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| schema: foundry-doc-v1 | schema: foundry-doc-v1 |
| title: "Style guide — license explainer" | title: "Style guide — license explainer" |
| slug: style-guide-license-explainer | slug: style-guide-license-explainer |
| category: reference | category: reference |
| type: topic | type: topic |
| quality: complete | quality: complete |
| short_description: "Editorial standards for license explainer documents (PROSE genre) in the platform: lede discipline, permits/requires/forbids structure, where binding text lives, and the distinction between an explainer and the license itself." | short_description: "Editorial standards for license explainer documents (PROSE genre) in the platform: lede discipline, permits/requires/forbids structure, where binding text lives, and the distinction between an explainer and the license itself." |
| status: active | status: active |
| bcsc_class: public-disclosure-safe | bcsc_class: public-disclosure-safe |
| last_edited: 2026-05-24 | last_edited: 2026-05-24 |
| editor: pointsav-engineering | editor: pointsav-engineering |
| cites: [] | cites: [] |
| paired_with: style-guide-license-explainer.es.md | paired_with: style-guide-license-explainer.es.md |
| --- | --- |
| > A license explainer translates a legal instrument into plain terms. It is not the license. If the explainer and the license conflict, the license wins. | > A license explainer translates a legal instrument into plain terms. It is not the license. If the explainer and the license conflict, the license wins. |
| A **license explainer** (PROSE genre) is a plain-language companion to a formal license document. It helps a reader understand what the license permits, requires, and forbids without having to parse legal text. An explainer is not legally binding — it is a reading aid. The binding text is always the formal license document linked from the explainer. This article is the human-facing standard; the machine-readable counterpart lives in `service-disclosure/templates/license-explainer.toml`. | A **license explainer** (PROSE genre) is a plain-language companion to a formal license document. It helps a reader understand what the license permits, requires, and forbids without having to parse legal text. An explainer is not legally binding — it is a reading aid. The binding text is always the formal license document linked from the explainer. This article is the human-facing standard; the machine-readable counterpart lives in `service-disclosure/templates/license-explainer.toml`. |
| ## When to use this template | ## When to use this template |
| Write a license explainer when: | Write a license explainer when: |
| - A repository carries a license that affects contributors or consumers in non-obvious ways. | - A repository carries a license that affects contributors or consumers in non-obvious ways. |
| - The audience includes people who are not legal professionals. | - The audience includes people who are not legal professionals. |
| - The license has conditions (attribution, share-alike, CLA requirement) that need to be understood to comply. | - The license has conditions (attribution, share-alike, CLA requirement) that need to be understood to comply. |
| The explainer is not a substitute for legal review. For agreements that bind individuals or organisations to specific obligations, route through the responsible governance party (`factory-release-engineering` or the system administrator at `open.source@pointsav.com`) before publishing. | The explainer is not a substitute for legal review. For agreements that bind individuals or organisations to specific obligations, route through the responsible governance party (`factory-release-engineering` or the system administrator at `open.source@pointsav.com`) before publishing. |
| ## Structure | ## Structure |
| The template requires five sections in this order: | The template requires five sections in this order: |
| | Section | Purpose | | | Section | Purpose | |
| |---|---| | |---|---| |
| | **Lede** | One to two sentences: what license this is and what it is designed to accomplish. No legal jargon. | | | **Lede** | One to two sentences: what license this is and what it is designed to accomplish. No legal jargon. | |
| | **What it permits** | A bulleted list of what this license explicitly allows. Plain verbs: "Use commercially", "Modify the source", "Distribute copies". | | | **What it permits** | A bulleted list of what this license explicitly allows. Plain verbs: "Use commercially", "Modify the source", "Distribute copies". | |
| | **What it requires** | A bulleted list of conditions. Plain verbs: "Include the copyright notice", "State changes made", "Provide access to source". | | | **What it requires** | A bulleted list of conditions. Plain verbs: "Include the copyright notice", "State changes made", "Provide access to source". | |
| | **What it forbids** | A bulleted list of restrictions. Plain verbs: "Hold the author liable", "Use the trademark without permission". Omit this section if the license forbids nothing. | | | **What it forbids** | A bulleted list of restrictions. Plain verbs: "Hold the author liable", "Use the trademark without permission". Omit this section if the license forbids nothing. | |
| | **Where binding text lives** | A direct link to the full formal license document and a statement that the formal text governs wherever the explainer and the formal text disagree. | | | **Where binding text lives** | A direct link to the full formal license document and a statement that the formal text governs wherever the explainer and the formal text disagree. | |
| ## Register and tone | ## Register and tone |
| Plain English. No "aforementioned," "notwithstanding," or "herein." The goal is comprehension, not impressiveness. | Plain English. No "aforementioned," "notwithstanding," or "herein." The goal is comprehension, not impressiveness. |
| Sentence-length budget: mean around eighteen words, maximum thirty. Bullet items are imperative phrases beginning with a verb, not full sentences. The Lede may be two sentences maximum. | Sentence-length budget: mean around eighteen words, maximum thirty. Bullet items are imperative phrases beginning with a verb, not full sentences. The Lede may be two sentences maximum. |
| ## See also | ## See also |
| - [[style-guide-policy|Style Guide — Policy]] | - [[style-guide-policy|Style Guide — Policy]] |
| - [[style-guide-cla|Style Guide — CLA]] | - [[style-guide-cla|Style Guide — CLA]] |
| - [[language-protocol-substrate|Language Protocol Substrate]] | - [[language-protocol-substrate|Language Protocol Substrate]] |