Open Source Licensing – How to Properly License Open Source Software

licensingopen source

I have a project I've been working on which I would like to push into a new, public Github repository as open source. After searching on StackExchange for the right license to use I've settled on the BSD license.

My question is: now what? Do I just need to copy the BSD license text into a file called LICENSE in the root of my repository and call it good? Is that the general rule for how all open source licenses work? Or do I need to notify some other organization that I'm using this license so I can 'enforce' it if necessary?

Best Answer

It is sufficient to attach the licence file in your work. However it is normally preferable to add a small comment stating who owns the copyright and where to find the full licence text at the top of each source file.

You do not need to notify any organisation to enforce your licence if someone breaks the terms, although it will require you to take them to court.