AGPL, short for Affero General Public License, is a type of copyleft license specifically designed for software applications that will be used over a network. It is based on the GNU General Public License (GPL), but with added provisions to address the specific use case of software as a service (SaaS).
Under the AGPL, if a modified or extended version of a software covered by the license is run on a server and accessed over a network, the source code of that software must be made available to anyone using the application. This requirement ensures that users of the software have access to the source code, allowing them to view, modify, and distribute it freely.
The primary intent of the AGPL is to prevent the exploitation of modified software running on servers, where the user does not typically have access to the source code. By requiring the release of the source code even when the software is hosted remotely, the AGPL aims to maintain the principles of free software and foster community collaboration.
The AGPL is often chosen by developers and organizations that want to ensure that their software remains open-source, even when used in a SaaS context. It promotes transparency, encourages contributions from the community, and helps guarantee that users of the software always retain the same fundamental freedoms associated with free software.
