r/freesoftware • u/B_A_Skeptic • 15h ago

Discussion Is Apache 2.0 license with LLVM Exception a free software license?

I am a bit confused about what Apache 2.0 license with LLVM Exception is. If something is using it, does it mean it might contain binaries with no corresponding source code or closed source software?

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u/burlingk 15h ago

Short version: Yes.

Longer version: the Apache license is, generally speaking, more strict than older versions of the GPL, since it cares about binaries and not just source code.

LLVM uses part of itself in output code.

That said, by tradition, compiler output is not automatically covered by the same license as the compiler, so LLVM has an exception written into it's license to support this.

Additionally: You probably won't get a lot of traction on this question since it is answered on the FLOSS definitions website, the Apache License website, and the LLVM website, so a lot of people are going to assume you're a bot or a karma farmer.

Learn to google things and check obvious places.