What is Public Domain Software? - Definition from Techopedia

Public Domain Software

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What Does Public Domain Software Mean?

Public domain software is any software that has no legal, copyright or editing restrictions associated with it. It is free and open-source software that can be publicly modified, distributed or sold without any restrictions. SQLite, I2P and CERN httpd are popular examples of public domain software.

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Techopedia Explains Public Domain Software

Public domain software has no ownership and is available for use, modification and commercialization by anyone. Typically, public domain software is intentionally or voluntarily uncopyrighted, unpatented and is unrestricted by its developer/author. It is different from free software and freeware that does has copyrights and patents associated with it.

Although there are no licensing requirements with public domain software, The Unlicense, Creative Commons License and WTFPL are based on a similar approach.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.