Python License

The Python license imposes very few restrictions on what you can do with Python. Most of the source code is copyrighted by the Python Software Foundation (PSF). A few files have a different copyright owner, but the same license applies to all of them.

Full text of the Python 2.3.2 license

In layman's language, here are the primary features of Python's license. The following descriptions are not legal advice; read the full text of the license and consult qualified professional counsel for an interpretation of the license terms as they apply to you.

• Python is absolutely free, even for commercial use (including resale). You can sell a product written in Python or a product that embeds the Python interpreter. No licensing fees need to be paid for such usage.
• The Open Source Initiative has certified the Python license as Open Source, and includes it on their list of open source licenses.
• There is no GPL-like "copyleft" restriction. Distributing binary-only versions of Python, modified or not, is allowed. There is no requirement to release any of your source code. You can also write extension modules for Python and provide them only in binary form.
• However, the Python license is compatible with the GPL, according to the Free Software Foundation.
• You cannot remove the PSF's copyright notice from either the source code or the resulting binary.