Licence CeCILL v2.1 (Droit français)
The French equivalent of the LGPL. It is designed for libraries and is governed by French law, while being compatible with the GPL.
← Back to the 11-license comparison guide
Risk Assessment by Project Type (Proprietary / Commercial)
1. SaaS / Cloud Application (operated by you)
Safe for internal or SaaS use. The constraints only apply in case of distribution.
2. Distributed Software (Dynamic Linking)
CAUTION: You (or your client if they redistribute) must mention the use of the component, provide its source code, and allow its replacement.
3. Distributed / Embedded Software (Static Linking)
DANGER: Static linking with this type of component imposes complex technical and legal constraints (providing object files, allowing relinking).
4. 100% Internal Tool (Undistributed)
Safe for internal or SaaS use. The constraints only apply in case of distribution.
Philosophy & Ideal Use
- French equivalent of the LGPL, guaranteeing the freedom of the component while allowing its use in larger applications.
Your Main Obligations
- Similar to the LGPL: provide the component's source code and allow its replacement.
✓ Permissions
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Private use
⚠ Conditions
- Share the source code of library modifications
- Include copyright and license text
- Allow the user to re-link with a modified version of the library
✕ Limitations
- No warranty
- Limitation of liability