Zlib · Permissive
Permissive. Requires that altered source versions be marked as such and that the license notice stay intact. Widely used in game development and C libraries.
Yes. The same license produces different obligations depending on whether the software is distributed, hosted, or kept internal. This is the distinction most dependency scanners collapse.
| How you ship it | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted SaaS | No obligation | Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation. |
| Distributed binary / app | No obligation | Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation. |
| Delivered to customer | No obligation | Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation. |
| Internal use only | No obligation | Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation. |
| Published library | No obligation | Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation. |
Attribution
As a build-time dependency it is a different question.
Zlib appears as a dev dependency, so it is not part of the artifact you ship. Distribution-triggered obligations do not arise. Tools that emit code into your output, such as code generators, are a separate case worth checking individually.
Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation.
Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation.
Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation.
Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation.
Zlib requires retaining the copyright notice and the license text. There is no source-disclosure obligation.
Zlib appears as a dev dependency, so it is not part of the artifact you ship. Distribution-triggered obligations do not arise. Tools that emit code into your output, such as code generators, are a separate case worth checking individually.
Want to know whether anything in your project is under Zlib?
Check your whole manifest →License data last reviewed .
LicenseGuard reports information derived from published license texts and dependency manifests. It is not legal advice and using it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results reflect license metadata as declared; they do not identify every obligation or violation. Consult qualified counsel for decisions that matter.
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