License Decision Flowchart

flowchart TD
    Start[Choosing a License]
    Start --> Public{Is this a public
open source project?}

    Public -->|No| Private[Private Project]
    Public -->|Yes| Goal[What's your goal?]

    Private --> PrivateChoice{Do you need
explicit license?}
    PrivateChoice -->|No| NoLicense[No LICENSE File

✓ Strongest protection
✓ Zero maintenance]
    PrivateChoice -->|Yes| PropLicense[LICENSE.md
All Rights Reserved

✓ Crystal clear
✓ Professional]

    Goal --> ShareFreely[Share Freely
Maximum adoption]
    Goal --> KeepOpen[Keep Open
Force sharing back]
    Goal --> Business[Business
Prevent profiting]

    ShareFreely --> Patent{Want patent
protection?}
    Patent -->|Yes| Apache[Apache 2.0

✓ Patent grant
✓ Trademark protection
✓ Enterprise-friendly]
    Patent -->|No| MIT[MIT

✓ Simplest
✓ Widely used
No patent grant]

    KeepOpen --> Scope[What scope?]
    Scope --> FileLevel[Modified files]
    Scope --> ProjectLevel[Entire project]
    Scope --> NetworkLevel[Cloud services]
    Scope --> LibraryLevel[It's a library]

    FileLevel --> MPL[MPL 2.0

Weak copyleft
File-level only]
    ProjectLevel --> GPL[GPL v3

Strong copyleft
Like Linux]
    NetworkLevel --> AGPL[AGPL v3

Network copyleft
Companies may avoid]
    LibraryLevel --> LGPL[LGPL v3

Library copyleft
Can link proprietary]

    Business --> OSIChoice{Stay true
open source?}
    OSIChoice -->|Yes| AGPL2[AGPL v3

✓ OSI-approved
Cloud can compete]
    OSIChoice -->|No| SourceAvail[Source Available

SSPL / BSL / Elastic
✗ NOT open source
Dual-licensing]

    %% Clickable nodes
    click Apache "/result/apache-2" "Learn more about Apache 2.0"
    click MIT "/result/mit" "Learn more about MIT"
    click MPL "/result/mpl-2" "Learn more about MPL 2.0"
    click GPL "/result/gpl-v3" "Learn more about GPL v3"
    click LGPL "/result/lgpl-v3" "Learn more about LGPL v3"
    click AGPL "/result/agpl-v3" "Learn more about AGPL v3"
    click AGPL2 "/result/agpl-v3" "Learn more about AGPL v3"
    click SourceAvail "/result/source-available" "Learn more about Source Available"
    click NoLicense "/private" "Learn more about private projects"
    click PropLicense "/private" "Learn more about private projects"

    %% Styling
    style Apache fill:#33507a,color:#fff
    style MIT fill:#a8bfdd,color:#000
    style MPL fill:#e5e7eb,color:#000
    style GPL fill:#9ca3af,color:#000
    style LGPL fill:#d1d5db,color:#000
    style AGPL fill:#4b5563,color:#fff
    style AGPL2 fill:#4b5563,color:#fff
    style SourceAvail fill:#111827,color:#fff
    style NoLicense fill:#ffffff,color:#000,stroke:#9ca3af
    style PropLicense fill:#ffffff,color:#000,stroke:#9ca3af