Source-available licenses

12 tools on Forkshelf publish their code under a source-available license. You can read the code and run it yourself. Each license sets its own limits on production use, hosting for others, selling or redistribution. The notes below summarise each license in plain language from its LICENSE file in the project's repo.

This page is not legal advice. Read the full license text, and take legal advice before you rely on it.

What each license allows

• Outline (BUSL-1.1). You can copy, change and redistribute Outline and self-host it for your own team. You may not run it as a document service for others. Outline 1.12.0 moves to the Apache License 2.0 on its change date, 2030-10-23. Other versions carry their own change dates.
• Akaunting (BUSL-1.1). Free production use is capped at two users, one company or one thousand invoices. You may not white-label it or run it as an accounting service for others. Each version moves to GPLv3 four years after it is published.
• NocoDB (Sustainable Use License 1.0). You may use or change it for your own internal business purposes, or for personal or non-commercial use. You may distribute it only free of charge for non-commercial purposes.
• n8n (Sustainable Use License 1.0). The same terms as NocoDB apply. You may use or change it for internal business, personal or non-commercial use, and distribute it only free of charge for non-commercial purposes. Source files with ".ee" in the file or folder name are not under the Sustainable Use License; their separate license file, LICENSE_EE.md, is not summarised here.
• PLANKA (PLANKA Community License 1.1). You may use or change PLANKA for personal, hobby or educational purposes, or inside your own organisation. Running it as a hosted service for third parties for any commercial gain is prohibited under this license. PLANKA Pro and Enterprise files fall under the PLANKA Pro/Enterprise License. Neither that license nor the PLANKA Commercial License is summarised here.
• tldraw (tldraw license). You may change the code and use it in development and testing. Production use needs a trial or commercial license key from tldraw. You may share it only as part of another application.
• Directus (MSCL-1.0-GPL). Broad use is allowed, including commercial use, apart from a Competing Use against the vendor's paid offerings. Each version also becomes available under GPL-3.0 four years after release.
• Typebot (FSL-1.1-Apache-2.0). You may use, change and share it for any purpose apart from a competing commercial product or service that substitutes for Typebot. Each version also becomes available under the Apache License 2.0 two years after release.
• Invoice Ninja (Elastic License 2.0). You may use, change and share it, subject to the Elastic License 2.0 limits. You may not offer it to third parties as a hosted or managed service, or change, disable or work around its license key functions.
• Cachet (Cachet license). You may use Cachet in commercial or non-commercial projects and change it to suit your needs. You may not redistribute it as a standalone product, only as part of another application.
• Chaskiq (Commons Clause on AGPL-3.0). AGPL-3.0 terms apply, so changes must be shared, including when it runs as a network service. The Commons Clause also removes the right to sell it, which covers fees for hosting, consulting or support built on it.
• CapRover (Apache-2.0 with appendix). The Apache License 2.0 applies, with an appendix that takes priority where they conflict. The paid features of CapRover as a service cannot be modified without a written agreement, and changes to free features should be shared as free and open source software.

Not covered here

This page does not cover SSPL-1.0 or the AFFiNE EE files.

Tools on Forkshelf under a source-available license

Sorted by GitHub stars. Stars and last commit dates come from the public GitHub API, fetched 8 Nov 2026. Projects with no commit in the last 12 months are listed with an inactive label and are not counted.

Similar licenses

• GNU AGPL v3 (copyleft, also covers network use)
• GNU GPL v3 (copyleft)
• GNU GPL v2 (copyleft)
• Mozilla Public License 2.0 (applies file by file)
• Apache License 2.0 (notice conditions and a patent license)
• MIT License (keep the copyright and permission notice)