| 1 | <!-- English translation of adr/0101-licensing-and-commercialization-strategy.md. Canonical Russian: ../../adr/0101-licensing-and-commercialization-strategy.md --> |
| 2 | |
| 3 | # ADR 0101: Licensing and commercialization strategy |
| 4 | |
| 5 | **Status:** Accepted |
| 6 | **Date:** 2026-04-26 |
| 7 | |
| 8 | ## Related ADRs |
| 9 | |
| 10 | | ADR | Role | |
| 11 | |-----|------| |
| 12 | | [0009](0009-strangler-migration-and-exceptions.md) | related ADR | |
| 13 | | [0024](0024-ide-sdk-and-stable-contracts.md) | related ADR | |
| 14 | | [0027](0027-small-team-focus-vs-public-maturity.md) | related ADR | |
| 15 | | [architecture-policy.md](../../architecture-policy.md) | outside numbered ADR | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | ## Summary |
| 18 | |
| 19 | - **License** matrix and dependency rules (copyleft, commercialization). |
| 20 | - Guardrails for stack choice and artifact publication. |
| 21 | - Governance — alongside [0100](0100-project-constitution.md). |
| 22 | |
| 23 | --- |
| 24 | |
| 25 | <a id="adr0101-context"></a> |
| 26 | |
| 27 | ## 1. Context |
| 28 | |
| 29 | CascadeIDE plans to remain open source while preserving commercialization options (cloud services, enterprise services, support, custom integrations). |
| 30 | The project also considers AI and runtime dependencies with different license models, including “strong” copyleft. |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Without explicit policy, dependency decisions can drift and create future IP conflicts (distribution limits, re-licensing risk, due diligence risk, contributor uncertainty). |
| 33 | |
| 34 | --- |
| 35 | |
| 36 | <a id="adr0101-decision"></a> |
| 37 | |
| 38 | ## 2. Decision |
| 39 | |
| 40 | Adopt **open source with commercial options** licensing strategy: |
| 41 | |
| 42 | 0. **CascadeIDE code in this repository** is distributed under **MIT** (see root [`LICENSE`](../../LICENSE)); commercial services and public contacts — [`COMMERCIAL-NOTICE.md`](../../COMMERCIAL-NOTICE.md). |
| 43 | 1. **Default distribution path** uses only licenses from the base allowed list. |
| 44 | 2. **“Strong” copyleft** components (GPL/AGPL family) are forbidden in core and runtime without separate approved ADR exception. |
| 45 | 3. Commercialization remains open via: |
| 46 | - managed cloud offerings, |
| 47 | - enterprise extensions, |
| 48 | - support/consulting/training. |
| 49 | 4. Each new external dependency is reviewed and recorded with license metadata. |
| 50 | |
| 51 | --- |
| 52 | |
| 53 | <a id="adr0101-license-matrix"></a> |
| 54 | |
| 55 | ## 3. License policy matrix |
| 56 | |
| 57 | <a id="adr0101-matrix-allowed-default"></a> |
| 58 | |
| 59 | ### 3.1 Allowed by default |
| 60 | |
| 61 | - MIT |
| 62 | - Apache-2.0 |
| 63 | - BSD-2-Clause |
| 64 | - BSD-3-Clause |
| 65 | |
| 66 | <a id="adr0101-matrix-allowed-reviewed"></a> |
| 67 | |
| 68 | ### 3.2 Allowed with explicit review |
| 69 | |
| 70 | - MPL-2.0 |
| 71 | - LGPL family |
| 72 | |
| 73 | Review criteria for this group: |
| 74 | - linking and deployment model, |
| 75 | - obligations on modified files/libraries, |
| 76 | - impact on packaged desktop distribution. |
| 77 | |
| 78 | <a id="adr0101-matrix-restricted"></a> |
| 79 | |
| 80 | ### 3.3 Restricted (ADR exception required) |
| 81 | |
| 82 | - GPL family |
| 83 | - AGPL family |
| 84 | - SSPL |
| 85 | - custom non-commercial / source-available terms limiting business use |
| 86 | |
| 87 | --- |
| 88 | |
| 89 | <a id="adr0101-dependency-rules"></a> |
| 90 | |
| 91 | ## 4. Dependency management rules |
| 92 | |
| 93 | For each new package or library: |
| 94 | |
| 95 | 1. Record: |
| 96 | - package name, |
| 97 | - version, |
| 98 | - source URL, |
| 99 | - declared license, |
| 100 | - notable transitive license risks. |
| 101 | 2. Add and update project notices in [`docs/THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md`](../../THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md). |
| 102 | 3. Ensure CI license checks fail on: |
| 103 | - forbidden licenses, |
| 104 | - unknown/unapproved licenses. |
| 105 | |
| 106 | --- |
| 107 | |
| 108 | <a id="adr0101-forbidden-architecture"></a> |
| 109 | |
| 110 | ## 5. Architectural guardrail for forbidden licenses |
| 111 | |
| 112 | If a component with forbidden license is considered: |
| 113 | |
| 114 | 1. Start with PoC assessment outside core delivery path. |
| 115 | 2. Run legal and product review (obligations, distribution model, update policy). |
| 116 | 3. Allow only via separate ADR exception with rollback plan. |
| 117 | |
| 118 | Do not assume “automatic safety” from process boundaries alone (e.g. sidecar/process split) without explicit legal review. |
| 119 | |
| 120 | --- |
| 121 | |
| 122 | <a id="adr0101-commercialization"></a> |
| 123 | |
| 124 | ## 6. Commercialization model (non-exclusive) |
| 125 | |
| 126 | Open source core is compatible with commercial scenarios via: |
| 127 | |
| 128 | - cloud and managed services, |
| 129 | - enterprise add-ons, |
| 130 | - paid support/SLA, |
| 131 | - consulting and implementation. |
| 132 | |
| 133 | This ADR does not fix a single monetization path; it preserves flexibility while supporting dependency hygiene. |
| 134 | |
| 135 | --- |
| 136 | |
| 137 | <a id="adr0101-consequences"></a> |
| 138 | |
| 139 | ## 7. Consequences |
| 140 | |
| 141 | <a id="adr0101-consequences-positive"></a> |
| 142 | |
| 143 | ### Positive |
| 144 | |
| 145 | - Clear contribution and dependency rules. |
| 146 | - Cleaner IP chain for future due diligence. |
| 147 | - Lower risk of accidental license blockers. |
| 148 | |
| 149 | <a id="adr0101-consequences-negative"></a> |
| 150 | |
| 151 | ### Negative |
| 152 | |
| 153 | - Some technically attractive libraries may be excluded from core. |
| 154 | - More process load when adding dependencies. |
| 155 | |
| 156 | --- |
| 157 | |
| 158 | <a id="adr0101-rollout-plan"></a> |
| 159 | |
| 160 | ## 8. Rollout plan |
| 161 | |
| 162 | 1. ~~Add `license-policy.md` (short developer policy).~~ Done: [`../../license-policy.md`](../../license-policy.md). |
| 163 | 2. ~~Add/maintain `THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md`.~~ Done: [`../../THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md`](../../THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md) (copied on publish via `CascadeIDE.csproj`). |
| 164 | 3. Add CI license check as required gate. |
| 165 | 4. Run baseline dependency license audit and remediate findings. |
| 166 | 5. Track exceptions in separate ADRs. |
| 167 | |