Set a license

A license states the terms under which others may use and share the project and its data. You set it on the project’s License screen. The body of the license is written in Markdown.

Only Owner and Maintainer can set the license. Writer and Reader can view the license that is set.

Choose a license from a template

When the license you want to use is among the templates, choose the template. The templates you can choose are listed in README / License.

Some templates require you to fill in details of your own, such as the year or the name of the rights holder. The spots to fill in are enclosed in square brackets ([ ]) or angle brackets (< >).

Choosing a template replaces the body

When you edit the body, choose the template first and then edit it.

1. On the project’s License screen, click Edit.
2. Click Choose a license template.
3. Choose a license from the Choose a license template list. The full text of that license is entered on the Edit tab.
4. Open the Preview tab and read the body of the license that was entered.
5. When the body has spots enclosed in square brackets ([ ]) or angle brackets (< >), go back to the Edit tab and enter your own information there.
6. Click Save Changes.

The template list shows only the names of the licenses. How far each one permits reuse, modification, and redistribution is written in the body of the license. Read the body in step 4 before saving.

When your organization’s policy or a legal judgment bears on which license to choose, check with the person responsible before saving.

Write the body of a license yourself

When you are using a license with your own terms, write the body yourself.

1. On the project’s License screen, click Edit.
2. Enter the body of the license on the Edit tab.
3. Open the Preview tab and check how it looks.
4. Click Save Changes.