| name | license-gen |
| description | Pick and generate the right license for your project. Use when licensing open source. |
License Generator
Picking a license shouldn't require a law degree. This tool explains each license in plain English and generates the LICENSE file for you.
One command. Zero config. Just works.
Quick Start
npx ai-license
What It Does
- Interactive license selection with explanations
- Generates complete LICENSE files
- Explains what each license actually means
- Covers MIT, Apache, GPL, BSD, and more
Usage Examples
npx ai-license
npx ai-license --type mit --name "Jane Doe"
npx ai-license --explain apache-2.0
Best Practices
- MIT for simplicity - do whatever you want, just keep the copyright
- Apache for patents - includes patent protection
- GPL for copyleft - derivatives must also be open source
- Check dependencies - some licenses are incompatible
When to Use This
- Starting an open source project
- Not sure which license fits your needs
- Want to understand license implications
- Need to generate LICENSE file quickly
Part of the LXGIC Dev Toolkit
This is one of 110+ free developer tools built by LXGIC Studios. No paywalls, no sign-ups, no API keys on free tiers. Just tools that work.
Find more:
Requirements
No install needed. Just run with npx. Node.js 18+ recommended. Needs OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable.
npx ai-license --help
How It Works
Walks you through questions about how you want your code to be used, then recommends appropriate licenses. Uses GPT-4o-mini to explain license terms in plain English and generate the full LICENSE file.
License
MIT. Free forever. Use it however you want.