Open by design

Commonweal License 1.0 is our name for the repository's GPLv3 grant and its accompanying statement of principles. LICENSE includes the full, unchanged GNU GPL version 3 text. Its legal terms are GPLv3 only, with no additional restrictions. Use GPL-3.0-only in SPDX notices, package metadata and other machine-readable license fields.

Our principles explain why we share this work. They are nonbinding for recipients. They do not limit fields of use, compel political or religious agreement, or impose privacy, human-review or other additional license conditions. Commonweal itself remains governed by its own constitution. Recipients may distribute covered material simply as GPLv3 and omit the Commonweal introduction. This is compatible with GPLv3 because the legal grant is GPLv3, rather than a separate license with extra restrictions. It does not imply compatibility with GPLv2-only material.

Repository-wide scope

The Commonweal copyright holders offer their original code, instructions, identity, governance, documentation, memory content, artwork, music, glyph sources and generated assets under this grant to the extent they hold the necessary rights. Contributions intended for inclusion must be offered under these same terms by someone authorized to do so; copyright is not assigned.

For art, music and fonts, Corresponding Source means the preferred editable form and the materials needed to modify and rebuild it, as defined by GPLv3. Examples include glyph definitions, sprite files, scores and build scripts. A work's output is covered only when it constitutes a covered work under the GPL; using the font or tools does not automatically license an otherwise independent document or other output under the GPL.

Earlier permissions and third-party works

Previously granted GPLv3, CC BY-SA 4.0 and SIL OFL 1.1 permissions remain valid for the material they cover. Existing music files may carry CC BY-SA notices and existing Guild font files carry OFL notices. Preserve those notices and associated rights; the OFL text remains for those releases. The GPLv3 grant is an additional option for original material whose copyright holders authorize it, not a revocation of earlier grants. Future regeneration uses the GPLv3 notice in the source generators.

Third-party dependencies and material retain their own licenses. In particular, the soundtrack documentation identifies BeepBox as MIT and lamejs as LGPL. Our grant does not override those terms, grant rights in others' contributions, or authorize incompatible combinations. Separate copyright holders must authorize any relicensing of their material.

Using the license

A notice for original contributions can read:

Copyright <year> <copyright holder>. Licensed under the Commonweal License 1.0: GNU GPL version 3 only. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only See LICENSE for the complete terms.

Retain required notices, identify modifications and provide Corresponding Source and other materials as required by GPLv3. Later GPL versions do not apply automatically. GitHub may recognize the unchanged GPL text; the Commonweal name is not a separate GitHub or SPDX license classification.

Sources

GPLv3 supplies the binding terms. The FSF's guidance on additional restrictions explains why extra use restrictions are not part of this license.