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What is the most popular free software license?
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Is the GNU GPL a free software license?
Historically, the GPL license family has been one of the most popular software licenses in the free and open-source software (FOSS) domain. [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] Prominent free software programs licensed under the GPL include the Linux kernel and the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC).
- 25 February 1989
While historically the most widely used FOSS license has been the GPLv2, in 2015, according to Black Duck Software the permissive MIT license dethroned the GPLv2 to the second place while the permissive Apache License follows at third place.
- Grants all rights
- PD, Unlicense
- PD, CC0
For a simpler comparison across the most common licenses see free-software license comparison. The following table compares various features of each license and is a general guide to the terms and conditions of each license, based on seven subjects or categories.
LicenseAuthorLatest VersionPublication Date3.02002Affero Inc2.020072.020042.0August 6, 2003GNU GPLv2. The GNU GPL is the most widely used free software license and has a strong copyleft requirement. When distributing derived works, the source code of the work must be made available under the same license. There are multiple variants of the GNU GPL, each with different requirements.
The most popular copyleft open source licenses, in order of restrictiveness, are AGPL, GPL, LGPL, EPL, and Mozilla: The GNU General Public License (GPL) preserves license notifications and copyright terms and is suitable for commercial, patent, and private use.
Jun 29, 2007 · The GNU GPL is the most widely used free software license worldwide: almost three quarters of all free software packages are distributed under this license. It is not, however, the only free software license.
Jun 8, 2023 · The GNU General Public License (GPL) is one of the most widely used open source software licenses. It was created by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) to protect the GNU’s software from being made proprietary. The GPL emphasizes the principles of software freedom and promotes the sharing of knowledge and collaboration.