(General Public License) also known as GNU GPL, is the most used free software license. Richard Stallman created it for the GNU Project (Free Software Foundation).

It allows the software to be freely used, modified, and redistributed by anyone. WordPress also Comes With the GPL license, which means that WordPress is open-source software that can be used, modified, and extended by anyone.

GPL provides the core fundamental values that the project believes in.

• Anyone can download and run the software

• Anyone can modify/edit it

• Anyone can redistribute free copies of the software

• Anyone can distribute modified versions of the software.

GPL License Questions Answered

1. What is copyleft?

Copyright is a law that restricts the right to use, modify, and share creative works without the permission of the owner.

When an author releases a program under a copyleft license, he makes a claim on the copyright of the work and issues a statement that other people have the right to use, modify, and share the work as long as the reciprocity obligation is maintained.

This means that any software that is written based on any GPL must be released as open-source. If any software that uses any GPL open-source component. that means it has to be required to release its full source code and all of the rights to modify and distribute the entire code.

2. Can you sell GPL Products?

Yes, the GPL license allows selling the original as well as the modified products. However, free software is referred to as free in terms of freedom to use, not price. As Richard Stallman explained, free software means free as in “free speech,” not free as in “free beer.”

3. Is GPL safe?

Yes. GPL doesn’t have anything to do with the Source code. It’s just a license that governs its usage and distribution.

4. Does the GPL license require the author to release the modified source code?

Under the GPL License, it requires you to release the modified source code only if you release the modified program. If you have modified a program’s code for personal use, then there is no need to release it.

5. What is the difference between GPLv2 & GPLv3?

It is always been some confusion regarding the difference between GPLv2 & GPLv3. The FSF tried to add more clarity to GPLv3 as to when the reciprocity obligation is triggered. The FSF even wrote a new GPL license, the Affero license, to the “ASP loophole”.

In addition, the FSF decided to improve the compatibility of the GPLv3 with other licenses. To combine two codes into a larger work, both the applications must permit it. If those rights are imparted by both the programs’ licenses, they are compatible. By making the GPLv3 more compatible, the FSF increased development options.

The third difference between the two versions is that the GPLv3 was written in an effort to increase usage globally. The language used in GPLv3 to describe the license rights were modified to ensure that international laws will interpret it as the FSF intended, unlike the language used in GPLv2, which is considered very US-centric. GPLv3 also permits developers to add local disclaimers, which also helps to grow its usage outside the US.

GPL license terms and conditions?

• It doesn’t allow to claim patents or copyright on the product. moreover, it requires to display a copyright notice, disclaimer of warranty, intact GPL notices, and a copy of the GPL.

• You are not allowed to change the license or add some additional terms & conditions.

• you are bound to release the source code and all of the rights to modify and distribute the entire code.

The owner of this Site is not a lawyer. That means you should not interpret this as legal advice of any kind. Information is provided on an as-is basis.