Q1. What is the Mozilla Public License (the MPL)?
A: “The MPL is a simple copyleft license. The MPL’s “file-level” copyleft is designed to encourage contributors to share modifications they make to your code while still allowing them to combine your code with code under other licenses (open or proprietary) with minimal restrictions.”
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Q2: How ‘viral’ is the MPL? If I use MPL-licensed code in my proprietary application, will I have to give all the source code away?
A: No. As long as MPL-licensed code is in a separate file from your proprietary code, you do not need to open-source your proprietary code.
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Q3: How does the scope of the MPL’s copyleft compare with the LGPL and GPL’s copyleft?
A: MPL is less restrictive than LGPL and GPL. MPL’s copyleft applies to any files containing MPLed code. LGPL’s copyleft applies to any library based on LGPLed code. GPL’s copyleft applies to all software based on GPLed code. To better understand how the LGPL and GPL define “based on,” please read the licences and consult with your legal. Here is an article that explains the differences between these weak copyleft licenses.
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Q4: I want to use appflowy_editor, which is under the MPL. What do I have to do?
A: “Nothing. Like all other free and open source software, software available under the MPL is available for anyone (including individuals and companies) to use for any purpose. The MPL only creates obligations for you if you want to distribute the software outside of your organization.”
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Q5: I want to distribute appflowy_editor, which is available under the MPL, either changed or unchanged, within my organization. What do I have to do?
A: “Nothing. The right to private modification and distribution (and inside a company or organization counts as ‘private’) is another right guaranteed by free and open-source software licenses, including the MPL.”
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Q6: I want to distribute (outside my organization) a version of appflowy_editor that I have modified. What do I have to do?
A: “To see the complete set of requirements, read the license. However, generally:
- You must inform the recipients that the source code is made available to them under the terms of the MPL (Section 3.1), including any Modifications (as defined in Section 1.10) that you have created.
- You must make the grants described in Section 2 of the license.
- You must respect the restrictions on removing or altering notices in the source code (Section 3.4).”
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Q7: I want to distribute (outside my organization) an executable program based on appflowy_editor that I have modified. What do I have to do?
A: “You must make available the MPL-licensed portions of the source code as described in the previous question and inform the recipients how they can obtain such source code (Section 3.2).”
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Q8: I want to use appflowy_editor in a commercial application. May I do that?
A: Yes, appflowy_editor, which is available under the MPL, can be included in software that is sold commercially
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This FAQ is mostly based on MPL 2.0 FAQ
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