{
  "question": "Can I use code from GitHub in my product?",
  "slug": "can-i-use-code-from-github-in-my-product",
  "url": "https://www.rightshold.com/answers/can-i-use-code-from-github-in-my-product",
  "short_answer": "An MIT repository: Yes. An Apache-2.0 repository: Yes. An AGPL-3.0 repository, modified and run as a service: Yes.",
  "framing": "Public on GitHub does not mean licensed: the repository's LICENSE file decides, and a repository with no license grants no rights. Pass the repo URL as source_url and Rightshold reads its declared license.",
  "checks": [
    {
      "label": "An MIT repository",
      "license": "MIT",
      "license_name": "MIT License",
      "intended_use": {
        "commercial_use": true,
        "modification": true,
        "redistribution": true
      },
      "verdict": "permitted",
      "answer": "Yes",
      "findings": [
        "Every use you described is granted by MIT, and nothing you described is prohibited."
      ],
      "duties": [
        "attribution",
        "license_notice"
      ],
      "curation": "curated",
      "official_text": "https://opensource.org/license/mit"
    },
    {
      "label": "An Apache-2.0 repository",
      "license": "Apache-2.0",
      "license_name": "Apache License 2.0",
      "intended_use": {
        "commercial_use": true,
        "modification": true,
        "redistribution": true
      },
      "verdict": "permitted",
      "answer": "Yes",
      "findings": [
        "Every use you described is granted by Apache 2.0, and nothing you described is prohibited."
      ],
      "duties": [
        "attribution",
        "license_notice",
        "state_changes"
      ],
      "curation": "curated",
      "official_text": "https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0"
    },
    {
      "label": "An AGPL-3.0 repository, modified and run as a service",
      "license": "AGPL-3.0-only",
      "license_name": "GNU Affero General Public License v3.0",
      "intended_use": {
        "commercial_use": true,
        "modification": true,
        "deployment": true
      },
      "verdict": "permitted",
      "answer": "Yes",
      "findings": [
        "Every use you described is granted by AGPL 3.0, and nothing you described is prohibited."
      ],
      "duties": [
        "attribution",
        "license_notice",
        "state_changes",
        "share_alike",
        "source_disclosure",
        "network_source_offer"
      ],
      "curation": "curated",
      "official_text": "https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.html"
    }
  ],
  "context": [
    "GitHub's terms let other users view and fork public repositories on GitHub; that is not a license to reuse the code elsewhere."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "GitHub: Licensing a repository",
      "url": "https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/licensing-a-repository"
    }
  ],
  "check_it_yourself": {
    "mcp": {
      "tool": "check_license",
      "arguments": {
        "license": "MIT",
        "intended_use": {
          "commercial_use": true,
          "modification": true,
          "redistribution": true
        }
      }
    },
    "rest": "POST https://www.rightshold.com/v1/licenses/check"
  },
  "computed_from": "Rightshold license profiles at render time; not legal advice",
  "updated": "2026-10-19"
}