How Do I Know if I Can Use the Free Open Source License?

This website contains links to software which is either no longer maintained or will be supported only until the end of 2019 (CKFinder 2). For the latest documentation about current CKSource projects, including software like CKEditor 4/CKEditor 5, CKFinder 3, Cloud Services, Letters, Accessibility Checker, please visit the new documentation website.

If you look for an information about very old versions of CKEditor, FCKeditor and CKFinder check also the CKEditor forum, which was closed in 2015. If not, please head to StackOverflow for support.

It depends on your usage scenario. You need to verify that it fulfills the terms of the Open Source license. CKEditor can be used in two licensing models:

  • CKEditor Open Source License – the GPL, LGPL, and MPL copyleft license.
  • CKEditor Commercial License – CKSource Closed Distribution License (CDL) – commercial non-copyleft license.

If you want to take advantage of one of the Open Source licenses, you need to be sure that you are compliant with their terms. Some things to look at are:

  • Whether you plan to release your application under an Open Source license.
  • Whether you want to modify CKEditor and under which license you want to release your modifications.
  • Whether you intend to distribute the Open Source license terms and the source code of CKEditor with your product.
  • Whether you want to keep the references to CKEditor in your product as well as preserve the integrity of all CKEditor files.
  • Whether you want to support the future development of CKEditor by buying a commercial version.
  • Whether you are going to need access to the support channel which is only available with the commercial licenses.
important note
Please note that the CKEditor Open Source license can be used in personal, educational, non-profit, and commercial products as long as you satisfy all terms of the Open Source license of your choice.
This page was last edited on 19 January 2012, at 14:14.