Plain License

License Crafting Guide

How to improve or add Plain License licenses.

Contributing Licenses to Plain License

We welcome contributions to Plain License, whether you’re proposing a new license or suggesting changes to an existing one. This guide will walk you through the process for both scenarios.

Before You Start

You should read our writing guidelines to help you craft a clear, concise, and easy to understand license. You can find these guidelines on our Writing Guidelines page.

Contributing a New License

To contribute a new license, you’ll use our LICENSE_TEMPLATE.md file. This template uses “front matter” to generate the actual license page consistently across all licenses.

Option 1: Using Git and GitHub

  1. See our code contribution guidelines for more information on how to set up your local environment.

  2. Fork the Plain License repository on GitHub.

  3. Clone your fork to your local machine.

  4. Copy the LICENSE_TEMPLATE.md file and rename it to match your new license (e.g., NEW-LICENSE.md).

  5. Fill out the front matter in your new file. Each part of the template includes detailed instructions. It will walk you through things like:

    • License metadata (name, SPDX identifier, etc.)
    • The full text of the license
    • Any additional notes or explanations

  6. Commit your changes with a message following our commit format, where you see apache-2.0 below, you should use the SPDX identifier ➚ of the license you’re adding:

    subs(apache-2.0): Add Apache-2.0 to Plain License

  7. Push your changes to your fork on GitHub.

  8. Create a Pull Request from your fork to the main Plain License repository.

Option 2: Using GitHub Issues

If you’re not comfortable with Git, you can contribute using GitHub Issues:

  1. Go to the Plain License repository on GitHub.
  2. Download the LICENSE_TEMPLATE.md file.
  3. Rename it to match your new license (e.g., NEW-LICENSE.md).
  4. Fill out the front matter as described in #4 above. You can use a text editor or markdown editor.
  5. Go to the “Issues” tab on the Plain License repository.
  6. Click “New Issue”.
  7. Attach your filled-out template file to the issue.
  8. Provide a clear title and description for your new license contribution.

Changing an Existing License

To suggest changes to an existing license:

  1. Navigate to the license page you want to modify on the Plain License website.
  2. Click the “Edit” link in the top right corner of the page.
  3. This will take you to the GitHub page for that license’s template file.

From here, you have the same two options for contributing a new license: you can either use git and GitHub, or you can download the file and submit it as an issue.

If your change is minor, your commit message should be something like:

admin(mpl-2.0): Fixed a typo in the 'sharing' section

Understanding the License Template

The LICENSE_TEMPLATE.md file is the heart of our license system. It helps us maintain consistency across all licenses. There are detailed instructions for each field in the template, but here are a few key points:

  • The content between the --- markers is called “front matter”.
  • We use the frontmatter to generate different versions and views of the license.
  • Anything below the --- markers will appear at the top of the license page. This is usually blank, but you can add additional information if needed.

Need Help?

If you’re unsure about any part of the process, don’t hesitate to open an issue or post in discussions asking for help. We’re here to help make your contribution as smooth as possible! Don’t be afraid to try, either — git is forgiving. If you make a mistake, we can always fix it.

Thank you for helping to improve Plain License for everyone!