# 1.2 SDCC Suite Licenses

SDCC suite is a collection of several components derived from different sources with different licenses:

- executables:

  - sdcc compiler:
    sdcc compiler is licensed under the GPLv2 (GPLv3 might apply depending on the libraries used when building).
    The code or object files generated by SDCC suite are not licensed, so they can be used in FLOSS or proprietary (closed source) applications.
  - sdcpp preprocessor:
    derived from GCC cpp preprocessor `http://gcc.gnu.org/`; GPLv3 license
  - sdas assemblers and sdld linker:
    derived from ASXXXX `https://shop-pdp.net/ashtml/`; GPLv3 license
  - SDCC run-time libraries:
    The great majority of SDCC run-time libraries are licensed under the GPLv2+LE which allows linking of SDCC run-time libraries with proprietary (closed source) applications.
    A possible exception are pic device libraries and header files which are generated from Microchip header (.inc) and linker script (.lkr) files. Microchip requires that The header files should state that they are only to be used with authentic Microchip devices which makes them incompatible with the GPL, if Microchip has any copyright in them (which might depend on local copyright laws). Pic device libraries and header files are located at non-free/lib and non-free/include directories respectively. SDCC should be run with the —use-non-free command line option in order to include non-free header files and libraries.
  - sdbinutils utilities (sdar, sdranlib, sdnm, sdobjcopy):
    derived from GNU Binutils `http://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/`; GPLv3 license
  - ucsim simulators:
    GPLv2 license
  - sdcdb debugger:
    GPLv2 license
  - gcc-test regression tests:
    derived from gcc-testsuite; no license explicitely specified, but since it is a part of GCC is probably GPLv3 licensed
  - packihx:
    public domain
  - makebin:
    zlib/libpng License
  - pic libraries in device/non-free:
    Microchip Technology Inc. claims to have copyrights on this, and their term are non-free. However, a more common opinion is that Microchip Technology Inc. is just claiming a copyright on uncopyrightable facts.
- libraries:

  - dbuf library:
    zlib/libpng License
  - Boost C++ libraries:
    `http://www.boost.org/`; Boost Software License 1.0 (BSL-1.0)

Links to licenses:

- GPLv2 license: `http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html`
- LGPLv2.1 license: `http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.html`
- GPLv3 license: `http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html`
- zlib/libpng License: `http://www.opensource.org/licenses/Zlib`
- Boost Software License 1.0 (BSL-1.0): `http://www.opensource.org/licenses/BSL-1.0`