LGPLlicensed

LGPL-licensed refers to software distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), a free software license maintained by the Free Software Foundation. The LGPL is a copyleft license designed for software libraries, allowing them to be linked by non-LGPL software while preserving the freedom to modify the library itself. It aims to balance library reuse with user rights, enabling broader adoption of library code without forcing all dependent software to adopt the same license.

A core idea of LGPL-licensed software is that developers may link their applications to LGPL libraries without placing the entire application under the LGPL, provided certain conditions are met. If you modify an LGPL library, you must release the modified library’s source code under the LGPL. If you distribute software that uses an LGPL library, you must provide access to the library’s source or offer to provide it, and you must ensure users can replace the LGPL component with a modified version. This is typically achieved by dynamic linking or by supplying enough build information to relink the application with a new version of the library.

Versions and scope: The LGPL has several versions, notably LGPL version 2.1 and version 3, with differences in areas such as patent provisions and anti-tivoization rules. Compared with the GPL, the LGPL is a weaker copyleft: it permits linking with non-GPL software while still requiring the library’s own freedoms to be preserved.

Compliance and practice: When distributing LGPL-licensed software, developers should include the license text, provide or offer access to the corresponding source code for the LGPL components, and document the linking method. Using the library as a separate, dynamically linked component is a common practice to simplify compliance.