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SPDX · Elastic-2.0 Fair code » SPDX-listed

Elastic License 2.0

Source-available with three simple limitations, the biggest being no-hosting-as-a-service and no trademark use.

Nickname: ELv2 Steward: Elasticsearch B.V. Copyleft: Not applicable First published: 2021 SPDX page ↗ Official ↗

Elastic License 2.0 (ELv2) is a short source-available license with three simple restrictions: you cannot provide the software as a managed service, you cannot circumvent license keys, and you cannot remove or alter licensing or copyright notices.

Everything else — use, modification, distribution, private use, commercial use in your own products — is allowed. ELv2 is much shorter than BUSL and does not have a conversion date.

ELv2 is not OSI-approved.

How to apply

Add a LICENSE.txt file with the full ELv2 text. Source files may carry:

// SPDX-License-Identifier: Elastic-2.0

Permissions

  • Private use
    The licensed material may be used and modified in private.
  • Modification
    The licensed material may be modified.
  • Distribution
    The licensed material may be distributed.

Conditions

  • License and copyright notice
    Include a copy of the license and copyright notice with the material.

Limitations

  • Commercial use restricted
    Commercial use is restricted or requires a separate commercial agreement.
  • Hosting as a service restricted
    Offering the material as a hosted or managed service is restricted.
  • Trademark use
    This license explicitly states that it does NOT grant trademark rights.
  • Liability
    This license includes a limitation of liability.
  • Warranty
    This license explicitly states that it does NOT provide any warranty.
  • source-available-only
Full license text
Elastic License 2.0 (ELv2)

Copyright (c) [year] [licensor]

With regard to the Elastic Software:

This software and associated documentation files (the "Software") may only be
used in production, if you (and any entity that you represent) have agreed to,
and are in compliance with, the Elastic License 2.0, or a separate license for
use of the Software between you and Elasticsearch B.V. or its affiliates (each,
a "Licensor").

Subject to the following terms and conditions, you may copy, modify, and
redistribute the Software, and use the Software for internal business
purposes.

Limitations

You may not provide the software to third parties as a hosted or managed
service, where the service provides users with access to any substantial set
of the features or functionality of the software.

You may not move, change, disable, or circumvent the license key functionality
in the software, and you may not remove or obscure any functionality in the
software that is protected by the license key.

You may not alter, remove, or obscure any licensing, copyright, or other
notices of the licensor in the software. Any use of the licensor's trademarks
is subject to applicable law.

Patents

The licensor grants you a license, under any patent claims the licensor can
license, or becomes able to license, to make, have made, use, sell, offer for
sale, import and have imported the software, in each case subject to the
limitations and conditions in this license.

… this text is abbreviated.

For the complete license text, see https://www.elastic.co/licensing/elastic-license

Raw text also available at /license-texts/Elastic-2.0.txt — handy for curl.

Similar licenses

Upgrade path

If you find this license too limited, these are common next steps:

Notable users

  • Elasticsearch
  • Kibana
  • Logstash
Notice

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