Linux license source code

Linux kernel licensing rules¶

The Linux Kernel is provided under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only (GPL-2.0), as published by the Free Software Foundation, and provided in the COPYING file. This documentation file is not meant to replace the COPYING file, but provides a description of how each source file should be annotated to make the licensing it is governed under clear and unambiguous.

The license in the COPYING file applies to the kernel source as a whole, though individual source files can have a different license which is required to be compatible with the GPL-2.0:

Aside from that, individual files can be provided under a dual license, e.g. one of the compatible GPL variants and alternatively under a permissive license like BSD, MIT etc.

The User-space API (UAPI) header files, which describe the interface of user-space programs to the kernel are a special case. According to the note in the kernel COPYING file, the syscall interface is a clear boundary, which does not extend the GPL requirements to any software which uses it to communicate with the kernel. Because the UAPI headers must be includable into any source files which create an executable running on the Linux kernel, the exception must be documented by a special license expression.

The common way of expressing the license of a source file is to add the matching boilerplate text into the top comment of the file. Due to formatting, typos etc. these “boilerplates” are hard to validate for tools which are used in the context of license compliance.

An alternative to boilerplate text is the use of Software Package Data Exchange (SPDX) license identifiers in each source file. SPDX license identifiers are machine parsable and precise shorthands for the license under which the content of the file is contributed. SPDX license identifiers are managed by the SPDX Workgroup at the Linux Foundation and have been agreed on by partners throughout the industry, tool vendors, and legal teams. For further information see https://spdx.org/

The Linux kernel requires the precise SPDX identifier in all source files. The valid identifiers used in the kernel are explained in the section License identifiers and have been retrieved from the official SPDX license list at https://spdx.org/licenses/ along with the license texts.

License identifier syntax¶

The SPDX license identifier in kernel files shall be added at the first possible line in a file which can contain a comment. For the majority or files this is the first line, except for scripts which require the ‘#!PATH_TO_INTERPRETER’ in the first line. For those scripts the SPDX identifier goes into the second line.

The SPDX license identifier is added in form of a comment. The comment style depends on the file type:

If a specific tool cannot handle the standard comment style, then the appropriate comment mechanism which the tool accepts shall be used. This is the reason for having the “/* */” style comment in C header files. There was build breakage observed with generated .lds files where ‘ld’ failed to parse the C++ comment. This has been fixed by now, but there are still older assembler tools which cannot handle C++ style comments.

A is either an SPDX short form license identifier found on the SPDX License List, or the combination of two SPDX short form license identifiers separated by “WITH” when a license exception applies. When multiple licenses apply, an expression consists of keywords “AND”, “OR” separating sub-expressions and surrounded by “(”, ”)” .

License identifiers for licenses like [L]GPL with the ‘or later’ option are constructed by using a “+” for indicating the ‘or later’ option.:

WITH should be used when there is a modifier to a license needed. For example, the linux kernel UAPI files use the expression:

Other examples using WITH exceptions found in the kernel are:

Exceptions can only be used with particular License identifiers. The valid License identifiers are listed in the tags of the exception text file. For details see the point Exceptions in the chapter License identifiers.

OR should be used if the file is dual licensed and only one license is to be selected. For example, some dtsi files are available under dual licenses:

Examples from the kernel for license expressions in dual licensed files:

AND should be used if the file has multiple licenses whose terms all apply to use the file. For example, if code is inherited from another project and permission has been given to put it in the kernel, but the original license terms need to remain in effect:

Another other example where both sets of license terms need to be adhered to is:

License identifiers¶

The licenses currently used, as well as the licenses for code added to the kernel, can be broken down into:

Whenever possible these licenses should be used as they are known to be fully compatible and widely used. These licenses are available from the directory:

in the kernel source tree.

The files in this directory contain the full license text and Metatags. The file names are identical to the SPDX license identifier which shall be used for the license in source files.

Contains the GPL version 2 license text and the required metatags:

Contains the MIT license text and the required metatags

The following meta tags must be available in a license file:

One or more lines which declare which License Identifiers are valid inside the project to reference this particular license text. Usually this is a single valid identifier, but e.g. for licenses with the ‘or later’ options two identifiers are valid.

The URL of the SPDX page which contains additional information related to the license.

Freeform text for usage advice. The text must include correct examples for the SPDX license identifiers as they should be put into source files according to the License identifier syntax guidelines.

All text after this tag is treated as the original license text

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Linux license source code

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ORACLE LINUX LICENSE AGREEMENT

“We,” “us,” “our” and “Oracle” refers to Oracle America, Inc. “You” and “your” refers to the individual or entity that has acquired the Oracle Linux programs. “Oracle Linux programs” refers to the Linux software product which you have acquired. “License” refers to your right to use the Oracle Linux programs under the terms of this Agreement and the licenses referenced herein. This Agreement is governed by the substantive and procedural laws of the United States and the State of California and you and Oracle agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of, and venue in, the courts of San Francisco or Santa Clara counties in California in any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

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You can find a copy of the GNU General Public License version 2.0 in the “copying” or “license” file included with the Oracle Linux programs or here: http://oss.oracle.com/licenses/GPL-2 .

OFFER TO PROVIDE SOURCE CODE

For software that you receive from Oracle in binary form that is licensed under an open source license that gives you the right to receive the source code for that binary, you can obtain a copy of the applicable source code from https://oss.oracle.com/sources/ or http://www.oracle.com/downloads/opensource/software-components-source-code.html . Alternatively, if the source code for the technology was not provided to you with the binary, you can also receive a copy of the source code on physical media by submitting a written request to:

Oracle America, Inc.
Attn: Associate General Counsel
Development and Engineering Legal
500 Oracle Parkway, 10th Floor
Redwood Shores, CA 94065

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