Why License?

Last updated on 2026-08-28 | Edit this page

Estimated time: 25 minutes

Overview

Questions

  • What is an open source software license?
  • Why should I add a license to my software?

Objectives

  • Understand what an open source software license is
  • Explain how a license is related to copyright and IP laws
  • Articulate the implications of not applying a license to a software project
Challenge

Myth or Fact about Open Source Software (OSS)

Instructions: Mark each statement as a Myth or a Fact.

  1. [Myth or Fact] If you post your code publicly on the internet, it automatically becomes Open Source.
  2. [Myth or Fact] An open source license is essentially a legal “permission slip” from the creator.
  3. [Myth or Fact] An open source license means I am giving away my ownership of the code.
  1. Myth. Default copyright/IP law applies; public does not mean permission
  2. Fact. An OS license tells users exactly what they are allowed to do with the intellectual property.
  3. Myth. A license does not give away ownership. It is simply a legal document where you (the owner) grant specific permissions to other people to use your code.
Key Points
  • keypoint1
  • keypoint2