OpenString is multi-licensed. Each component is released under the open-source standard for its kind — hardware under a hardware license, firmware under a code license, documentation under a creative-commons license.
License map
| Component | License |
|---|---|
| Hardware design files (schematic, PCB, Gerbers, BOM) | CERN-OHL-S 2.0 |
| Firmware (Arduino sketch and libraries) | GPL-3.0 |
Documentation (everything under docs/) | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
Full license texts live in LICENSES/ in the repository.
What you can do
All three licenses allow:
- Commercial use — build, sell, deploy, or integrate OpenString into a product.
- Modification — redesign the PCB, fork the firmware, rewrite the docs.
- Redistribution — share the original or your modified version.
What you must do
If you distribute OpenString or a work derived from it:
- Preserve attribution. Keep copyright notices and author credits intact.
- Release modifications under the same license (share-alike). Changed firmware stays GPL-3.0, changed hardware stays CERN-OHL-S 2.0, changed docs stay CC-BY-SA-4.0.
- Pass the license through. Your users get the same rights you did.
Internal use alone does not require publication. The share-alike obligation triggers when you distribute a derivative work.
Contributing
By opening a pull request, you agree to license your contribution under the license that applies to the directory you're contributing to.