License Generator
MIT, ISC, BSD and Unlicense text with your name; Apache, GPL and MPL notices.
About this tool
Choose a license, enter the copyright holder, year and (for GPL) the project name. Short permissive licenses are produced in full, ready to save as LICENSE. For Apache-2.0, GPL-3.0 and MPL-2.0 you get the official per-file notice and a link to the canonical full text, which must be copied unchanged.
Choosing a license
Code published without a license is, by default, all rights reserved: people can read it but legally cannot copy, modify or reuse it. A license grants those permissions. The permissive family — MIT, ISC, the BSD licenses, 0BSD and the Unlicense — lets anyone use the code for anything, including closed-source products, as long as the notice is kept (0BSD and the Unlicense don't even require that). MIT is the most widely used license on GitHub. Apache-2.0 is permissive too but adds an explicit patent grant and requires changes to be noted, which is why many companies prefer it. The GPL is copyleft: anyone who distributes a modified version must release its source under the GPL as well. MPL-2.0 sits between, keeping changed files open while allowing them to be combined with proprietary code. This tool only includes the full text of licenses short enough to be reproduced exactly; it will not paraphrase a legal document. Not legal advice — for a commercial product or a project accepting outside contributions, check with a lawyer. The README generator links the license, the .gitignore generator finishes the repository, and the citation generator credits sources.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MIT and Apache 2.0?
Both are permissive. Apache 2.0 also grants users an explicit patent licence and requires modified files to carry a notice; MIT is shorter and simpler.
Can I use MIT-licensed code in a commercial product?
Yes. You must keep the copyright notice and licence text with the code; nothing else is required.
Why doesn't the tool include the full GPL text?
It is long and must be copied exactly. The tool gives the standard notice for your files and a link to the official text so nothing is altered.
Is this legal advice?
No. It fills in standard licence templates; for anything with legal or commercial stakes, consult a lawyer.