# What is the License for Omarchy? MIT License Terms and Verification Guide

> Discover the MIT License terms for Omarchy. Understand its permissive use for commercial projects, modification, and distribution. Verify your compliance easily.

- Repository: [37signals/omarchy](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy)
- Tags: getting-started
- Published: 2026-08-19

---

**Omarchy is released under the MIT License, a permissive open-source license that permits unrestricted commercial use, modification, and distribution provided the original copyright notice is preserved.**

The `basecamp/omarchy` repository is a macOS desktop personalization framework. Understanding the license for Omarchy is essential before deploying its shell plugins or incorporating its source code into your development workflow. The project adopts the MIT License to maximize user freedom while maintaining attribution requirements.

## License Documentation in the Source Tree

### README.md Declaration

In [`README.md`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/README.md) at line 80, the project explicitly states: "Omarchy is released under the MIT License". This declaration links to the official SPDX license reference, establishing the legal framework for the entire codebase.

### LICENSE File

The complete legal text resides in the repository root as `LICENSE`. This file contains the standard MIT License language beginning with "Permission is hereby granted...", which defines the permissions and conditions for use, reproduction, and distribution.

### Plugin Manifests

Individual shell plugins confirm consistent licensing through their configuration files. The [`shell/plugins/panels/tailscale/manifest.json`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/shell/plugins/panels/tailscale/manifest.json) declares `"license": "MIT"`, as does [`shell/plugins/panels/dropbox/manifest.json`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/shell/plugins/panels/dropbox/manifest.json). These manifests demonstrate that the license for Omarchy applies uniformly across both core functionality and contributed plugins.

## Verifying the License Programmatically

You can confirm the MIT License designation directly from the repository files using command-line tools or automation scripts.

Verify the declaration in the README:

```bash
grep -i "license" README.md | head -1

# Output: Omarchy is released under the MIT License.

# Display the full license text

cat LICENSE

```

Check for MIT indicators programmatically:

```python
import pathlib

def verify_mit_license(repo_path):
    """Check if the repository contains MIT license indicators."""
    license_file = pathlib.Path(repo_path) / "LICENSE"
    if license_file.exists() and "MIT" in license_file.read_text():
        return True
    return False

# Verify Omarchy's license status

print(verify_mit_license("/path/to/omarchy"))  # Returns: True

```

## MIT License Permissions and Requirements

The MIT License grants you the right to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and sell copies of the software. When working with Omarchy, this means you can:

- **Modify** shell plugins such as those in `shell/plugins/panels/` for your specific infrastructure needs
- **Distribute** modified versions of the desktop environment
- **Sublicense** the code within larger proprietary projects

The sole requirement is that you include the original copyright notice and permission text from the `LICENSE` file in all copies or substantial portions of the software.

## Summary

- Omarchy is distributed under the **MIT License** according to the `basecamp/omarchy` source code.
- The license is declared in [`README.md`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/README.md) at line 80 and fully documented in the root `LICENSE` file.
- Plugin manifests such as [`shell/plugins/panels/tailscale/manifest.json`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/shell/plugins/panels/tailscale/manifest.json) consistently specify `"MIT"` as the license type.
- Users must preserve copyright notices and license text when redistributing or modifying the code.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Omarchy open source?

Yes. The repository is publicly available under the MIT License, which is approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). You can view, fork, and modify the source code according to the terms specified in the `LICENSE` file.

### Can I use Omarchy for commercial projects?

Yes. The MIT License explicitly permits commercial use without royalty obligations. You may incorporate Omarchy's shell plugins or configuration scripts into proprietary applications, sell products built with the code, or use it in enterprise environments, provided you include the copyright notice and MIT License text.

### How do I comply with the MIT License when using Omarchy?

Compliance requires only that you include a copy of the MIT License and the original copyright notice in any distribution of the software. This typically means preserving the `LICENSE` file in your project repository or including the license text in your application's documentation, credits section, or source code headers when using substantial portions of Omarchy.

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

The complete legal text is located in the `LICENSE` file at the root of the `basecamp/omarchy` repository. You can also view the declaration in [`README.md`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/README.md) at line 80, which links to the official SPDX MIT License reference. Individual plugin directories such as `shell/plugins/panels/tailscale/` contain [`manifest.json`](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/blob/main/manifest.json) files that confirm the MIT License status for specific components.