What is GPL?
The GPL, or “General Public License,” is one of the most important software licenses available. It was originally released in 1989 by the Free Software Foundation and is mainly used to protect the copyright of open-source software from unauthorized modification and distribution.
The license ensures that developers can always access, modify and share their works without worrying about being taken advantage of by corporations or other powerful entities.
The GPL continues to be an invaluable tool for protecting the rights and freedoms of individual developers, users, and organizations worldwide.
WordPress has embraced the GPL, a free and open-source software license, to uphold its philosophical values.
GPL & WordPress
WordPress chose the GPL license to foster an accessible and inviting community, similar to how the Bill of Rights offers core values that citizens believe in.
This GPL serves as WordPress’s ‘Bill of Rights,’ reflecting their fundamental beliefs through its regulations.
With the WordPress license, users can freely download and modify the code. This open-source policy has created a culture of collaboration that has led to its current success – more than tens of thousands collaborated to make it into one incredible software.
The core development team at WordPress is the driving force behind its success, yet anyone who values the platform can offer their assistance.
Whether you’re a developer submitting patches and bug fixes or someone suggesting new features – everyone’s contribution matters!
Countless organizations, professionals, and independent freelancers are also selling products and services related to WordPress across the globe, proving just how vital it is for modern businesses.
GPL’s Implementation in WordPress
The GPL enables users to analyze WordPress’s source code and modify and expand it as per their requirements. The only preventative measure is that if you distribute a modification of GPL software, then it must maintain its GPL license.
Copyleft is a play on the term ‘copyright,’ which ensures free software stays free by utilizing copyright legislation to guarantee that all alterations of it offer the same freedoms.
As a result, any work based on WordPress is automatically licensed as GPL. This includes derivative works like themes and plugins for the platform. ‘Copyleft’ also demands that these products be released under the same license.
All WordPress themes and plugins available for download from the official WordPress.org directory are licensed under GPL software, including most commercial WordPress themes.