📜 LICENSE CLASS: 🌐 NETWORK COPYLEFT
Executive Summary: What is it?
The Affero GPL (AGPL) is an OSI-Approved, strong copyleft license designed to close the "SaaS Loophole." Unlike standard GPL, if you run AGPL software on a server and users interact with it over a network (e.g., a website), you MUST share your source code with them if you modified the software.
CFO / Business Impact: What does it cost/risk?
Maximum Business Risk. Many large tech companies have a blanket ban on AGPL code. If you modify an AGPL tool to build your SaaS, you must offer everyone who interacts with your modified version over the network its complete source code, including any code you combined into it. Separate programs that only exchange data with it over standard interfaces are normally not covered, though where that line falls is a legal question.
Technical Reality: How does it work?
Be extremely careful with databases or backend services using this license. Using it "as-is" without modification is usually safe, but integration requires legal review.