AGPL (Affero General Public License) is a popular open-source licensing agreement that was created to address concerns about software developers using open-source code and not contributing back to the community. This license requires that any software that uses AGPL code must also be released under the same license, making sure that improvements or changes to the AGPL code will be shared with the entire community.
What is AGPL?
AGPL is a derivative of the GPL (General Public License), which is a widely used open-source licensing agreement. The main difference between GPL and AGPL is that AGPL requires any software that uses AGPL code to be distributed along with its source code. This means that if someone creates a software application using AGPL code, they must also make the source code available to the public.
The idea behind AGPL is to prevent software developers from taking advantage of open-source code without contributing back to the community. The license ensures that any improvements or changes to the AGPL code will be shared with everyone, which will ultimately lead to a stronger and more vibrant open-source ecosystem.
Who uses AGPL?
AGPL is commonly used by companies who want to release their software under an open-source license but also want to ensure that any improvements or changes to their code are shared with the community. Some notable companies that use AGPL include SugarCRM, Red Hat, and MongoDB.
Benefits of AGPL
One of the main benefits of AGPL is that it ensures that any improvements or changes to the original AGPL code are shared with the community. This means that the open-source ecosystem benefits as a whole, as everyone can benefit from the improvements made to the code.
Another benefit of AGPL is that it helps prevent companies from taking advantage of open-source code without contributing back to the community. This ensures that open-source developers are rewarded for their hard work and that the open-source ecosystem remains strong and active.
Conclusion
AGPL is a powerful open-source licensing agreement that ensures that any improvements or changes to the AGPL code are shared with the community. This license is commonly used by companies who want to release their software under an open-source license while also ensuring that they are contributing back to the community. AGPL is a great way to ensure that the open-source ecosystem remains strong and active, and is a valuable tool for any software developer looking to create open-source software.