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Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2025 11:18:56 +0200
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] Updating the PHP License
To: Ben Ramsey <ramsey@php.net>
Cc: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: petk@php.net (Peter Kokot)

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On Thu, 10 Jul 2025 at 05:26, Ben Ramsey <ramsey@php.net> wrote:

> Hello internals,
>
> I=E2=80=99m opening discussion on an RFC proposing that we relicense PHP =
under
> the Modified BSD License (SPDX identifier: BSD-3-Clause), starting with
> PHP 9.0. This change simplifies and modernizes our licensing,
> addressing long-standing issues while preserving the rights of both
> contributors and users. Below is a quick summary of what the RFC
> proposes and what it means for developers.
>
> - Proposes that PHP 9.0 adopt the Modified BSD License (BSD-3-Clause),
>   replacing the current PHP and Zend Engine licenses.
> - The Modified BSD License is OSI-approved, GPL-compatible, and widely
>   recognized in the open source community.
> - Your rights as a developer=E2=80=94use, modification, distribution=E2=
=80=94remain
>   unchanged.
> - Extensions and tools may adopt BSD-3-Clause in place of the outdated
>   PHP License.
> - The update removes confusing legacy clauses tied to branding and
>   permissions.
>
> I=E2=80=99ve spoken with all members of the PHP Group, and each has voice=
d their
> approval of this proposal. The Perforce legal team has also informally
> approved, and I will be working with them to get a formal letter of
> approval soon.
>
> The RFC is available at: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/php_license_update
>
> Discussion will remain open for at least six months to ensure all
> interested parties have an opportunity to respond.
>
> Cheers,
> Ben
>
> P.S. For legal questions or concerns, I=E2=80=99m working with Pamela Che=
stek
> of Chestek Legal <https://www.chesteklegal.com> on behalf of the PHP
> Group. You may be familiar with her work as chair of the license
> committee for the Open Source Initiative.
>

Sounds great. I'm sure this was a lot of work involved. Thank you.

I'd just have two questions here that are popping up to things I've
encountered lately:

1. TSRM (Thread Safe Resource Manager) also has a separate LICENSE file but
it is BSD 2 Clause, which is compatible with all of that, I assume. That
should be also simplified in some way? Perhaps integrating TSRM into Zend
Engine directly at some point or updating its license to 3 clause BSD?

2. To be more clear, the GPL compatibility would probably need to be just
slightly clarified to make PHP usage simpler in the future for cases when
GPL-licensed software is involved.

PHP currently has option to link to two GPL-3 licensed libraries that cause
issues when distributing PHP (for example, packaging PHP and providing it
as a binary via some package and similar):
- GNU readline library for ext/readline (here libedit alternative can be
used)
https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/16826
- GDBM for ext/dba (here other handlers can be used)
https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/15882

So, GPL-compatibility here means that PHP licensed under the Modified BSD
License could link to GNU Readline library but it should be relicensed as
GPL-3 then?

Because I'm thinking of deprecating linking options with GNU Readline and
GDBM to make the PHP build process worry-free for packagers.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote g=
mail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, 10 Jul =
2025 at 05:26, Ben Ramsey &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:ramsey@php.net">ramsey@php.=
net</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"marg=
in:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1e=
x">Hello internals,<br>
<br>
I=E2=80=99m opening discussion on an RFC proposing that we relicense PHP un=
der<br>
the Modified BSD License (SPDX identifier: BSD-3-Clause), starting with<br>
PHP 9.0. This change simplifies and modernizes our licensing,<br>
addressing long-standing issues while preserving the rights of both<br>
contributors and users. Below is a quick summary of what the RFC<br>
proposes and what it means for developers.<br>
<br>
- Proposes that PHP 9.0 adopt the Modified BSD License (BSD-3-Clause),<br>
=C2=A0 replacing the current PHP and Zend Engine licenses.<br>
- The Modified BSD License is OSI-approved, GPL-compatible, and widely<br>
=C2=A0 recognized in the open source community.<br>
- Your rights as a developer=E2=80=94use, modification, distribution=E2=80=
=94remain<br>
=C2=A0 unchanged.<br>
- Extensions and tools may adopt BSD-3-Clause in place of the outdated<br>
=C2=A0 PHP License.<br>
- The update removes confusing legacy clauses tied to branding and<br>
=C2=A0 permissions.<br>
<br>
I=E2=80=99ve spoken with all members of the PHP Group, and each has voiced =
their<br>
approval of this proposal. The Perforce legal team has also informally<br>
approved, and I will be working with them to get a formal letter of<br>
approval soon.<br>
<br>
The RFC is available at: <a href=3D"https://wiki.php.net/rfc/php_license_up=
date" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://wiki.php.net/rfc/php_lic=
ense_update</a><br>
<br>
Discussion will remain open for at least six months to ensure all<br>
interested parties have an opportunity to respond.<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
Ben<br>
<br>
P.S. For legal questions or concerns, I=E2=80=99m working with Pamela Chest=
ek<br>
of Chestek Legal &lt;<a href=3D"https://www.chesteklegal.com" rel=3D"norefe=
rrer" target=3D"_blank">https://www.chesteklegal.com</a>&gt; on behalf of t=
he PHP <br>
Group. You may be familiar with her work as chair of the license<br>
committee for the Open Source Initiative.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><d=
iv>Sounds great. I&#39;m sure this was a lot of work involved. Thank you.<b=
r><br>I&#39;d just have two questions here that are popping up to things I&=
#39;ve encountered lately:<br><br>1. TSRM (Thread Safe Resource Manager) al=
so has a separate LICENSE file but it is BSD 2 Clause, which is compatible =
with all of that,=C2=A0I assume. That should be also simplified in some way=
? Perhaps integrating TSRM into Zend Engine directly at some point or updat=
ing its license to 3 clause BSD?<br><br>2. To be more clear, the GPL compat=
ibility would probably need to be just slightly clarified to make PHP usage=
 simpler in the future for cases when GPL-licensed software is involved.<br=
><br>PHP currently has option to link to two GPL-3 licensed libraries that =
cause issues when distributing PHP (for example, packaging PHP and providin=
g it as a binary via some package and similar):=C2=A0</div><div>- GNU readl=
ine library for ext/readline (here libedit alternative can be used)<br><a h=
ref=3D"https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/16826">https://github.com/php/=
php-src/issues/16826</a><br>- GDBM for ext/dba (here other handlers can be =
used)<br><a href=3D"https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/15882">https://gi=
thub.com/php/php-src/issues/15882</a><br><br>So, GPL-compatibility here mea=
ns that PHP licensed under the Modified BSD License could link to GNU Readl=
ine library but it should be relicensed as GPL-3 then?<br><br>Because I&#39=
;m thinking of deprecating linking options with GNU Readline and GDBM to ma=
ke the PHP build process worry-free for packagers.<br></div></div></div>

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