About Open Source License Picker

The License Picker displays the key permissions, conditions, and limitations of the most widely-used open-source licenses — MIT, Apache 2.0, GNU GPL v3, BSD 3-Clause, ISC, and the Unlicense — in a visual card grid so you can compare them at a glance. Click any card to expand the full license text with your name and the current year already filled in.

Choosing the wrong license can restrict how others use your code or create legal ambiguity for commercial adopters. This tool helps you make an informed decision quickly. Copy the final license text or download it as a LICENSE file ready to commit to your repository.

Common Use Cases

Deciding between permissive licenses (MIT, ISC) and copyleft licenses (GPL v3) when publishing a new open-source library
Checking whether Apache 2.0's explicit patent grant makes it more appropriate than MIT for enterprise or startup projects
Understanding the non-endorsement clause in BSD 3-Clause before selecting it for a project that might be embedded in commercial products
Generating a correctly-dated LICENSE file with your name or organization pre-filled, ready to add to a repository root

How to Use

Browse the license cards and read each card's permission badges (green = allowed, yellow = condition, red = limitation)
Click a card to select it — a detail panel opens below showing the full permissions breakdown and the complete license text
Enter your name or organization and confirm the year in the input fields to personalize the license text
Click Copy License or Download to save the LICENSE file for your project

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between MIT and Apache 2.0?

Both are permissive licenses that allow commercial use, modification, and distribution with minimal conditions. The key difference is that Apache 2.0 includes an explicit patent rights grant: contributors cannot later sue users for patent infringement related to their contributions. This makes Apache 2.0 a safer choice for projects where patent risk is a concern, such as enterprise software or tooling used in regulated industries.

What does "copyleft" mean for GPL v3?

Copyleft means that anyone who distributes your GPL-licensed code or a modified version of it must also release their source code under the same GPL v3 terms. This is designed to ensure that improvements to open-source software remain open. If you want to prevent companies from incorporating your code into closed-source products without sharing their changes, GPL v3 is the appropriate choice.

Should I use the Unlicense if I want to put my code in the public domain?

The Unlicense is a good choice if you want zero restrictions — anyone can use, modify, and distribute the code for any purpose without attribution. However, in jurisdictions where dedicating work to the public domain is legally complex, the Unlicense may not be fully enforceable. The Creative Commons CC0 dedication is an alternative that is more robust internationally.