v-Lawyer

Open Source Software Contribution Agreement Generator

Establish clear terms for contributing code to open source projects. Address copyright assignment, license compatibility, and code quality requirements.

What is an Open Source Software Contribution Agreement?

An Open Source Software Contribution Agreement is a legal contract between a contributor (individual or organization) and an open source project that establishes the terms under which code, documentation, or other intellectual property is contributed to the project. This agreement clarifies copyright assignment or licensing, patent rights, attribution requirements, code quality expectations, and the contributor's responsibilities. It helps ensure that all contributions can be legally incorporated into the project while maintaining compliance with the project's existing open source license.

Key Sections Typically Included:

  • Definitions of Contributions and Project Scope
  • Copyright Assignment or License Grant
  • Patent Rights and Licenses
  • Contributor Representations and Warranties
  • Code Quality and Submission Standards
  • Attribution and Recognition Guidelines
  • Contribution Process and Acceptance Criteria
  • Compatibility with Existing Project License
  • Contributor Identification and Tracking
  • Contribution Review and Approval Process
  • Intellectual Property Infringement Provisions
  • Contribution Rejection Procedures
  • Confidentiality Limitations
  • Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability
  • Dispute Resolution Mechanisms
  • Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Why Use Our Generator?

Our Open Source Software Contribution Agreement generator helps open source projects establish clear, legally sound frameworks for accepting third-party contributions while protecting the project's integrity, license compliance, and intellectual property status. By defining contribution terms upfront, projects can avoid licensing conflicts, copyright disputes, and potential legal challenges while fostering a collaborative development environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: How should intellectual property rights be handled in the agreement?

    • A: The agreement should clearly specify whether contributors are assigning copyright to the project or merely granting a license, outline the specific rights being transferred or licensed (reproduction, distribution, modification, etc.), and address whether contributors retain any rights to revoke permissions. It should specify how patent rights related to contributions are handled, address potential patent litigation issues (defensive termination provisions), and clarify expectations regarding third-party intellectual property included in contributions. The agreement should also establish procedures for verifying that contributors have the right to contribute submitted code, specify whether employer approval is needed for contributions made during work hours, and outline how contributions will be licensed to downstream users. Additionally, it should address whether contributions automatically adopt the project's existing license, establish procedures for addressing intellectual property claims against contributed code, and specify whether the agreement supersedes implied licenses that might otherwise apply.

  • Q: What code quality and submission requirements should be included?

    • A: The agreement should establish minimum coding standards and stylistic requirements for acceptable contributions, specify testing and documentation requirements that must accompany code submissions, and outline the review process contributions will undergo before acceptance. It should address whether automated analysis tools will be used to evaluate contributions, establish expectations regarding bug fixing and maintenance of contributed code, and outline procedures for addressing code that doesn't meet quality standards. The agreement should also specify whether unit tests or other verification methods are required, establish expectations regarding code comments and inline documentation, and outline any specific architectural guidelines contributions must follow. Additionally, it should address whether performance benchmarks must be maintained, establish expectations around backward compatibility, and outline whether security reviews are required for certain types of contributions.

  • Q: How should contributor recognition and attribution be addressed?

    • A: The agreement should specify how contributor attribution will be handled in the project (credits file, code comments, documentation), outline whether contributors can request specific forms of attribution, and address whether contributors can use their involvement for promotional purposes. It should establish procedures for maintaining a record of all contributors and their contributions, specify whether anonymous contributions are permitted, and outline how attribution is preserved in derivative works or distributions. The agreement should also specify whether the project maintains a public list of contributors, establish whether significant contributions receive special recognition, and outline how attribution conflicts are resolved. Additionally, it should address how corporate contributions are attributed (to individual developers, the company, or both), establish whether contributors can request modification or removal of their attribution in certain circumstances, and specify how historical contributions are acknowledged if the project changes ownership or governance.