The GitHub Licenses API lets you programmatically discover and retrieve open source license information across GitHub. It provides endpoints to list the common licenses GitHub supports, get detailed metadata and the canonical text for a specific license (by its SPDX identifier), and fetch the detected license for a given repository.
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openapi: 3.2.0
info:
version: 1.1.4
title: GitHub v3 REST Licenses API
description: GitHub's v3 REST API.
license:
name: MIT
url: https://spdx.org/licenses/MIT
termsOfService: https://docs.github.com/articles/github-terms-of-service
contact:
name: Support
url: https://support.github.com/contact?tags=dotcom-rest-api
x-github-plan: ghes
x-github-release: 3.9
servers:
- url: '{protocol}://{hostname}/api/v3'
variables:
hostname:
description: Self-hosted Enterprise Server hostname
default: HOSTNAME
protocol:
description: Self-hosted Enterprise Server protocol
default: http
tags:
- name: Licenses
description: View various OSS licenses.
paths:
/licenses:
get:
summary: GitHub Get All Commonly Used Licenses
description: Lists the most commonly used licenses on GitHub. For more information, see "[Licensing a repository ](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/licensing-a-repository)."
tags:
- Licenses
operationId: licenses/get-all-commonly-used
externalDocs:
description: API method documentation
url: https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/licenses/licenses#get-all-commonly-used-licenses
parameters:
- name: featured
in: query
required: false
schema:
type: boolean
example: true
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/per-page'
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/page'
responses:
'200':
description: Response
content:
application/json:
schema:
type: array
items:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/license-simple'
examples:
default:
$ref: '#/components/examples/license-simple-items'
'304':
$ref: '#/components/responses/not_modified'
x-github:
githubCloudOnly: false
enabledForGitHubApps: true
category: licenses
subcategory: licenses
x-microcks-operation:
delay: 0
dispatcher: FALLBACK
/licenses/{license}:
get:
summary: GitHub Get a License
description: Gets information about a specific license. For more information, see "[Licensing a repository ](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/licensing-a-repository)."
tags:
- Licenses
operationId: licenses/get
externalDocs:
description: API method documentation
url: https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/licenses/licenses#get-a-license
parameters:
- name: license
in: path
required: true
schema:
type: string
example: example_value
responses:
'200':
description: Response
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/license'
examples:
default:
$ref: '#/components/examples/license'
'304':
$ref: '#/components/responses/not_modified'
'403':
$ref: '#/components/responses/forbidden'
'404':
$ref: '#/components/responses/not_found'
x-github:
githubCloudOnly: false
enabledForGitHubApps: true
category: licenses
subcategory: licenses
x-microcks-operation:
delay: 0
dispatcher: FALLBACK
/repos/{owner}/{repo}/license:
get:
summary: GitHub Get the License for a Repository
description: 'This method returns the contents of the repository''s license file, if one is detected.
This endpoint supports the following custom media types. For more information, see "[Media types](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/using-the-rest-api/getting-started-with-the-rest-api#media-types)."
- **`application/vnd.github.raw+json`**: Returns the raw contents of the license.
- **`application/vnd.github.html+json`**: Returns the license contents in HTML. Markup languages are rendered to HTML using GitHub''s open-source [Markup library](https://github.com/github/markup).'
tags:
- Licenses
operationId: licenses/get-for-repo
externalDocs:
description: API method documentation
url: https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/licenses/licenses#get-the-license-for-a-repository
parameters:
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/owner'
- $ref: '#/components/parameters/repo'
responses:
'200':
description: Response
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/license-content'
examples:
default:
$ref: '#/components/examples/license-content'
'404':
$ref: '#/components/responses/not_found'
x-github:
githubCloudOnly: false
enabledForGitHubApps: true
category: licenses
subcategory: licenses
x-microcks-operation:
delay: 0
dispatcher: FALLBACK
components:
examples:
license-simple-items:
value:
- key: mit
name: MIT License
spdx_id: MIT
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/mit
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
- key: lgpl-3.0
name: GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
spdx_id: LGPL-3.0
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/lgpl-3.0
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
- key: mpl-2.0
name: Mozilla Public License 2.0
spdx_id: MPL-2.0
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/mpl-2.0
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
- key: agpl-3.0
name: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
spdx_id: AGPL-3.0
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/agpl-3.0
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
- key: unlicense
name: The Unlicense
spdx_id: Unlicense
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/unlicense
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
- key: apache-2.0
name: Apache License 2.0
spdx_id: Apache-2.0
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/apache-2.0
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
- key: gpl-3.0
name: GNU General Public License v3.0
spdx_id: GPL-3.0
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/gpl-3.0
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
license:
value:
key: mit
name: MIT License
spdx_id: MIT
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/mit
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
html_url: http://choosealicense.com/licenses/mit/
description: A permissive license that is short and to the point. It lets people do anything with your code with proper attribution and without warranty.
implementation: Create a text file (typically named LICENSE or LICENSE.txt) in the root of your source code and copy the text of the license into the file. Replace [year] with the current year and [fullname] with the name (or names) of the copyright holders.
permissions:
- commercial-use
- modifications
- distribution
- sublicense
- private-use
conditions:
- include-copyright
limitations:
- no-liability
body: '
The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) [year] [fullname]
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.
