks.

Primary source

Use the official source for current eligibility, forms, dates, fees, limits, and policy changes: Open the primary source. Verify the page immediately before acting; this guide is educational and is not legal, tax, immigration, or financial advice.