> /v1/glossary/apache · LICENSE
Apache License 2.0
Permissive open source license with explicit patent grant. Used by Kubernetes, Apache projects, Android.
Apache License 2.0 is a permissive open source license that allows use, modification, distribution, and sublicensing — including in proprietary closed-source products — provided you include a copyright notice, the license text, and any modifications are noted.
Unlike MIT, Apache 2.0 includes an explicit patent grant: contributors give all users a patent license for any patents they hold that read on their contributions. This is a significant practical advantage — reduces patent litigation risk for users.
Used by: Kubernetes, all Apache Software Foundation projects, Android (mostly), Swift, Rust toolchain, gRPC.
Compatible with GPLv3 (one-way: Apache code can be incorporated into GPLv3 projects). Slightly more verbose than MIT — the longer license text and notice requirements are sometimes cited as friction for very small libraries.
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