About Open-Source License Generator (MIT, Apache)
Choosing an open-source license is one of the first decisions a new repository needs, and it has real consequences: it decides whether others can use your code commercially, whether they must share their changes, and whether contributors grant you a patent license. This license generator walks you through a few plain questions — commercial use, patent protection, copyleft — recommends a license, then fills the chosen text with your year and name so you can drop a finished `LICENSE` file straight into your project.
It covers the licenses you actually meet in the wild: MIT, Apache-2.0, BSD-2-Clause, BSD-3-Clause, ISC, the GPL/LGPL/AGPL family, MPL-2.0, the Unlicense, and CC0-1.0. Each comes with a permissions, conditions, and limitations breakdown so you can see at a glance what you are agreeing to.
Everything runs in your browser. The license texts are bundled with the page, so nothing you type — not your name, not your project — is ever uploaded anywhere.
Features
- Guided questionnaire recommends a license from a few yes/no answers
- Full SPDX texts for MIT, Apache-2.0, BSD, ISC, GPL/LGPL/AGPL, MPL, Unlicense, CC0
- Permissions / conditions / limitations badge grid for every license
- Fills in year and copyright holder; copy or download the LICENSE file
- Completely offline — your name and project never leave the browser
How to use
- Answer the questions (commercial use, patent protection, copyleft) or pick a license directly.
- Enter the copyright year and holder name.
- Review the permissions, conditions, and limitations badges.
- Copy the filled text or download it as a LICENSE file.
Frequently asked questions
Which open-source license should I choose?
For most projects the MIT License is the simplest permissive choice. Pick Apache-2.0 if you want an explicit patent grant, GPL-3.0 if you want derivatives to stay open (copyleft), or MPL-2.0 for file-level copyleft that still embeds in commercial software. Answer the questionnaire and the tool recommends one for you.
What is the difference between permissive and copyleft licenses?
Permissive licenses (MIT, BSD, ISC, Apache) let anyone reuse the code, including in closed-source products, as long as they keep the copyright notice. Copyleft licenses (GPL, AGPL, LGPL, MPL) require that derivative works also be released under a compatible open-source license, keeping the source open.
Why does Apache-2.0 include a patent grant?
Apache-2.0 has an explicit clause where contributors grant users a patent license, and it terminates if a user sues over patents. This protects users from patent claims by contributors, which the MIT and BSD licenses do not address.
Is the Unlicense or CC0 the same as having no license?
No. Code with no license at all is fully copyrighted and cannot legally be reused. The Unlicense and CC0-1.0 are explicit public-domain dedications that grant everyone the right to use the work freely; CC0 is generally preferred for data and non-software works.
Does this tool send my name or project anywhere?
No. The license texts are bundled with the page and all substitution happens locally in your browser. Your copyright year and holder name never leave your device.
Related tools
Everything runs locally in your browser — your input is never uploaded.