Open Source License Generator
Generate the official MIT, Apache-2.0, BSD-3-Clause, GPL-3.0 or Unlicense text with your name and year.
Quick answer: Open Source License Generator: generate the official MIT, Apache-2.0, BSD-3-Clause, GPL-3.0 or Unlicense text with your name and year. Runs entirely in your browser, free, no signup.
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Choosing a license is a legal decision, not a formality. The permissive family (MIT, BSD-3-Clause, Apache-2.0) lets anyone reuse your code in closed-source products, which maximizes adoption. Apache-2.0 adds an explicit patent grant and a NOTICE mechanism, making it the safer choice for anything with patent exposure or corporate contributors. GPL-3.0 is copyleft: derivative works must also be GPL, which protects the freedom of the code but deters some commercial use. The Unlicense effectively places the work in the public domain.
The generated text is the canonical OSI/SPDX wording with only the copyright line filled in — that verbatim wording is what tools like GitHub's license detector and SPDX scanners match against, so resist the temptation to reword it. If you edit the body, automated detection may report your project as "Other" and downstream compliance tools may flag it.
Put the result in a file named exactly LICENSE (or LICENSE.md) at the repository root so GitHub shows the license badge and populates the sidebar automatically. Some licenses expect a second step: Apache-2.0 wants a per-file header referencing the license, and GPL projects conventionally add a short notice to each source file. The year should be the year of first publication, optionally extended to a range as you keep releasing.
Once your license is set, round out the repo with a README and a .gitignore so contributors know how to build and what to leave uncommitted.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the license generator free?
- Yes — free, no signup.
- Are these the official license texts?
- Yes — the MIT, Apache 2.0, BSD-3, GPL-3 and Unlicense texts are taken from the official OSI / SPDX sources.
- Which license should I pick?
- MIT and Apache 2.0 are the most permissive and widely used. GPL-3 is copyleft. Unlicense is essentially public domain. Pick based on how you want users to be able to redistribute your work.
- Are my details uploaded?
- No — generation runs entirely in your browser.
- Where should I put the LICENSE file?
- At the root of your repo. GitHub auto-detects it and shows the license badge on your repo page.