MIT vs Unlicense: what is the difference?
Last updated
TL;DR: MIT: commercial use, modification, redistribution: Yes. Unlicense: the same uses: Yes. MIT: Deal in the software without restriction, including to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense and sell it, as long as the copyright and permission notice go with all copies or substantial portions. Unlicense: Dedicates the software to the public domain; anyone may use it for any purpose without conditions.
Is mIT: commercial use, modification, redistribution allowed under MIT License?
Yes. Every use you described is granted by MIT, and nothing you described is prohibited.
License: MIT License (MIT, curated)
Duties: attribution, license_notice
Is unlicense: the same uses allowed under The Unlicense?
Yes. Every use you described is granted by Unlicense, and nothing you described is prohibited.
License: The Unlicense (Unlicense, curated)
How do MIT and Unlicense compare?
The table lists each license's duties and notes side by side.
| License | Duties | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MIT | attribution, license_notice | Provided as is, without warranty. |
| Unlicense | none | Provided as is, without warranty. |
Combined in one work: compatible.
What else should I know?
- The duties differ: compare the duties and notes listed for each license below.
What are the sources?
How can I check it myself (free, no key)?
{
"tool": "check_license",
"arguments": {
"license": "MIT",
"intended_use": {
"commercial_use": true,
"modification": true,
"redistribution": true
}
}
}Computed from a2ally's license profiles; not legal advice. JSON · Markdown
Get a free API key in one call
No card and no email needed. 100 free credits; the license and policy checks stay free without a key.
curl -s -X POST https://www.a2ally.com/v1/accounts/signup -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"accept_terms":true}'
export A2ALLY_API_KEY=rs_... # the api_key from the reply (shown once)
curl -s https://www.a2ally.com/v1/licenses/check -H "Authorization: Bearer $A2ALLY_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"license":"MIT","intended_use":{"commercial_use":true}}'
