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General Public License (GPL)

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The General Public License (GPL) is a widely used open-source software license. It allows anyone to use, share, and modify software freely, as long as any changes or derivatives remain open-source under the same license. In crypto, many blockchain projects use GPL or similar licenses to keep their code transparent and accessible.

What Is the GPL?

The General Public License (GPL) is a free software license created by the Free Software Foundation. Its goal is simple: to keep software open, transparent, and free for everyone to use.

Under the GPL, developers can:

  • Run the software for any purpose.
  • Study how it works and make modifications.
  • Share copies with others.
  • Distribute modified versions, as long as they remain under the GPL license.

This “copyleft” model ensures that improvements remain accessible to the community rather than being locked away in proprietary systems.

Why Does the GPL Matter in Crypto?

Crypto and blockchain thrive on open-source principles. Most major blockchains, wallets, and crypto tools are open-source, allowing anyone to audit, contribute, or fork the code.

GPL plays an important role here:

  • Transparency: Users can inspect code to confirm there are no hidden backdoors.
  • Collaboration: Developers worldwide can improve the same project.
  • Security: Open review helps identify and fix vulnerabilities faster.
  • Innovation: Projects can fork existing GPL code to build new blockchains or tools.

Examples in Crypto

  • Bitcoin Core: The original Bitcoin software is released under the MIT License, but many Bitcoin-related tools adopt GPL to ensure continued openness.
    Wallets & miners: Several crypto wallets and mining software projects use GPL to remain community-driven.
  • Forked projects: Many altcoins started as forks of Bitcoin or Ethereum codebases under open-source licenses.

GPL and Other Licenses in Crypto

Not all crypto projects use GPL. Some prefer MIT, Apache, or custom open-source licenses. These are often more permissive, allowing companies to reuse code in proprietary projects.

The key difference:

  • GPL (copyleft): Requires derivative works to also be open-source.
  • MIT/Apache (permissive): Allows both open-source and closed-source derivatives.

For crypto communities, GPL ensures that the spirit of decentralization, freedom, transparency, and collaboration, remains intact.

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