🛡️ RISK BADGE: 🟡 MEDIUM (Weak Copyleft)
Executive Summary: What is it?
The Eclipse Public License 2.0 (EPL-2.0) is a modern, file-level copyleft license approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). It is designed to be business-friendly, allowing for the combination of open-source and proprietary code within the same project, provided they are kept in separate files or modules.
CFO / Business Impact: What does it cost/risk?
- Commercial Usage: Permitted without restriction. You can sell software that includes EPL-2.0 code.
- Contamination Risk: Low. Unlike the AGPL, the EPL-2.0 does not "infect" your entire codebase. Only modifications made directly to the EPL-licensed files must be shared under the same license.
- Patent Peace: Includes a defensive patent clause, protecting the user from patent litigation by contributors.
Technical Reality: How does it work?
- Modification Rights: You can modify the source code, but those specific modifications must be made available under the EPL-2.0 if you distribute the software.
- Modular Integration: You can link proprietary modules to EPL-2.0 software without being forced to open-source your proprietary IP, making it an excellent choice for extensible enterprise platforms.