🛡️ RISK BADGE: 🟡 MEDIUM (Weak Copyleft)
Executive Summary: What is it?
The Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0) is the "middle ground" of open source licenses. It is a weak copyleft license.
- Commercial Usage: Permitted for any business purpose.
- Modification Rights: You have the full right to modify the source code.
- Source Disclosure: You must share changes, but only for the specific files you modified.
- Mixed Architectures: You can link MPL code with proprietary libraries without forcing the proprietary parts to become open source.
🏛️ The "Business Risk" Matrix
| Factor | Risk Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor Lock-in | 🟢 Low | Code is perpetually open. |
| Viral Effect | 🟡 Medium | Only "viral" at the file level, not the project level. |
| Compliance Cost | 🟡 Medium | You must track modified files. |
📝 Key Obligations
- File-Level Copyleft: If you modify a specific MPL file, you must share the source of that file.
- Linker Compatibility: If you create a proprietary file and link it to an MPL file, your code remains proprietary.
- Legal Notice: You must include the original license text and copyright notice in your distribution.