Apache License 2.0
Like MIT, but with an explicit patent grant and contribution terms.
Commercial use
✓ Yes
Modify
✓ Yes
Distribute
✓ Yes
Must open source changes
✗ No
Must attribute
✓ Yes
Patent grant
✓ Yes
What this license means
Apache 2.0 is a permissive license similar to MIT but with two important additions: an explicit patent grant (contributors give you a license to any patents their code implements) and a contribution clause (anyone who submits a change implicitly agrees to these terms). Popular with corporate-backed projects.
When you encounter this license
Use Apache-licensed tools the same way as MIT — freely in any project. The patent grant gives you extra legal protection. If you're choosing between MIT and Apache for your own project, Apache is the safer choice for anything that might touch patents.
Watch out for
You must include the NOTICE file if one exists (many Apache projects have one). If you modify the code, you must state that you changed it. The patent grant terminates if you file a patent lawsuit against the project.
Tools using Apache License 2.0 (146)
High-performance cloud and edge native messaging system
Run OpenClaw more securely inside NVIDIA OpenShell with managed inference
Open source WebRTC infrastructure
Lightweight search engine as a drop-in for Elasticsearch
Distributed tracing system
High-performance time-series database
Fast monitoring and time series DB
Distributed transactional key-value database
Kubernetes workflow engine
Cloud-native API and AI gateway
Automation engine to build, test, and ship any codebase
Orchestration platform for data assets
Distributed pub-sub messaging system
Open source alternative to Auth0/Firebase Auth/Cognito
Scalable PaaS with automated Docker+nginx
Apache DolphinScheduler is the modern data orchestration platform. Agile to create high performance workflow with low-code
Native multi-model database
Highly available Prometheus setup
TLS certificates for Kubernetes
Headless cloud-native identity management
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For licensing decisions in commercial products, consult a qualified attorney.