Which open source license should I choose?

MIT is the most permissive and simple choice for many projects. Apache 2.0 adds explicit patent protection. GPL/AGPL are copyleft licenses that require source disclosure under specific conditions.

Do I need to include my real name in a LICENSE file?

You can use your personal name, organization name, or project owner identity. What matters is clearly stating who holds copyright and preserving the license notice.

Can I change my license later?

You can relicense your own project, but existing contributions may require contributor consent depending on your contribution policy and prior terms.

License Generator

🤖 Agent Ready

Choose an open source license, enter your details, and get the full license text ready to use.

Your Info

Year

License

MIT

A short and simple permissive license with conditions only requiring preservation of copyright and license notices.

Permissions

Commercial useDistributionModificationPrivate use

Conditions

License and copyright notice

Limitations

LiabilityWarranty

License Text

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Your Name

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

License Comparison

Feature	MIT	Apache 2.0	GPL 3.0	BSD	Unlicense
Commercial Use	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Modification	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Distribution	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Patent Use	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
Private Use	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Copyleft	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌
Disclose Source	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌
Credit Required	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌

Open source license generator for GitHub projects

Use this free open source license generator to create a LICENSE file for your repo in seconds. Compare MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL, BSD, ISC, and Creative Commons options, then copy or download the exact text with your name and year pre-filled.

Pick a license with clear permissions, conditions, and limitations
Generate a ready-to-commit LICENSE file for GitHub or GitLab
Review key differences before publishing your project

Frequently Asked Questions

Which license should I pick for a side project?

MIT is a common default if you want maximum reuse with minimal restrictions. Apache 2.0 is a strong alternative when you want explicit patent grants.

When should I use GPL or AGPL instead of MIT?

Use GPL/AGPL when you want copyleft terms so derivatives must stay open under similar conditions. AGPL is stricter for software used over a network.

Does this tool upload my LICENSE content?

No. License text generation runs in your browser, and you can copy or download the output directly.

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