Getting Started with CCBL

What is CCBL?

CCBL (Contribution-Commercial-Benevolent License) is an open source license designed to provide fair licensing for both individual developers and commercial entities.

Quick Start

Step 1: Copy the LICENSE File

Download the latest CCBL license text and add it to your project root:

View Plain TextView Markdown

1. Create a file named LICENSE in your project root
2. Copy the CCBL license text into it
3. Replace [year] with the current year
4. Replace [copyright holder] with your name or organization

Step 2: Add a README Badge

Let others know your project uses CCBL:

Badge Style:Blue (Default)Green

Markdown:[](https://ccbl-license.github.io/ccbl/)

HTML:<a href="https://ccbl-license.github.io/ccbl/"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/License-CCBL-0366D6.svg" alt="License: CCBL"></a>

Preview:

Step 3: (Optional) Add AI_POLICY.md

If you want to provide more details about your AI policy, create an AI_POLICY.md file:

# AI Policy for [Project Name]

This project is licensed under CCBL (Contribution-Commercial-Benevolent License).

## AI Training Restrictions

Use of this software or its code for training artificial intelligence systems,
including but not limited to machine learning models, neural networks, and 
large language models, is prohibited without explicit written permission.

## Contact

For AI licensing inquiries, contact: [your-email@example.com]

For Individual Developers

You can use CCBL-licensed software for personal, educational, and non-commercial purposes without any restrictions.

What You Can Do (Free)

• ✅ Use for personal projects
• ✅ Use for learning and research
• ✅ Modify and experiment
• ✅ Share with friends

For Contributors

1. Submit contributions to CCBL-licensed projects
2. When your contribution is accepted, you automatically receive a permanent commercial license
3. No need to purchase a separate commercial license

How to Contribute

1. Find a project using CCBL
2. Check their contribution guidelines
3. Submit a Pull Request or Issue
4. Once accepted, you have a permanent commercial license

For Companies

Purchase a Commercial License

Organizations must obtain a commercial license for commercial use. Contact the project maintainers to purchase one for your organization.

Note: Under CCBL 1.7, Qualified Contributor status is personal and non-transferable — it does not extend to an organization or employer. Having employees contribute does not grant the organization commercial usage rights.

Commercial License Benefits

• ✅ Use in proprietary products
• ✅ No obligation to open source your code
• ✅ Priority support (depending on license tier)
• ✅ Legal protection and indemnification

AI Policy

CCBL includes built-in AI protection:

• ❌ Prohibited: Using the software to train commercial AI models without permission
• ✅ Allowed: Using AI-powered tools to assist development
• ✅ Allowed: Using the software as an end user

FAQ

Do I need a lawyer to use CCBL?

No, CCBL is designed to be readable by non-lawyers. However, for commercial use, consulting a lawyer is always recommended.

Can I dual-license my project?

Yes, you can offer CCBL alongside other licenses. This is common for projects that want to provide a commercial license option.

What counts as a "contribution"?

A merged Pull Request (any size), or an Issue explicitly labeled as "accepted", "confirmed", "bug", or "enhancement" by a maintainer. (Trivial fixes like typos may be marked invalid.) Documentation and design contributions count when submitted as a merged PR.