Open Source, Explained

The license that keeps software free.

The GNU General Public License grants you rights most software vendors would rather you didn't know about. Here's what it actually says — and how GPLlib puts it to use.

The Basics

What is the GPL?

The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a free software license written by Richard Stallman in 1989. Its core purpose is simple: software released under the GPL must always be free for anyone to use, study, modify and redistribute. If you distribute GPL software — or software containing GPL code — recipients get the same freedoms you have.

WordPress core is licensed under GPL v2. Because WordPress plugins and themes run as part of WordPress, the position of the Free Software Foundation — and of WordPress itself — is that WordPress plugins and themes inherit the GPL license. This is sometimes called the "GPL derivative" principle.

In practice: when a developer sells you a WordPress plugin, what you're paying for is a service (support, updates, a download link). The software itself is GPL licensed, and you have every right to redistribute it. GPLlib is built on exactly that right.

GPL Freedoms

The rights the GPL gives you.

Here are the four freedoms established by the GPL — they apply to every plugin and theme in the GPLlib catalog.

Use the software for any purpose

Run the plugin on as many sites as you own or manage. Commercial, personal, client — the license doesn't restrict the use case.

Study and modify the source code

You have the right to read every line of code in every package you download, and modify it to suit your needs.

Redistribute the software

Pass along any GPL software you receive. You can charge for the distribution (as GPLlib does), but you cannot restrict the freedoms of the recipient.

Distribute your modified version

If you modify GPL software and distribute it, your modified version must also be GPL licensed. This keeps improvements open to everyone.

You can't strip the GPL from derivative works

If you distribute modified GPL code, you can't relicense it under a proprietary license. The GPL "carries over" to every derivative work.

You can't restrict what recipients do

Once you give someone GPL software, you can't restrict how they use it. They have all the same freedoms you had when you received it.

Our Model

How GPLlib uses those rights.

We don't resell licenses — we provide professional distribution and curation built on top of the GPL rights you already have.

01 · Collect

Sourced directly from publishers

We source packages through legitimate channels — official repos, changelogs, verified releases. Every source is documented. We never distribute modified or cracked versions.

02 · Verify

Verified before it goes live

Every package has its source and file integrity checked individually before it enters the catalog. If anything looks off, we investigate before deciding whether to list it. The result of that check is published on each package page.

03 · Distribute

Access for subscribers

Subscribers pay for curation, scanning infrastructure, fast syncing, and the Connector plugin — not for the GPL software itself. What you're buying is a service, not a license.

Still have legality questions?

We wrote a detailed blog post covering the GPL, the WordPress derivative position, and several relevant court cases. Worth a read if you want the full picture.

Read the Deep Dive →
FAQ

Questions people ask most often.

Yes. Distributing GPL-licensed software is explicitly permitted under the GNU General Public License. GPLlib does not crack, modify, or tamper with any package — we distribute them exactly as released, and each package page states its source and the result of our verification.
No — we never hide where software comes from. Every package keeps and displays the original developer's name and official URL, and the product page links straight to them. We are not affiliated with those developers, and we do not offer what they offer: official technical support, service guarantees, and custom work. Anyone who needs those should buy directly from the developer, and we say so on the page. GPLlib is for a different group — site owners and small developers with enough WordPress experience to go without official support, working on limited budgets. Most of them were never going to pay per plugin in the first place, and a larger WordPress ecosystem is good for every developer in it.
Yes. Both plugins and themes are included in the catalog. WordPress themes are also considered GPL derivative works under the same reasoning as plugins. Every package in the library — plugin or theme — has been individually verified to have a GPL-compatible license.
No — official support from the original developer requires licensing directly from them. GPLlib provides access to the software, not a vendor support contract. That's fine for most everyday use; for mission-critical enterprise deployments needing a guaranteed SLA, a direct license may be more appropriate.
The Connector plugin is MIT licensed, and its source ships with the plugin itself, so you can read it directly. We believe in practicing what we preach — if you build on our Connector, you should be free to modify and integrate it without restriction.
The GPL grants you that right — yes. However, GPLlib's Terms of Service prohibit reselling or redistributing packages downloaded from our platform, since doing so would undercut the service we provide. You have the legal freedom; our terms restrict it contractually as a condition of your subscription.

GPL software, ready when you are.

One subscription. The whole library. Every package traceable to its source and verified before listing.

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