GPL 2 Firmware and the Apache Code That Cannot Go In

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A lot of firmware is licensed under GPL version 2, because it’s built on Linux, BusyBox or U-Boot, and a lot of it says “version 2 only”. That choice shuts out more code than people expect. Apache 2.0 code can’t go in, even though Apache is permissive. GPL version 3 code can’t go in either, even though it’s the GPL. The same Apache code would be fine in an MIT product and the GPL-3.0 code in a GPL-3.0 one, so a function that’s harmless in one of your products can be a problem in another.

Embedded on remixware.com

GPL 2 Firmware and the Apache Code That Cannot Go In