# What License Governs the Free-Programming-Books Repository Content?

> Discover the license governing the free-programming-books repository content. Learn how the CC-BY-4.0 license allows free sharing and adaptation with proper credit.

- Repository: [Free Ebook Foundation/free-programming-books](https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books)
- Tags: api-reference
- Published: 2026-02-23

---

**The EbookFoundation/free-programming-books repository is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0) license, which permits free sharing and adaptation of the curated book lists provided you give appropriate credit to the original authors.**

The EbookFoundation/free-programming-books repository is one of the most popular curated collections of free learning resources on GitHub. If you plan to reuse, fork, or redistribute these programming book lists, you must understand the license governing the repository content to ensure compliance with its terms.

## The CC-BY-4.0 License Explained

The repository's `LICENSE` file at the root level specifies that all content is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This open license grants worldwide, royalty-free permission to copy, distribute, and modify the material while requiring proper attribution to the original contributors.

### Key License Conditions

| Condition | Requirement for Repository Content |
|-----------|----------------------------------|
| **Attribution** | You must retain author names, copyright notices, license references, and links to the original source when reusing any part of the book lists. |
| **No ShareAlike Required** | Derivative works (such as translated lists or combined resources) do not need to be licensed under CC-BY-4.0, provided attribution is maintained. |
| **No Additional Restrictions** | You cannot apply legal terms or technological measures that restrict others from exercising the rights granted by the license. |
| **Disclaimer** | All materials are provided "as-is" without warranties regarding accuracy or completeness. |

## Locating the License File

You can view the complete license text in the repository's top-level `LICENSE` file. The specific attribution requirements are detailed in Section 3(a)(1) of the license text, which outlines exactly what information must be preserved when sharing the content.

## How to Properly Attribute the Content

When reusing material from free-programming-books, you must provide clear attribution that satisfies the CC-BY-4.0 requirements.

### Required Attribution Elements

Your attribution must include:

- The title of the work ("free-programming-books")
- The author (Ebook Foundation)
- The source URL (`https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books`)
- The license type (CC-BY-4.0) with a link to the license text

### Attribution Examples

Here are practical ways to include proper attribution in different contexts.

**Markdown citation header:**

```markdown
<!--
  Source: free-programming-books
  URL: https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books
  License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC‑BY‑4.0)
  © Ebook Foundation
-->

```

**README attribution:**

```text
This repository contains content derived from the *free‑programming‑books* project
(https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books) and is licensed
under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

```

**Programmatic generation (JavaScript):**

```javascript
const attribution = `
Content sourced from free-programming-books (https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books)
licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books/blob/main/LICENSE)
`;
console.log(attribution);

```

**License badge for your project:**

```markdown
[![CC BY 4.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-CC%20BY%204.0-lightgrey.svg)](https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books/blob/main/LICENSE)

```

## Summary

- The **EbookFoundation/free-programming-books** repository is governed by the **Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)** license.
- The full license text resides in the **`LICENSE`** file at the repository root.
- You may freely share and adapt the content, but **must provide proper attribution** including author credit, source URL, and license reference.
- Derivative works do not need to use the same license, but cannot impose additional legal restrictions.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What license governs the free-programming-books repository?

The repository is licensed under **Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)**. This is explicitly stated in the `LICENSE` file located at the root of the EbookFoundation/free-programming-books repository.

### Do I need to share my derivative works under the same license?

No. Unlike the ShareAlike (SA) variants of Creative Commons licenses, **CC-BY-4.0 does not require you to license derivative works under the same terms**. You may create adaptations, translations, or combined works and license them differently, provided you maintain proper attribution to the original free-programming-books content.

### Where can I find the full license text?

The complete license text is available in the **`LICENSE`** file at the top level of the repository. You can view it directly at `https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books/blob/main/LICENSE`. Section 3(a)(1) specifically details the attribution requirements you must follow when reusing the content.

### What happens if I don't provide attribution?

Failure to provide proper attribution violates the **CC-BY-4.0** license terms. This means you lose the legal right to use, share, or adapt the repository content. The Ebook Foundation or individual contributors could request removal of improperly attributed material or pursue legal remedies for copyright infringement. Always include the required credit, source link, and license reference to remain compliant.