Apache License 2.0: Permissive with Patent Protection

Apache License 2.0

The Apache License 2.0 is a permissive open source license published by the Apache Software Foundation. It is the second most popular open source license and is widely used by enterprise-grade projects including Android, Kubernetes, TensorFlow, and Apache HTTP Server.

What Makes It Different from MIT?

The key difference from MIT is the explicit patent grant. Section 3 of the Apache-2.0 license states that every contributor grants a royalty-free, worldwide patent license for their contributions. This provides important legal protection that MIT does not offer.

Key Characteristics

Attribute	Value
SPDX Identifier	Apache-2.0
Type	Permissive
Patent Grant	Yes (explicit)
Copyleft	No

Permissions

• Commercial use — Use in commercial products
• Modification — Modify the source code
• Distribution — Distribute copies
• Patent use — Explicit patent grant from contributors
• Private use — Use privately

Conditions

• License and copyright notice — Must include the license
• State changes — Must document changes to the original code
• Notice — Must include a NOTICE file if one exists

Limitations

• Trademark use — Does not grant trademark rights
• Liability — No liability for damages
• Warranty — No warranty provided

When to Choose Apache-2.0?

Choose Apache-2.0 when patent protection matters to you or your organization. It is the preferred license for corporate open source contributions and projects where patent claims could be a concern, such as machine learning frameworks or infrastructure software.