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Diffstat (limited to 'license/README')
| -rw-r--r-- | license/README | 77 |
1 files changed, 77 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/license/README b/license/README new file mode 100644 index 00000000..874abaf4 --- /dev/null +++ b/license/README @@ -0,0 +1,77 @@ +The DPDK uses the Open Source BSD-3-Clause license for the core libraries and +drivers. The kernel components are naturally GPL-2.0 licensed. + +Including big blocks of License headers in all files blows up the +source code with mostly redundant information. An additional problem +is that even the same licenses are referred to by a number of +slightly varying text blocks (full, abbreviated, different +indentation, line wrapping and/or white space, with obsolete address +information, ...) which makes validation and automatic processing a nightmare. + +To make this easier, DPDK uses a single line reference to Unique License +Identifiers in source files as defined by the Linux Foundation's SPDX project +(https://spdx.org/). + +Adding license information in this fashion, rather than adding full license +text, can be more efficient for developers; decreases errors; and improves +automated detection of licenses. The current set of valid, predefined SPDX +identifiers is set forth on the SPDX License List at https://spdx.org/licenses/. + +DPDK uses first line of the file to be SPDX tag. In case of *#!* scripts, SPDX +tag can be placed in 2nd line of the file. + +For example, to label a file as subject to the BSD-3-Clause license, +the following text would be used: + +SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause + +To label a file as GPL-2.0 (e.g., for code that runs in the kernel), the +following text would be used: + +SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 + +To label a file as dual-licensed with BSD-3-Clause and GPL-2.0 (e.g., for code +that is shared between the kernel and userspace), the following text would be +used: + +SPDX-License-Identifier: (BSD-3-Clause OR GPL-2.0) + +To label a file as dual-licensed with BSD-3-Clause and LGPL-2.1 (e.g., for code +that is shared between the kernel and userspace), the following text would be +used: + +SPDX-License-Identifier: (BSD-3-Clause OR LGPL-2.1) + +Any new file contributions in DPDK shall adhere to the above scheme. +It is also being recommended to replace the existing license text in the code +with SPDX-License-Identifiers. + +Any exception to the DPDK IP policies shall be approved by DPDK Tech Board and +DPDK Governing Board. Steps for any exception approval: +1. Mention the appropriate license identifier form SPDX. If the license is not + listed in SPDX Licenses. It is the submitters responsibiliity to get it + first listed. +2. Get the required approval from the DPDK Technical Board. Technical Board may + advise the author to check alternate means first. If no other alternative + are found and the merit of the contributions are important for DPDK's + mission, it may decide on such exception with two-thirds vote of the members. +3. Technical Board then approach Governing Board for such limited approval for + the given contribution only. + +Any approvals shall be documented in "Licenses/exceptions.txt" with record +dates. + +DPDK project supported licenses are: + +1. BSD 3-clause "New" or "Revised" License + SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause + URL: http://spdx.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause#licenseText + DPDK License text: licenses/bsd-3-clause.txt +2. GNU General Public License v2.0 only + SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 + URL: http://spdx.org/licenses/GPL-2.0.html#licenseText + DPDK License text: licenses/gpl-2.0.txt +3. GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 + SPDX-License-Identifieri: LGPL-2.1 + URL: http://spdx.org/licenses/LGPL-2.1.html#licenseText + DPDK License text: licenses/lgpl-2.1.txt |