Licensing & the Open Commons
Openwater uses four license layers for different kinds of software, hardware and documentation. Check the LICENSE file in the repository you use for its current terms.
AGPL-3.0-or-later covers the reciprocal software core; Apache-2.0 covers permissive software and integrations; CERN-OHL-S-2.0 covers hardware reference designs; and CC-BY-4.0 covers documentation and sample data.
These are the approved classifications. A repository's current LICENSE governs its published contents until any rights-reviewed change is merged.
| Layer | License | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Reciprocal software core | AGPL-3.0-or-later | OpenLIFU console and transmitter firmware; OpenMOTION FPGA/HDL; sensing, beamforming, reconstruction, signal-processing and calibration core |
| Permissive software and integration | Apache-2.0 | OpenMOTION firmware; all bootloaders; 3D Slicer extensions; applications, tooling, SDKs, language bindings and scripts |
| Hardware reference designs | CERN-OHL-S-2.0 | Mechanical CAD, schematics, PCB layouts and related design sources |
| Documentation and data | CC-BY-4.0 | Guides, tutorials, templates and sample data |
The SlicerOpenLIFU extension and four active hardware repositories still carry AGPL license files. Their approved destination takes effect only after contributor rights are confirmed and the repository license is changed. Third-party components retain their own terms.
Read the organization contribution policy for the full boundaries and SPDX guidance.
This page summarizes the policy. Read the LICENSE file and file-level notices in the particular repository for the license that applies to its published contents.