You use open-source every day. From GitHub to npm to pip — it’s everywhere.
But here's the truth: most developers don't check the licenses before using a package.
That can lead to real problems. Some licenses can force your company to open-source its code. Others may block you from using code in commercial projects.
So before you merge that next pull request, ask yourself:
1. Do I know what license this package uses?
Not all open-source is the same. MIT, GPL, Apache — each one comes with rules. Always check the license file or repo metadata.
2. Does this license allow commercial use?
Just because the code is public doesn’t mean it’s free to use in a paid product. Some licenses don’t allow commercial use at all.
3. Will this license force us to share our own code?
Some licenses (like GPL) say: “If you use me, your code must also be open.” That might be a problem for your company.
4. Are we tracking all the licenses in our codebase?
If you’re using 100+ dependencies (most apps do), do you know what licenses they carry? If not, you're flying blind.
5. Who is responsible for checking this in our team?
If everyone thinks “someone else is checking,” no one is. Set clear roles. Make license checks part of your CI/CD.
Why This Matters
Open-source is amazing. But using it wrong can cause legal, financial, and reputational damage.
At Yahyou Digital, we help dev teams avoid these risks by building simple, automated compliance workflows that fit right into your stack.
Have you ever hit a license issue late in a project? Let us know — or drop your favorite license-check tool below.
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