License¶

Perspt is released under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 (LGPL v3).

LGPL v3 License¶

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

What This Means¶

The LGPL v3 is a copyleft license that provides strong protection for software freedom while allowing linking with proprietary software. Here’s what it means in practical terms:

✅ What you CAN do:

Use Perspt for any purpose, including commercial projects
Modify the source code to fit your needs
Distribute copies of Perspt
Link Perspt as a library in proprietary software
Combine Perspt with software under different licenses
Create derivative works based on Perspt

❗ What you MUST do:

Provide source code for any modifications to Perspt itself
Include the LGPL v3 license text with distributions
Preserve copyright notices and license information
Allow users to replace the Perspt library with modified versions
Make modified source available under LGPL v3 terms

🚫 What we DON’T provide:

Warranty - The software is provided “as is”
Liability coverage - We’re not responsible for any damages
Support guarantees - While we strive to help, support is provided on a best-effort basis

Third-Party Licenses¶

Perspt depends on several open source libraries, each with their own licenses:

Core Dependencies¶

Crate	License	Description
tokio	MIT	Async runtime for Rust
ratatui	MIT	Terminal user interface library
serde	MIT/Apache-2.0	Serialization framework
clap	MIT/Apache-2.0	Command line argument parser
anyhow	MIT/Apache-2.0	Error handling library
thiserror	MIT/Apache-2.0	Error derive macros

LLM Integration¶

Crate	License	Description
genai	MIT/Apache-2.0	Unified LLM provider interface
reqwest	MIT/Apache-2.0	HTTP client library

Terminal and UI¶

Crate	License	Description
crossterm	MIT	Cross-platform terminal library
unicode-width	MIT/Apache-2.0	Unicode character width calculation
textwrap	MIT	Text wrapping and formatting

Development Dependencies¶

Crate	License	Description
criterion	MIT/Apache-2.0	Benchmarking library
mockall	MIT/Apache-2.0	Mock object library
tempfile	MIT/Apache-2.0	Temporary file management

License Compatibility¶

The LGPL v3 is compatible with most other open source licenses:

Compatible Licenses: - Apache License 2.0 - BSD licenses (2-clause, 3-clause) - ISC License - MIT License - Public Domain (CC0) - GPL v3+ (can be upgraded to GPL)

Special Considerations: - GPL v2: Not directly compatible due to version differences - Proprietary licenses: Can link with LGPL libraries but must allow library replacement - Copyleft licenses: LGPL provides weaker copyleft than GPL

Commercial Use¶

Perspt can be freely used in commercial projects:

✅ Allowed Commercial Uses:

Internal tools - Use Perspt as part of your development workflow
Linked libraries - Link Perspt as a library in commercial software
Service offerings - Provide Perspt as part of consulting or hosting services
Modified library versions - Create modified versions for internal use
Enterprise solutions - Build enterprise tools that use Perspt

📋 Requirements for Commercial Use:

Include LGPL license text in your distribution
Maintain copyright notices from the original code
Provide source code for any modifications to Perspt itself
Allow library replacement - users must be able to replace the Perspt library
No trademark usage without permission (see below)

No additional fees, registrations, or permissions are required.

Trademark Policy¶

While the source code is LGPL v3 licensed, trademarks are handled separately:

“Perspt” Name and Logo: - The name “Perspt” and any associated logos are trademarks - You may use the name in accurately describing the software - Commercial use of the name/logo as your own brand requires permission - Modified versions should use different names to avoid confusion

Acceptable Uses: - “Built with Perspt” - “Based on Perspt” - “Powered by Perspt” - “Fork of Perspt”

Requires Permission: - Using “Perspt” as your product name - Using Perspt logos in your branding - Implying official endorsement

Contributing and License¶

By contributing to Perspt, you agree that:

Your contributions will be licensed under the same LGPL v3 License
You have the right to license your contributions under LGPL v3
You understand that your contributions may be used commercially
You retain copyright to your contributions while granting broad usage rights

Contributor License Agreement (CLA)¶

For substantial contributions, we may request a Contributor License Agreement to:

Ensure you have the right to contribute the code
Provide legal protection for the project and users
Allow for potential future license changes if needed
Clarify the rights and responsibilities of contributors

License FAQ¶

Q: Can I use Perspt in my proprietary software? A: Yes, LGPL v3 allows linking with proprietary software. You must provide the library source and allow replacement.

Q: Can I modify Perspt and sell the modified version? A: Yes, but you must provide the source code for your modifications under LGPL v3.

Q: Do I need to open source my modifications? A: Yes, any modifications to Perspt itself must be made available under LGPL v3.

Q: Can I remove the copyright notices? A: No, you must preserve the copyright notices and license information in all copies.

Q: What if I only use parts of the code? A: The LGPL v3 license still applies to any substantial portions you use.

Q: Can I change the license of my derivative work? A: You can license your own code separately, but Perspt parts must remain LGPL v3.

Q: Do I need to attribute Perspt in my application? A: Yes, you must include the LGPL v3 license and copyright notices.

Getting Legal Advice¶

This page provides general information about the LGPL v3 License and is not legal advice. For specific legal questions:

Consult with a qualified attorney
Review the full license text carefully
Consider your specific use case and jurisdiction
Seek professional legal counsel for commercial decisions

Reporting License Issues¶

If you believe there’s a license violation or have questions about licensing:

Email: legal@perspt.dev
GitHub Issues: License Questions
Include specific details about the concern or question

We take licensing seriously and will investigate all reports promptly.