Open Source License Picker

Browse licenses, compare permissions side-by-side, take the quiz, and generate a ready-to-commit LICENSE file.

Last reviewed: April 2026
Reviewed by , software engineer · last updated April 2026

New to this tool? Click here for instructions

Select a license from the list to view details.
Browse 10 popular open source licenses.

How to use Open Source License Picker

To use the Open Source License Picker, follow these steps:

1. Visit the [Open Source License Picker](https://thisdevtool.com/tools/license-picker.html) on the ThisDevTool website.

2. Choose a license from the list of popular open source licenses or browse full license texts.

3. Compare permissions side-by-side by selecting two licenses in the Compare tab.

4. Take the quiz to get a recommendation based on your project goals.

5. After selecting a license, enter your name and the current year to generate a ready-to-commit LICENSE file.

When to use Open Source License Picker

Use the Open Source License Picker when you need to choose the right license for your open source project. This tool helps you understand the permissions, restrictions, and requirements of different licenses, ensuring your project remains open and compliant with legal standards.

How it works

The Open Source License Picker is a web-based tool that allows you to browse, compare, and select open source licenses. It provides detailed information about each license, including its permissions, restrictions, and requirements. The tool also includes a quiz to help you determine the best license for your project based on your goals and needs.

Tips, Edge Cases, and Limitations

Always review the full text of the license you choose to understand its specific terms and conditions. The tool is designed to provide general guidance, but it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure your project complies with the chosen license. The tool does not provide legal advice. For complex legal questions, consult with a licensed attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

Both are permissive licenses allowing commercial use, modification, and distribution. Apache 2.0 adds an explicit patent grant protecting users from patent lawsuits from contributors. Apache 2.0 also requires preservation of NOTICE files. MIT is simpler; choose Apache 2.0 when patent protection matters.
Copyleft requires that derivative works be distributed under the same license. GPL is strong copyleft - any project including GPL code must be GPL. LGPL is weak copyleft - applies to modifications of the library.
Yes, you can use MIT-licensed code in a commercial product. The only requirement is to include the original copyright notice and license text.
GPL (General Public License) is a copyleft license that requires derivative works to be released under the same license. AGPL (Affero General Public License) is similar but also requires that any network services provided by the software be made available to users.
The choice of license depends on your project's goals and requirements. Popular choices include MIT, Apache 2.0, and GPL 3.0. Consult the Open Source License Picker to help you determine the best license for your project.

Quick reference

Open Source License Picker: Quick Reference
License Type Permissiveness Copyleft Common Use Cases
MIT License High No Libraries, tools, small projects
Apache License 2.0 Permissive No Enterprise software, cloud services
GPL v3 Restrictive Strong Operating systems, free software
BSD License High No Academic research, hardware drivers
LGPL v3 Permissive Lesser Libraries, dynamic linking
Mozilla Public License 2.0 Permissive No Browser extensions, web tools

Example walk-through

Worked example: step by step

Step 1. Navigate to the Open Source License Picker webpage and select a license type from the dropdown menu (e.g., MIT, Apache-2.0, GPL-3.0).

Step 2. Enter your project name and year in the designated input fields. For example:


Project Name: MyProject
Year: 2023

Step 3. Click the "Generate License" button to produce the formatted license text. The tool will automatically insert your project details into the selected license template.

Step 4. Review the output to ensure it matches your requirements. The expected output for the MIT License with the above input would look like:


MIT LICENSE
Copyright (c) 2023 MyProject

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so.

Step 5. Copy the generated license text and save it to your project repository. The tool may also offer options to download or share the license directly.