Introduction to open-source licenses
A license agreement accompanies open-source software and the related source code.
The license describes how the source code and the components built from it can be used and how any software created with it should deal with it.
According to the open-source definition of OpenSource.org, a license shouldn't:
- Discriminate against persons or groups.
- Discriminate against fields of endeavor.
- Be specific to a product.
- Restrict other software.
- And more - See the Open Source Definition.
To cover the exact terms of a license, several types exist. Each type has its specifics and implications, which we'll cover in the next part.
Even though multiple contributors generally develop open-source software from the community, it doesn't guarantee that it's secure and without vulnerabilities.
Multiple reviewers discover chances, but the discovery might not be immediate or before being consumed by others.
Since the source code is open-source, people with malicious intent can also inspect the code for vulnerabilities and exploit it when possible.
In that regard, it's both a blessing and a curse that open-source software has source code available for others.