Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL 2.0)
A 'weak copyleft' license that applies at the file level. It requires that changes to MPL-licensed files remain under MPL, but does not affect the rest of the software that uses them.
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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 publish modifications made to the files under this license.
3. Distributed / Embedded Software (Static Linking)
CAUTION: You (or your client if they redistribute) must publish modifications made to the files under this license.
4. 100% Internal Tool (Undistributed)
Safe for internal or SaaS use. The constraints only apply in case of distribution.
Philosophy & Ideal Use
- A compromise between permissive licenses and strong copyleft, applying copyleft at the file level.
Your Main Obligations
- Publish modifications to the files under the MPL.
- Provide the source code of the modified files.
- Allows combining with proprietary code in a larger project.
✓ Permissions
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Private use
- Patent grant
⚠ Conditions
- Share modifications to files under the same (or compatible) license
- Include copyright and license text
✕ Limitations
- No warranty
- Limitation of liability