License Text Generator
Generate complete open source license text for MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL v3, BSD, ISC, MPL 2.0, and Unlicense.
Configure
Permissive. Allows commercial use, modification, distribution, and private use. Requires license and copyright notice.
License Text
What Is the License Text Generator?
The license text generator produces complete, ready-to-use open source license files for the most common SPDX-identified licenses. Select a license, enter the copyright year and author name, and the tool outputs the full license text — ready to copy or download as a LICENSE file.
Supported licenses include MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL v3, BSD 2-Clause, BSD 3-Clause, ISC, MPL 2.0, and Unlicense.
How to Use the License Text Generator
- Select a license type from the list on the left.
- Enter the copyright year (defaults to the current year).
- Enter the author name — your name, organization, or GitHub username.
- Click Copy to copy the text, or Download to save it as a
LICENSEfile. - Place the file in the root of your repository.
Features
- 8 popular open source licenses with full SPDX identifiers
- Live preview updates as you type year and author
- One-click copy to clipboard
- Download as a
LICENSEfile (no extension, ready for GitHub) - Short description of each license's permissions and restrictions
- All processing is client-side — nothing is sent to a server
FAQ
Which license should I choose for my open source project?
MIT and ISC are the most permissive and widely used. Apache 2.0 adds patent protection. GPL v3 requires derivative works to also be open source (copyleft). BSD-2 and BSD-3 are similar to MIT. MPL 2.0 is a weak copyleft at the file level. Unlicense dedicates the work to the public domain.
Do I need to include the year in a license?
The year in a copyright notice indicates when the work was first published. It is not strictly required for copyright protection in most jurisdictions (copyright exists automatically), but it is conventional and recommended for clarity.
Where do I put the LICENSE file in my project?
Place the LICENSE file in the root directory of your repository. GitHub, GitLab, and npm automatically detect and display it. The filename should be LICENSE (no extension) or LICENSE.txt or LICENSE.md.
What is the difference between MIT and ISC?
MIT and ISC are functionally equivalent — both are permissive licenses requiring only attribution. ISC is shorter because it omits two clauses from MIT that are considered redundant under modern law. Many Node.js packages use ISC.