Handling Complex License Scenarios

Multi-license components require careful analysis to determine applicable terms. When components offer choice (OR relationships), organizations can select the most favorable license. Document these choices in license resolution files that SCA tools respect in future scans. When components require multiple licenses (AND relationships), ensure compliance with all terms. Some scenarios might require legal consultation to interpret conflicting or ambiguous terms.

License compatibility analysis prevents combining incompatible licenses. GPL and Apache 2.0 can conflict due to patent termination clauses. MIT and GPL combine safely as MIT is GPL-compatible. However, adding restrictions to permissive licenses can create incompatibilities. SCA tools should model these relationships, flagging problematic combinations. Visual dependency graphs help understand how licenses interact through dependency chains.

Commercial license management adds complexity to open source compliance. Dual-licensed components might require commercial licenses for proprietary use. Some components use open source licenses for development but require commercial licenses for production. Others offer enhanced features under commercial terms. Track these commercial obligations alongside open source licenses, ensuring procurement processes address both security and licensing requirements.