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license: relicense to AGPL-3.0-only with commercial dual-license

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- LICENSE -> verbatim GNU AGPL-3.0; add LICENSE-COMMERCIAL.md + SECURITY.md
- CLA -> exclusive-license grant (contributors keep copyright); add README
  anti-rugpull covenant + relicense record
- NOTICE / README / CONTRIBUTING / CLAUDE.md / package.json x5 updated;
  contact routed through GitHub (no email placeholders)
- AGPL section 13 source offer: operator-configurable BACKSPACE_SOURCE_URL +
  build-injected commit; sourceCodeUrl+commit on /api/instance/info;
  SourceCodeLink on login/register/settings/desktop; docs + .env.example updated
This commit is contained in:
Jannis Braun
2026-07-01 16:38:22 +02:00
parent 16d75f2806
commit f481e1fe9e
34 changed files with 1084 additions and 165 deletions
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README.md
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@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
**A self-hosted communication platform — text, voice, video, and federation — that you own.**
[![License: Elastic License 2.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-Elastic%20License%202.0-2563eb.svg)](LICENSE)
[![License: AGPL-3.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-AGPL--3.0-3da639.svg)](LICENSE)
[![TypeScript](https://img.shields.io/badge/TypeScript-strict-3178c6.svg)](https://www.typescriptlang.org/)
[![Node.js](https://img.shields.io/badge/node-%E2%89%A520-339933.svg)](https://nodejs.org/)
[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-1.0.0-16a34a.svg)](#project-status)
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ sharing, and message search — plus **server-to-server federation**, so
independent Backspace instances can talk to each other while each stays under
its own control.
It is **source-available**: free to self-host, modify, and use — including
inside a business — but not to resell as a hosted service. See
[License](#license) for the exact terms.
It is **free and open source** under the **GNU AGPL-3.0**, and dual-licensed: a
commercial license is available if the AGPL doesn't fit your use. See
[License](#license) for the details.
> **Project status** <a name="project-status"></a>
> Backspace 1.0 — stable, self-hostable, and actively developed.
@@ -386,42 +386,59 @@ understand or extend a subsystem.
Contributions are welcome. Please read [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](CONTRIBUTING.md)
first. Backspace is a single-owner project, so all contributors sign a
[Contributor License Agreement](CLA.md) — a one-time comment on your pull
request, handled automatically by a bot. The CLA **assigns copyright in your
contribution to the maintainer** (Jannis Braun), who becomes its sole owner; in
return you receive a license to reuse the specific code you wrote in your own
other projects. If you're not comfortable assigning your contribution, please
don't submit it.
request, handled automatically by a bot. **You keep the copyright to your
contribution** and grant the maintainer (Jannis Braun) an exclusive license to
it — which is what lets Backspace be offered under both the AGPL and a commercial
license. You also receive a perpetual license to reuse the specific code you
wrote in your own other projects.
## Security
If you discover a security vulnerability, please **do not** open a public issue.
Instead, report it privately to the maintainer via a GitHub security advisory on
this repository, or by direct contact. We'll work with you on a fix and
coordinated disclosure.
Report it privately via a GitHub security advisory on this repository — see
[`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md). We'll work with you on a fix and coordinated
disclosure.
## License
Backspace is licensed under the **[Elastic License 2.0](LICENSE)**.
Backspace is **free and open source software**, licensed under the
**[GNU Affero General Public License v3.0](LICENSE)** (`AGPL-3.0-only`).
In plain terms:
- ✅ You may self-host, run, and use it — including commercially and inside a business.
- ✅ You may read, modify, and redistribute the source.
- ❌ You may **not** provide Backspace to third parties as a hosted or managed
service (i.e. you can't sell Backspace-as-a-service) without a separate
commercial license from the maintainer.
- ❌ You may not remove or obscure the license and copyright notices.
- ✅ Self-host, run, study, and modify it — including commercially and inside a business.
- ✅ Redistribute it and your changes under the same AGPL-3.0 license.
- ⚠️ If you run a **modified** version as a network service, you must offer your
users its complete corresponding source (AGPL § 13). Backspace makes this easy —
set `BACKSPACE_SOURCE_URL` to your fork so the in-app "Source code" link points
at what you actually run.
- ⚠️ Preserve the copyright and license notices.
This makes Backspace **source-available**, not OSI "open source" — the only
practical difference is the hosted-service restriction above. If you want to
offer Backspace as a commercial service, contact the maintainer
([@TheZwiss](https://github.com/TheZwiss)) about a commercial license.
**Commercial license.** If the AGPL doesn't fit — embedding Backspace in a
closed-source product, offering it as a managed service without publishing your
modifications, or an organization that can't use AGPL software — a separate
commercial license is available on request. See
[`LICENSE-COMMERCIAL.md`](LICENSE-COMMERCIAL.md).
Bundled third-party components (the DM Sans font, etc.) retain their own
licenses; see [`NOTICE`](NOTICE).
> **Our open-source commitment.** Every released version of Backspace is, and
> will remain, available under the AGPL-3.0. The Contributor License Agreement
> exists to enable a commercial license and optional enterprise add-ons — **not**
> to take the open-source edition private. If this project is ever abandoned, or
> the open-source edition is relicensed under non-free terms, the community stays
> free to fork the last AGPL release.
"Backspace" and the Backspace logo are trademarks of Jannis Braun and are not
covered by the code license.
Copyright © 2026 Jannis Braun. Contributions are made under the
[Contributor License Agreement](CLA.md): you keep your copyright and grant the
maintainer an exclusive license, which is what lets Backspace be offered under
both the AGPL and a commercial license.
*Relicensing note: as of 2026-07-01, Backspace moved from the Elastic License 2.0
to AGPL-3.0-only, authorized by the sole copyright holder; releases tagged before
that date remain under the Elastic License 2.0.*
"Backspace", the Backspace logo, and app icons are trademarks of Jannis Braun and
are not licensed under either the AGPL or the commercial license. Bundled
third-party components retain their own licenses; see [`NOTICE`](NOTICE).
## Acknowledgements