I'm working on a Python project that I want to share on GitHub. It makes use of third-party libraries like Pillow and Requests, and I'm planning to publish it under the MIT license. I'm curious about the licensing requirements: If I'm just using these libraries without modifying or distributing their source code, am I still required to provide a copy of their licenses in my project? For instance, the PyYaml library is under the MIT license and I need to include its license according to its terms. However, since the source code is in my virtual environment and not included in my repository, but I do use it in my code (like 'import yaml'), do I still need to provide the license?
5 Answers
To address your concern: no, you don't need to redistribute licenses for libraries you're only using but not modifying. The licenses primarily apply when you're distributing modified or compiled forms of the code. Your users just need to install the dependencies themselves, so it's fine!
You really don't have to stress about this too much. If you’re not distributing the libraries directly and your users have to install them separately, you're in the clear. The main focus is on your own code and the license you choose! Just mentioning the libraries in the README should suffice for general transparency.
You actually should include the license info for the libraries you're using, especially if they're included as dependencies. With the MIT license, you just need to add a copy of that license without needing to distribute their source code. But if you're concerned about being thorough, listing their licenses in your repository is good practice! It's always better to err on the side of caution.
Thanks for clarifying! I'll definitely consider listing the licenses then, to avoid any potential issues.
Technically, if you're not distributing PyYaml's code along with yours, then you generally don't need to include its license. Most open-source projects don't do this for libraries they reference just in their code. So, if PyYaml is just a requirement that users need to install separately, you shouldn't worry too much. But remember, copyright law is complex, so if you're unsure, it's best to do a bit of reading or consult a legal expert.
That makes sense! I think I might just add a note in my README about the libraries I used without including their licenses. Seems like a reasonable approach.
It's a good idea to check the licenses of each library you've incorporated into your project. Generally, the MIT license is pretty relaxed and just requires you to include the license text, which isn't too much work in the grand scheme of things. But since you aren't distributing the libraries' source code, you likely won't need to do much more than that.
Thanks for the reassurance! It's good to know that I can focus on my own code and still be compliant with licenses.