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BSD 2-Clause License

The BSD 2-Clause License ("Simplified BSD" or "FreeBSD License") is a permissive free software license. It allows use, modification, and distribution for any purpose, including in proprietary products, with two conditions: keep the copyright notice and the warranty disclaimer.

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🛡️ RISK BADGE: 🟢 LOW (Permissive)

Executive Summary: What is it?

The BSD 2-Clause License (also known as "Simplified BSD" or the "FreeBSD License") is a permissive free software license. It is the BSD 3-Clause license with the third "no endorsement" clause removed, leaving just two conditions. It allows you to use, modify, and distribute the software for any purpose, including inside closed-source products.

CFO / Business Impact: What does it cost/risk?

Zero Contamination Risk. Like MIT and Apache 2.0, this is business-friendly. You can incorporate BSD-2 licensed code into proprietary software, SaaS platforms, or internal tools with no obligation to release your own source code and no royalties. There is no network clause (unlike AGPL), so offering the software as a hosted service triggers no distribution requirement.

Technical Reality: How does it work?

"Do what you want, just keep my copyright notice."

  1. Redistribution (Source): You must retain the copyright notice, the list of conditions, and the disclaimer.
  2. Redistribution (Binary): You must reproduce the same notice in your documentation or other materials.
  3. No Warranty: As is standard, the authors provide the code "as is" with no liability.
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ISC License

The ISC License is a permissive free software license functionally equivalent to MIT and BSD 2-Clause. It allows use, modification, and distribution for any purpose, including in proprietary products, with one condition: keep the copyright and permission notice.