GNU General Public License

The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or GPL) is a popular free software license series designed to ensure users have the freedom to run, study, share, and modify software. Created by Richard Stallman, former head of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), for the GNU Project, the GPL licenses grant these rights as part of the Free Software Definition. The GPL series uses a “copyleft” approach, meaning that any derivative work must be distributed under the same or an equivalent license, unlike more permissive licenses such as the BSD and MIT licenses, which impose fewer restrictions. The GPL was the first general-use copyleft license.

The GPL family has historically been one of the most widely adopted in the free and open-source software community. Notable software under GPL includes the Linux kernel and the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC). Analyst David A. Wheeler notes that the GPL’s copyleft was vital to the success of Linux, as it ensured contributors’ work remained free and accessible to all, preventing its commercial exploitation without reciprocal benefits to the community.

In 2007, version 3 of the GPL (GPLv3) was released to address issues with version 2 (GPLv2) that had emerged over time. The license includes an optional “any later version” clause, allowing users to adopt future license terms as updated by the FSF. Developers can choose to exclude this clause; for example, the Linux kernel is licensed under GPLv2 only, without the “any later version” option. [READ MORE]