There are a few key differences between the GPL and LGPL licenses. The GPL is more restrictive, while the LGPL is less so. With the GPL, if you modify the code and distribute it, your modifications must also be licensed under the GPL. With the LGPL, you are allowed to license your modifications under a different license as long as you make sure that recipients of the code have the same rights as those who received the original code. Additionally, with the GPL, any derivative works must also be released under the GPL.
What is GPL?
GPL, or the General Public License, is a software license that gives users the freedom to run, study, share (copy), and modify the software. The GPL is used by many free and open source software projects, including the Linux kernel. GPL was created by Richard Stallman in 1989 as a way to ensure that software would remain free and accessible to everyone. GPL is a copyleft license, which means that any derivative work must be licensed under the same terms. GPL is also compatible with other licenses, which means that code licensed under GPL can be combined with code licensed under other licenses. GPL has been revised several times since its inception, with the most recent version being GPLv3, released in 2007. GPLv3 is the most widely used version of GPL, and it is supported by a large number of organizations, including the Free Software Foundation.
What is LGPL?
LGPL is a software license that allows software to be released under the terms of the LGPL, which permits modification and distribution of the software, as long as the modified version is also LGPL licensed. The LGPL was created by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1991 as a way to allow software to be free while still allowing proprietary modifications. The LGPL has been revised several times, most recently in 2007. LGPL-licensed software can be used in conjunction with proprietary software, as long as the two are not combined into a single work. LGPL-licensed code can also be linked with other works, regardless of their licensing terms. The LGPL is often used for important libraries, such as the GNU C Library. It is also used by many popular applications, such as Firefox and VLC media player.
Difference between GPL and LGPL
GPL and LGPL are two popular licenses for free and open source software. GPL is a copyleft license, which means that derived works must be licensed under the same or a compatible license. This ensures that all users have the same freedoms. LGPL is a less restrictive version of the GPL, which allows for derived works to be licensed under a different license, provided that they still allow for the work to be modified and redistributed. As a result, the LGPL is often used for libraries, while the GPL is used for applications.
Conclusion
The GPL and LGPL are two similar but different licenses for software. They both allow users to share and modify the code, but the LGPL is more forgiving of modifications made to the code. If you are releasing a piece of software under one of these licenses, it’s important to understand the difference so that you can choose the right one for your project.
