Licensing non-software assets

Free software licenses are most suitable for licensing, well, software. However, free software projects often incorporate media which is not software in and of itself, such as artwork and documentation. Different licenses are recommended for these use-cases. We have some recommendations for licenses which are suitable for non-software media, are within the spirit of free software, and are compatible with free software licenses.

Creative Commons

Most multimedia assets – images, audio, videos, writing, and so on – are suitable for use with Creative Commons licenses, which include configurable options for traits such as copyleft and attribution. Note, however, that the -ND (no derivatives) and -NC (non-commercial) variants of Creative Commons licenses are incompatible with free software, and the use of these assets will limit the utility of your project within the free software ecosystem.

Hardware

Hardware projects (schematics, HDL sources, etc.) are encouraged to use the CERN Open Hardware License.

Fonts

The SIL Open Font License is recommended for distributing fonts in a manner compatible with free software.

Documentation

Most projects don’t use a special license for their documentation. However, the GNU Free Documentation License is occasionally used for this purpose.