'
featured: true
license-content:
value:
name: LICENSE
path: LICENSE
sha: 401c59dcc4570b954dd6d345e76199e1f4e76266
size: 1077
url: https://api.github.com/repos/benbalter/gman/contents/LICENSE?ref=master
html_url: https://github.com/benbalter/gman/blob/master/LICENSE
git_url: https://api.github.com/repos/benbalter/gman/git/blobs/401c59dcc4570b954dd6d345e76199e1f4e76266
download_url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/benbalter/gman/master/LICENSE?lab=true
type: file
content: 'VGhlIE1JVCBMaWNlbnNlIChNSVQpCgpDb3B5cmlnaHQgKGMpIDIwMTMgQmVu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'
encoding: base64
_links:
self: https://api.github.com/repos/benbalter/gman/contents/LICENSE?ref=master
git: https://api.github.com/repos/benbalter/gman/git/blobs/401c59dcc4570b954dd6d345e76199e1f4e76266
html: https://github.com/benbalter/gman/blob/master/LICENSE
license:
key: mit
name: MIT License
spdx_id: MIT
url: https://api.github.com/licenses/mit
node_id: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
responses:
forbidden:
description: Forbidden
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/basic-error'
not_found:
description: Resource not found
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/basic-error'
not_modified:
description: Not modified
schemas:
nullable-license-simple:
title: License Simple
description: License Simple
type:
- object
- 'null'
properties:
key:
type: string
example: mit
name:
type: string
example: MIT License
url:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/licenses/mit
spdx_id:
type:
- string
- 'null'
example: MIT
node_id:
type: string
example: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
html_url:
type: string
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
required:
- key
- name
- url
- spdx_id
- node_id
license-content:
title: License Content
description: License Content
type: object
properties:
name:
type: string
example: octocat
path:
type: string
example: src/index.js
sha:
type: string
example: abc123def456789012345678901234567890
size:
type: integer
example: 42
url:
type: string
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
html_url:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
git_url:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
download_url:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
type:
type: string
example: User
content:
type: string
example: example_value
encoding:
type: string
example: example_value
_links:
type: object
properties:
git:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
html:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
self:
type: string
format: uri
required:
- git
- html
- self
license:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/nullable-license-simple'
required:
- _links
- git_url
- html_url
- download_url
- name
- path
- sha
- size
- type
- url
- content
- encoding
- license
license-simple:
title: License Simple
description: License Simple
type: object
properties:
key:
type: string
example: mit
name:
type: string
example: MIT License
url:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/licenses/mit
spdx_id:
type:
- string
- 'null'
example: MIT
node_id:
type: string
example: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
html_url:
type: string
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
required:
- key
- name
- url
- spdx_id
- node_id
license:
title: License
description: License
type: object
properties:
key:
type: string
example: mit
name:
type: string
example: MIT License
spdx_id:
type:
- string
- 'null'
example: MIT
url:
type:
- string
- 'null'
format: uri
example: https://api.github.com/licenses/mit
node_id:
type: string
example: MDc6TGljZW5zZW1pdA==
html_url:
type: string
format: uri
example: http://choosealicense.com/licenses/mit/
description:
type: string
example: A permissive license that is short and to the point. It lets people do anything with your code with proper attribution and without warranty.
implementation:
type: string
example: Create a text file (typically named LICENSE or LICENSE.txt) in the root of your source code and copy the text of the license into the file. Replace [year] with the current year and [fullname] with the name (or names) of the copyright holders.
permissions:
type: array
example:
- commercial-use
- modifications
- distribution
- sublicense
- private-use
items:
type: string
conditions:
type: array
example:
- include-copyright
items:
type: string
limitations:
type: array
example:
- no-liability
items:
type: string
body:
type: string
example: '
The MIT License (MIT)
Copyright (c) [year] [fullname]
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.
'
featured:
type: boolean
example: true
required:
- key
- name
- url
- spdx_id
- node_id
- html_url
- description
- implementation
- permissions
- conditions
- limitations
- body
- featured
basic-error:
title: Basic Error
description: Basic Error
type: object
properties:
message:
type: string
example: Example body text
documentation_url:
type: string
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
url:
type: string
example: https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World
status:
type: string
example: open
parameters:
repo:
name: repo
description: The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
in: path
required: true
schema:
type: string
owner:
name: owner
description: The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
in: path
required: true
schema:
type: string
per-page:
name: per_page
description: The number of results per page (max 100). For more information, see "[Using pagination in the REST API](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/using-the-rest-api/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api)."
in: query
schema:
type: integer
default: 30
page:
name: page
description: The page number of the results to fetch. For more information, see "[Using pagination in the REST API](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/using-the-rest-api/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api)."
in: query
schema:
type: integer
default: 1
externalDocs:
description: GitHub Enterprise Developer Docs
url: https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.9/rest/