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This question does not appear to be about programming within the scope defined in the help center. Closed 9 years ago .I won't release my software source code, and it will be a commercial application. Can I use the MySQL without paying any fee to MySQL? if it is illegal, any alternative database suggest?
user377628 asked Dec 17, 2009 at 12:29 30.3k 50 50 gold badges 133 133 silver badges 202 202 bronze badges If there would appear any fee it would be to the ORACLE, MySQL is just their "product". Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 11:53Yes, and you don't have to release your project's source (but you do have to release any modification you make to MySQL itself (only those not the whole program) if you also release your project in binary form containing the modified MySQL code)
In more simple terms, if you modify MySQL and those modifications end up being distributed in binary form you have to publicly release the aforementioned modifications.
answered Dec 17, 2009 at 12:47 Andreas Bonini Andreas Bonini 44.5k 31 31 gold badges 124 124 silver badges 157 157 bronze badgesYou know that the MySQL JDBC drivers are GLPv3'ed. That really puts a hamper on using those drivers in a commercial app without paying for their commercial license.
Commented Oct 10, 2012 at 15:55So in simple terms, we can use MySql database for our own commercial applications free of cost. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Commented Apr 11, 2015 at 5:11I have PHP application that uses MySQL and it will run on the client's LAN (Intranet) . I will sale my application and I will prevent (Disallow) modification of the source code nor redistributing it. I just used MySQL as it is. Does your answer apply to this situation too? i.e I don't need commercial licence for the MySQL?
Commented Sep 28, 2017 at 15:56@SaidbakR, yes, you can still use MySQL without worrying about licensing costs. As long as you don't modify the course code of MySQL itself, that is. As an application developer I am guessing that you won't be doing that. So you can safely and freely deploy your program including MySQL on your client's premises. You can both close source and modify your own program, of course, because that's your IP. HTH.
Commented Oct 24, 2019 at 10:20MySQL itself is open source and can be used as a standalone product in a commercial environment. If you're running mySQL on a web server, you are free to do so for any purpose, commercial or not. If you run a website that uses mySQL, you won't need to release any of your code. You'll be fine.
mySQL has enterprise licenses with (I think) a different code base, and premium support by Sun, but those are entirely optional.
There are limitations on redistribution of mySQL within a closed source product, and linking against mySQL libraries as was pointed out in a different comment. As for redistribution:
OEMs, ISVs, VARs and other distributors that combine and distribute commercially licensed software with MySQL software and do not wish to distribute the source code for the commercially licensed software under version 2 of the GNU General Public License (the "GPL") must enter into a commercial license agreement with Sun.
if you are looking to redistribute mySQL along with a commercial product, check their legal page. I think most companies circumvent this by installing the mySQL server separately.
GPL and linking against client libraries?
I don't know what the fact that the GPL (the license mySQL is distributed under) forbids linking against closed source software means for applications that do not link against mySQL directly, but ship with mySQL client libraries. Do those have to be Open Source? If anybody would like to shed a light on this, in a separate answer or a comment, I'd be most interested.