Openship License: Apache 2.0 Terms for Commercial and Self-Hosted Use

Openship is released under the Apache License 2.0, a permissive open-source license that allows you to use, modify, distribute, and embed the software in commercial products provided you retain the original copyright notice and include a copy of the license.

Openship, maintained in the oblien/openship repository, is a self-hostable deployment platform that provides end-to-end CI/CD, routing, and TLS termination. Understanding the Openship license is essential before integrating it into your infrastructure, as the Apache 2.0 terms govern everything from the core orchestration logic in packages/core/src/apps/ to the OpenResty edge layer defined in docker/docker-compose.yml.

What License Does Openship Use?

Openship adopts the Apache License, Version 2.0. You can find the complete legal text in the LICENSE file at the repository root. The license applies to the entire codebase, including the Control Plane services, Worker Layer adapters in packages/adapters/src/system/modules/catalog/, and the Docker Compose configuration for self-hosting.

This permissive license is widely used by major projects like Kubernetes and Terraform, offering legal clarity for both individual developers and enterprise teams who want to run the platform on-premises or in the cloud.

Apache 2.0 Permissions and Requirements

The Apache 2.0 license grants broad rights while imposing specific obligations. According to the oblien/openship source code distribution, you are free to:

• Use commercially – Deploy Openship to run business applications, SaaS products, or internal DevOps tools without license fees.
• Modify – Edit any component, from the API server logic in packages/core/src/apps/ to the Edge Layer OpenResty configuration, to suit your infrastructure needs.
• Distribute – Share original or modified versions of Openship with others.
• Sublicense – Incorporate Openship code into proprietary projects without converting your entire codebase to Apache 2.0.
• Use patent rights – The license includes an express grant of patent rights from contributors to users.

To comply with the Openship license, you must:

1. Include the copyright notice – Preserve the original copyright headers found in source files.
2. Provide the license text – Include a copy of the LICENSE file when distributing the software.
3. State changes – If you modify files, include a notice describing what was altered.

Key License Files in the Repository

Several files in the oblien/openship repository define the legal framework and contribution terms:

File	Purpose
LICENSE	Full Apache License 2.0 text
[README.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/README.md)	High-level overview mentioning licensing terms
[CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md)	Contributor guidelines and legal expectations
[SECURITY.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/SECURITY.md)	Security policy and responsible disclosure terms

Commercial Use and Self-Hosting

Because Openship uses Apache 2.0, you can self-host the complete stack—including Postgres, Redis, the API Dashboard, and the OpenResty edge—without releasing your proprietary code. The docker/docker-compose.yml file orchestrates these components under the same permissive terms.

When you customize adapters in packages/adapters/src/system/modules/catalog/ or modify the core services in packages/core/src/apps/, your changes remain your intellectual property. You are not required to contribute modifications back to the upstream repository, though the project encourages contributions via [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).

# Verify the license before deploying

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/oblien/openship/main/LICENSE | head -n 20

# Self-host the complete stack (all components under Apache 2.0)

git clone https://github.com/oblien/openship.git && cd openship
cp .env.example .env
docker compose -f docker/docker-compose.yml up -d

Compliance Checklist for Organizations

Before deploying Openship in production, ensure you meet these Apache 2.0 requirements:

• Retain copyright notices – Keep original headers intact in files within packages/core/src/apps/ and other directories.
• Include license text – Distribute the LICENSE file with any binaries or source code you redistribute.
• Document modifications – Add a comment to any modified files stating the date and nature of changes.
• Do not remove warranty disclaimers – The license disclaims liability; do not modify the legal text in the LICENSE file itself.

Summary

• Openship is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, located at LICENSE.
• Commercial use is permitted without requiring source code disclosure or license fees.
• You must preserve copyright notices and include the license text when distributing the software.
• Modifications to core files in packages/core/src/apps/ or the Docker stack remain under your control without copyleft obligations.
• Contribution guidelines are defined in [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), though contributing is optional for private forks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Openship free for commercial use?

Yes. The Apache License 2.0 explicitly permits commercial use. You can deploy Openship to manage production workloads, build proprietary deployment platforms, or offer managed hosting services without paying royalties or releasing your own source code. You must simply retain the copyright notices and include the Apache 2.0 license text when distributing the Openship software itself.

Do I need to open-source my applications if I deploy them using Openship?

No. The Apache 2.0 license does not contain copyleft provisions. Your applications, configuration files, and custom adapters in packages/adapters/src/system/modules/catalog/ remain your property under whatever license you choose. The license terms apply only to the Openship platform code, not to the workloads you deploy on it.

What are my obligations if I modify the Openship source code?

You may modify any component, including the Control Plane in packages/core/src/apps/ or the Edge Layer configuration. When you distribute your modified version, you must include a prominent notice stating that you changed the files, and you must retain all original copyright notices and the LICENSE file. You are not required to submit your changes to the original oblien/openship repository, though the project welcomes contributions per [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).

Where can I find the full license text and legal terms?

The complete Apache License 2.0 text is available in the LICENSE file at the repository root. Additional legal context regarding contributions and security disclosures is found in [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) and [SECURITY.md](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/SECURITY.md), respectively.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}