2601:19E:427C:5C40:8527:A2D4:6D1F:6179 at 13:03, 6 April 2025

2025-04-06T13:03:40Z

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{{Short description|Permissive free software license which is compatible with the GNU General Public License}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox software license
| name = Python Software Foundation License
| image =
| caption =
| author =
| version =
| copyright =
| date =
| OSI approved = Yes<ref name="osi">{{cite web |url=https://opensource.org/license/python-2-0 |title=License Search |at=OSI Approved Licenses |publisher=Open Source Initiative}}</ref>
| Debian approved = Yes
| Free Software = Yes<ref name="fsf"/>
| GPL compatible = Yes<ref name="fsf"/>
| copyleft = No
| linking =
}}
[[File:Guido van Rossum.jpg|thumb|[[Guido van Rossum]]]]

The '''Python Software Foundation License''' ('''PSFL''') is a [[BSD licence|BSD-style]], [[permissive software license]] which is [[license compatibility|compatible]] with the [[GNU General Public License]] (GPL).<ref name="fsf">{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#Python |title=Various Licenses and Comments about Them, new Python license |access-date=2007-07-07 |last=Stallman |first=Richard |publisher=Free Software Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227002639/https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#Python| archive-date=2021-12-27}}</ref> Its primary use is for distribution of the [[Python (programming language)|Python]] project software and its documentation.<ref name="psfl-terms">{{cite web |url=https://docs.python.org/3/license.html#terms-and-conditions-for-accessing-or-otherwise-using-python | title=Terms and conditions for accessing or otherwise using Python | access-date=2021-12-29 |publisher=Python Software Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225221920/https://docs.python.org/3/license.html#terms-and-conditions-for-accessing-or-otherwise-using-python |archive-date=2021-12-25}}</ref> Since the license is [[Permissive software license|permissive]], it allows [[Proprietary software|proprietization]] of the [[Derivative work|derivations]]. The PSFL is listed as approved on both [[List of FSF approved software licenses|FSF's approved licenses list]],<ref name="fsf"/> and [[Open source license|OSI's approved licenses list]].

This license is also known as "Python License 2.0.1".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#Python |title=Various Licenses and Comments about Them |access-date=2023-04-13 |publisher=Free Software Foundation}}<br>{{cite web |url=https://spdx.org/licenses/ |title=Python License 2.0.1 |at=SPDX License List |publisher=Software Package Data Exchange}}</ref>

In 2000, Python ''(specifically version 2.1)'' was briefly available under the [[Python License]], which is incompatible with the GPL. The reason given for this incompatibility by [[Free Software Foundation]] was that "''this Python license is governed by the laws of the 'State of Virginia', in the USA''", which the GPL does not permit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#PythonOld |title=Various Licenses and Comments about Them, old Python license |access-date=2007-07-07 |last=Stallman |first=Richard |publisher=Free Software Foundation }}</ref>

[[Guido van Rossum]], Python's creator, was awarded the 2001 [[Free Software Foundation Award for the Advancement of Free Software]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/award/2001/2001.html |title=2001 Free Software Awards |access-date=2007-07-07 |publisher=GNU Project - Free Software Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814060943/http://www.gnu.org/award/2001/2001.html | archive-date=2021-08-14}}</ref> for changing the license to fix this incompatibility.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Python Software Foundation]]
*[[:Category:Software_using_the_Python_Software_Foundation_License|Software using the Python Software Foundation license (category)]]

==References==
==External links==
* [https://www.python.org/psf/license/ The Python Software Foundation License]

[[Category:Free and open-source software licenses]]
[[Category:Python (programming language)]]

{{FOSS}}

{{Software-eng-stub}}

Python Software Foundation License - Revision history

2601:19E:427C:5C40:8527:A2D4:6D1F:6179 at 13:03, 6 April 2025