I have been trying into why WordPress selected the GNU Public License (GPL). I had an fascinating chat with somebody on DEV.to, which you’ll try proper right here). It hit me that GPL is wise as a result of it stops individuals from taking the code non-public. You need to use it, however it’s essential to give credit score and preserve it open for everybody. That looks like a greater deal than the MIT license, proper? What’s your tackle that?
I have been pondering that within the context of… after all… our new Open Supply undertaking WebCrumbs.
When contemplating open supply licensing for a undertaking like WebCrumbs, the selection between GNU Basic Public License (GPL) and MIT License typically boils all the way down to the philosophy and targets of the undertaking. WordPress’s alternative of GPL aligns with its dedication to freedom and sharing, making certain that derivatives of the software program stay free and open supply.
Below the GPL, any spinoff work should even be distributed underneath the GPL, which implies that if somebody modifies the WordPress code, they have to additionally share these modifications underneath the identical license phrases. This “copyleft” strategy ensures that the software program and any derivatives of it stay free for all customers. It’s a approach to make sure that the group advantages from enhancements and that the undertaking stays a collective endeavor.
The MIT License, alternatively, is extra permissive, permitting anybody to do nearly something they need with the code, together with making it proprietary, so long as they embrace the unique copyright and license discover. This may be helpful for encouraging wider adoption and use in quite a lot of tasks, together with business ones, as there are fewer restrictions on how the code can be utilized.
Selecting between these licenses can mirror a strategic determination primarily based on how we envision the expansion and improvement of WebCrumbs. If the goal is to foster a group that builds upon one another’s work overtly, GPL could be a greater match. If the objective is to maximise adoption and permit for extra flexibility in how the code is used, then MIT could be preferable.
Each licenses have their deserves, and the higher alternative actually is determined by the particular targets and values of WebCrumbs because it positions itself because the WordPress for React. It is value contemplating how these licenses align with the imaginative and prescient of making a collaborative and open-source group whereas additionally encouraging innovation and extension of the platform.
