GPLderived

GPLderived is a term used in software licensing to describe a work that is derived from code released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). It includes modifications, translations, or other works that incorporate GPL-licensed code. Under the GPL, distributing a GPLderived work generally requires releasing the entire work under the GPL and providing access to the source code, thereby granting recipients the rights to use, modify, and redistribute the code under the same license. The copyleft nature of the GPL aims to preserve freedom to modify downstream and ensure that source code remains available. The exact obligations can vary between GPL versions; GPLv3, for example, addresses patent issues and certain restrictions more explicitly than GPLv2.

Whether a program is considered GPLderived depends on how it integrates GPL-licensed code. Static or dynamic linking to a GPL library is commonly treated as forming a derivative work, though licensing interpretations can differ, particularly with libraries released under permissive licenses or the LGPL, which is designed to allow linking with non-GPL code. Aggregation of GPL software with other software on the same distribution medium does not, in itself, create a derivative work, but distributing a combined work usually does.

Compliance practices include preserving copyright notices, providing a copy of the GPL, and offering access to the corresponding source code. License scanning tools may flag GPLderived components for review. In practice, organizations may adopt strategies such as replacing GPL components with permissively licensed or LGPL alternatives to manage copyleft obligations in proprietary products.