What this tool does
License Generator fills common open-source and Creative Commons license templates with project copyright details.
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📜 License Generator
Generate common open source and Creative Commons license text with your copyright details filled in.
Why it is useful
It helps developers add clear reuse permissions and obligations to repositories and packages.
How it works
The browser fills selected license templates with year and copyright holder, then lets you copy the text into a LICENSE file.
Best input
Use the legal name, year, and project identity you want associated with the license.
Repo tip
Add the license as a top-level LICENSE file and keep package metadata consistent.
Privacy note
License drafting happens locally in your browser.
Important limitation
Licensing has legal consequences. This tool is informational and not a substitute for legal advice. Templates may be abbreviated; verify against the official license text for production use.
Quick answers
Which license should I pick?
It depends on your goals for reuse, attribution, patents, and copyleft obligations. Use the comparison table as a starting point.
Can I change a license later?
Future releases can change, but prior grants and contributor rights may complicate changes.
Is this full legal text?
Common short licenses (MIT, BSD, Unlicense) are complete. Longer licenses (GPL, Apache) include the essential grant language; confirm against the official SPDX source for production.
Common Use Cases
Start a new open-source repo
Generate an MIT or Apache 2.0 draft before adding a top-level LICENSE file to a new package.
Compare copyleft obligations
Preview GPL-3.0 language next to permissive templates while deciding how reuse should work.
Prepare package metadata
Copy the selected license name and text so package.json, README badges, and repository files stay consistent.
Choose a Creative Commons option
Generate CC BY or CC0 text for documentation, datasets, or design assets that need a reuse policy.