Know Your Licenses Before You Clone
Using GPL code in a commercial project by accident can have serious consequences. godegit detects the license of every repository you download and warns you when something needs your attention — before it becomes your problem.
See It in Action
godegit tells you what license a repo uses the moment you run it — no guessing, no hunting through files.
$ godegit user/mit-template
✓ License detected: MIT
Permissive — commercial use allowed
✓ LICENSE file preserved
✓ Downloaded 847 files in 3.2s
$ godegit user/gpl-library
⚠ License detected: GPL v3
Copyleft — derivative works must be GPL
⚠ Review license before commercial use
LICENSE file preserved
Downloaded 1,203 files in 4.1s
License Comparison
A quick reference for the licenses godegit encounters most often. Permissive licenses give you flexibility; copyleft licenses require you to share your changes.
| License | Commercial Use | Must Include License | Must Share Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | Yes | Yes | No |
| Apache 2.0 | Yes | Yes | No |
| BSD 3-Clause | Yes | Yes | No |
| GPL v3 | Yes | Yes | Yes (copyleft) |
| AGPL v3 | Yes | Yes | Yes (copyleft + network) |
How godegit Preserves Licenses
LICENSE files are never optional. godegit treats them as first-class files and always includes them in every download — no configuration needed.
License Files Always Preserved
godegit automatically includes LICENSE, LICENSE.md, LICENSE.txt, COPYING, NOTICE, and NOTICE.md in every download.
Attribution Best Practices
- ✓Keep the LICENSE file. Never delete or modify it — removing it can put you in legal violation of the license terms.
- ✓Document your sources. Keep a record of where code came from. A simple
CREDITS.mdlisting repo URLs and license types goes a long way. - ⚠Understand copyleft requirements. GPL and AGPL code requires derivative works to be released under the same license. Know before you ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use godegit-downloaded code in commercial projects?
It depends on the license. Permissive licenses (MIT, Apache, BSD) allow commercial use with minimal restrictions. Copyleft licenses (GPL, AGPL) require derivative works to be open-sourced. godegit tells you which type you are dealing with immediately after download.
What happens if a repository has no LICENSE file?
Code without an explicit license is technically "all rights reserved" by default. godegit flags this so you know — then contact the repository owner before using the code in your projects.
Does godegit ever modify or remove LICENSE files?
Never. godegit downloads LICENSE files exactly as they exist in the source repository. The tool never modifies, renames, or removes license information.
Ready to Clone Responsibly?
Install godegit and get license awareness built into every download — no extra steps.