This post summarizes hints about how to choose a free and open source software (FOSS) license.
Choosing a FOSS License
There is no a perfect open source licenses that can is suitable for all situations. It depends on the biggest concerns you have about the software.
In fact, you may consider that some components are released under different open source licenses because they have different needs or concerns.
As a general rule, the more permissive the license is, the more flexible, compatible and reusable it will be.
On the other hand, the more restrictive the license is, the more protection against being sued, used in commercial projects it will get.
As a conclusion, the open source licenses need to make a trade-off between flexibility and protection.
Creative Commons are licenses that are thought to distribute creative works like images, music or written content. Nevertheless, they are sometimes used for software. These licenses do not necessarily allow to access, modify or distribute the source code.
When developing software, it is recommended to use a specific software license to distribute software it instead of Creative Commons.
Resources to choose an Open Source Software License
There are some resources available that aid you to choose your open source license.
There is the web Choose a License. You can visit it on this external link.
Joinup Licensing Assistant (JLA) is a tool to select an open license developed by European Commission’s Joinup. You can find it on this external link.
The Open Source Guide includes one section that explains which license you should take. You can find it on this external link.