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BottyIvan edited this page Nov 2, 2025 · 1 revision

License

Launcher is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later (GPL-3.0-or-later).

Summary

You Are Free To:

✅ Use - Use the software for any purpose, personal or commercial ✅ Study - Examine and learn from the source code ✅ Modify - Change the software to suit your needs ✅ Share - Distribute copies of the original software ✅ Distribute - Share your modified versions

Under These Conditions:

📋 Disclose Source - You must make the source code available when distributing 📋 License Notice - Include a copy of the license and copyright notice 📋 State Changes - Document any changes you make to the code 📋 Same License - Distribute modifications under GPL-3.0-or-later

Limitations:

❌ No Warranty - Software is provided "as-is" without warranty ❌ Liability - Authors are not liable for damages ❌ No Trademark Rights - License doesn't grant trademark rights

Full License Text

The complete GPL-3.0 license text is available in the LICENSE file in the repository root.

You can also view it online at:

Copyright

Copyright (C) 2024 Ivan Bottigelli

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

Contact

For licensing questions or inquiries:

Third-Party Licenses

Launcher uses the following third-party libraries and components:

GTK4

  • License: GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 or later (LGPL-2.1-or-later)
  • Website: https://www.gtk.org/
  • Used for: User interface framework

Adwaita

PyGObject

google-generativeai (Optional)

Python Standard Library

  • License: Python Software Foundation License
  • Website: https://www.python.org/
  • Used for: Core Python functionality (sqlite3, typing, etc.)

PyYAML

Icon Attribution

Application icon rights:

Contributing

By contributing to Launcher, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later.

See Contributing Guide for more information.

License Compatibility

GPL-3.0-or-later is compatible with:

  • ✅ GPL-2.0-or-later (GPLv2+)
  • ✅ GPL-3.0-only (GPLv3)
  • ✅ LGPL-2.1-or-later
  • ✅ LGPL-3.0-or-later
  • ✅ Apache License 2.0 (one-way)
  • ✅ MIT License
  • ✅ BSD Licenses (3-Clause, 2-Clause)
  • ✅ Python Software Foundation License

Not compatible with:

  • ❌ Proprietary licenses
  • ❌ GPL-2.0-only (without "or later" clause)
  • ❌ Some permissive licenses with additional restrictions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Launcher in a commercial environment?

Yes! GPL allows commercial use. You can use Launcher in a business environment, even to make money. However, if you distribute it (modified or not), you must provide the source code under GPL.

Can I modify Launcher and keep changes private?

Yes, if you don't distribute the modified version. GPL's requirements only apply when you distribute the software. Private modifications for personal use don't need to be shared.

Can I sell Launcher?

Yes, you can sell copies of Launcher. However, you must:

  1. Provide the source code
  2. License it under GPL-3.0-or-later
  3. Allow buyers to redistribute freely

Most people distribute GPL software for free, but charging for distribution is allowed.

Can I use Launcher code in my proprietary software?

No, not directly. GPL is a copyleft license that requires derivative works to also be GPL-licensed. If you incorporate GPL code into your software, your entire program must be GPL-licensed.

Alternative: You could:

  • Use Launcher as a separate tool (not incorporated into your code)
  • Contact the maintainer for a different licensing arrangement
  • Rewrite the functionality independently

What if I only modify Launcher for internal use?

If you modify Launcher but only use it internally within your organization (not distributing it), you don't need to share your changes. GPL requirements apply to distribution, not use.

Do I need permission to fork Launcher?

No, GPL explicitly grants you the right to create forks. You're encouraged to fork and improve the project! Just remember to:

  1. Keep the GPL license
  2. Provide source code if you distribute
  3. Credit original authors

Can I relicense Launcher?

No, only the copyright holder can change the license. If you're not the copyright holder, you must keep the GPL license for any distributions or derivatives.

What about plugins/extensions?

Extensions that are separate programs and communicate with Launcher only through defined APIs might not need to be GPL-licensed (this is debated). However, extensions that are loaded into Launcher's process space are likely considered derivative works and should be GPL-licensed.

When in doubt, use GPL for safety or consult a legal professional.

Disclaimer

This documentation provides a summary and general information about the license. It is not legal advice. For the authoritative license terms, refer to the LICENSE file or consult a legal professional.

Additional Resources

About Open Source Licenses

About GPL

About FOSS Philosophy

Support Free Software

If you appreciate free and open-source software:

  • ⭐ Star the project on GitHub
  • 🐛 Report bugs and suggest improvements
  • 💻 Contribute code or documentation
  • 📢 Share with others
  • ☕ Support the developers

Thank you for supporting open source! 🎉

Last Updated: November 2, 2024

For the most current license information, always refer to the LICENSE file in the repository.

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