# LicenseGuard

> Determines whether an open source dependency creates a legal obligation for the way a
> project is shipped. The same license yields different answers for hosted SaaS,
> distributed binaries, on-premises delivery, internal-only use, and published libraries.
> Most dependency scanners collapse that distinction; this one does not.

Informational only, not legal advice. Based on declared license metadata in package
manifests; code fragments copied into a project's own source are not detected.

## For agents

- [MCP server](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/mcp): Streamable HTTP, stateless, no authentication.
  Tools: `check_dependency_license`, `check_manifest_licenses`, `explain_license`.
  Add with: `claude mcp add licenseguard --transport http https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/mcp`
- [Package JSON API](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/api/pkg/npm/express?model=saas): GET
  `/api/pkg/{npm|pypi|go}/{name}?model={distribution_model}&scope={scope}`
- [Manifest scan API](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/api/scan): POST `{"content": "...", "distributionModel": "saas"}`

## Key facts

- AGPL-3.0 section 13 triggers on network interaction, so hosting it as SaaS creates a
  source-disclosure obligation. GPL-3.0 does not: its obligations attach to distribution,
  so hosting is unaffected while shipping a binary is not. These two are frequently confused.
- A dependency used only at build or test time does not carry distribution obligations,
  because it is not part of the shipped artifact.
- LGPL-family licenses turn on linkage. Static linking, normal for Go and Rust, triggers
  a relinking obligation that dynamic linking does not.
- SSPL, BUSL, and Elastic-2.0 are not OSI-approved open source and commonly forbid
  offering the software as a service.
- A package declaring no license at all is all rights reserved by default, which is more
  restrictive than any open source license.

## Reference pages

- [MIT](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/MIT): MIT License
- [Apache-2.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/Apache-2.0): Apache License 2.0
- [BSD-3-Clause](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/BSD-3-Clause): BSD 3-Clause License
- [BSD-2-Clause](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/BSD-2-Clause): BSD 2-Clause License
- [ISC](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/ISC): ISC License
- [GPL-2.0-only](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/GPL-2.0-only): GNU General Public License v2.0
- [GPL-3.0-only](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/GPL-3.0-only): GNU General Public License v3.0
- [LGPL-2.1-only](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/LGPL-2.1-only): GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1
- [LGPL-3.0-only](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/LGPL-3.0-only): GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
- [AGPL-3.0-only](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/AGPL-3.0-only): GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
- [MPL-2.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/MPL-2.0): Mozilla Public License 2.0
- [EPL-2.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/EPL-2.0): Eclipse Public License 2.0
- [SSPL-1.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/SSPL-1.0): Server Side Public License
- [BUSL-1.1](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/BUSL-1.1): Business Source License 1.1
- [Elastic-2.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/Elastic-2.0): Elastic License 2.0
- [CC0-1.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/CC0-1.0): CC0 1.0 Universal
- [Unlicense](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/Unlicense): The Unlicense
- [Zlib](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/Zlib): zlib License
- [CC-BY-4.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/CC-BY-4.0): Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
- [CC-BY-NC-4.0](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/license/CC-BY-NC-4.0): Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0

## Optional

- [License index](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/licenses)
- [Interactive scanner](https://license-guard.rcc-aoki.workers.dev/)