License policy

What we mean by “open source”

Software is open source for us if all the code it distributes is under a license approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI), identified by its SPDX identifier. We read the license from the project files, keep the proof and the date of the check.

Labels

• Open source: OSI-approved license (e.g. MIT, Apache-2.0, GPL, AGPL, MPL, BSD).
• Free (not OSI): free license or public-domain dedication that is not on the OSI list (e.g. CC0, Unlicense where applicable).

What stays out

Source-available licenses (for example BUSL, SSPL, Elastic License, FSL, Commons Clause, PolyForm) let you read the code but restrict its use: they do not meet the open source definition and are not in the catalog. Projects with no license, non-commercial licenses or limits on who may use the software are not admitted.

How we check

We read the license from the repository and compare it with the data of the install channels (F-Droid, Flathub, Homebrew). When they disagree the listing shows it and we check by hand. Checks are repeated at every catalog update.

If a license changes

If a project moves to a non-approved license we remove it from the catalog.

If you disagree

Write to [contact email] with your evidence: we answer within [10] working days.