GNU GPL 2.0 only
GPL-2.0Strong copyleftOSI-approved open-source licence
Strong copyleft (version 2 only). Free to run internally and as a service. If you distribute it, the whole work must be GPL-2.0 with source.
Verify with a lawyer. This is guidance, not legal advice. Check with a lawyer before deciding.
What the licence means per use case
The verdict applies to the licence family (Strong copyleft). An individual product can have its own terms; you get the full per-product analysis when you sign in. Confidence: high.
| Use case | Verdict | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| U1 Self-hosted, internal use, unmodified | Allowed | Free to run internally. |
| U2 Self-hosted and modified | Allowed | Free to modify as long as you don't distribute it. |
| U3 Novro hosts it for you (single-tenant) | Allowed | Running it as a service is not distribution. |
| U4 Shared multi-tenant instance | Allowed | Allowed in a shared instance. |
| U5 In your cloud, managed by Novro | Allowed | Delivering an image is distribution: source or a written offer plus licence texts. |
| U6 Redistribution (builds, images, appliances) | Conditions apply | The whole work's source must be provided under the GPL. |
| U7 Commercial use | Allowed | Commercial use is allowed. |
| U8 AI acceptable use (AUP, EU AI Act) | Not applicable | Not applicable to this licence type. |
Building on it: what may you do?
Short answers based on the licence, for the version in the catalog.
- B1 Change the code for internal use in your company Yes Yes, as long as you don't distribute it.
- B2 Build your own product or service on top and offer it to customers as SaaS Yes Yes. Running it as a service is not distribution.
- B3 Make a closed-source derivative and sell or distribute it No No. If you distribute it, the whole work must carry the same licence, with source.
- B4 Use the project's name and trademark No No, not without permission. The licence covers the code, not the name or logo.
This is guidance, not legal advice. Check with a lawyer before deciding.
Common pitfalls
- "Version 2 only" can't be combined with GPL-3.0-only or Apache-2.0 code in the same distributed work.
- Delivering an image, appliance or app to someone else counts as distribution.
- The licence covers the code, not the trademark. Don't use the project's name or logo in a way that suggests an official product.
The licence text
Last reviewed:
Products in the catalog under GPL-2.0
This is guidance, not legal advice. Check with a lawyer before deciding.