| The source code for SQLite is in the public domain. No claim of |
| copyright is made on any part of the core source code. (The |
| documentation and test code is a different matter - some sections of |
| documentation and test logic are governed by open-source licenses.) |
| All contributors to the SQLite core software have signed affidavits |
| specifically disavowing any copyright interest in the code. This means |
| that anybody is able to legally do anything they want with the SQLite |
| source code. |
| |
| There are other SQL database engines with liberal licenses that allow |
| the code to be broadly and freely used. But those other engines are |
| still governed by copyright law. SQLite is different in that copyright |
| law simply does not apply. |
| |
| The source code files for other SQL database engines typically begin |
| with a comment describing your legal rights to view and copy that |
| file. The SQLite source code contains no license since it is not |
| governed by copyright. Instead of a license, the SQLite source code |
| offers a blessing: |
| |
| May you do good and not evil |
| May you find forgiveness for yourself and forgive others |
| May you share freely, never taking more than you give. |
