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GNU GPL 2.0 or later

GPL-2.0-or-laterStrong copyleftOSI-approved open-source licence

Strong copyleft. Free to run internally and as a service. If you distribute it (modified or not), the whole work must be GPL with source.

Verify with a lawyer. This is guidance, not legal advice. Check with a lawyer before deciding.

What the licence means per use case

The verdict applies to the licence family (Strong copyleft). An individual product can have its own terms; you get the full per-product analysis when you sign in. Confidence: high.

GNU GPL 2.0 or later: verdict per use case
Use caseVerdictWhat it means
U1 Self-hosted, internal use, unmodified Allowed Free to run internally.
U2 Self-hosted and modified Allowed Free to modify as long as you don't distribute it.
U3 Novro hosts it for you (single-tenant) Allowed Running it as a service is not distribution.
U4 Shared multi-tenant instance Allowed Allowed in a shared instance.
U5 In your cloud, managed by Novro Allowed Delivering an image is distribution: source or a written offer plus licence texts.
U6 Redistribution (builds, images, appliances) Conditions apply The whole work's source must be provided under the GPL.
U7 Commercial use Allowed Commercial use is allowed.
U8 AI acceptable use (AUP, EU AI Act) Not applicable Not applicable to this licence type.

Building on it: what may you do?

Short answers based on the licence, for the version in the catalog.

  • B1 Change the code for internal use in your company Yes Yes, as long as you don't distribute it.
  • B2 Build your own product or service on top and offer it to customers as SaaS Yes Yes. Running it as a service is not distribution.
  • B3 Make a closed-source derivative and sell or distribute it No No. If you distribute it, the whole work must carry the same licence, with source.
  • B4 Use the project's name and trademark No No, not without permission. The licence covers the code, not the name or logo.

This is guidance, not legal advice. Check with a lawyer before deciding.

Common pitfalls

  • Running it internally or as a web service is not distribution, but delivering an image, appliance or app to someone else is.
  • If you build GPL code into your own product and distribute it, the whole work must be licensed under the GPL with source.
  • The licence covers the code, not the trademark. Don't use the project's name or logo in a way that suggests an official product.

The licence text

Last reviewed:

Products in the catalog under GPL-2.0-or-later

This is guidance, not legal advice. Check with a lawyer before deciding.

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