ADR-0006: License Apache 2.0 Rationale

Status

Accepted

Context

BRepAX needs an open-source license that encourages both academic and industrial adoption. The primary candidates are MIT and Apache 2.0.

Decision

Apache License 2.0.

Key reasons:

• Patent protection: Apache 2.0 includes an explicit patent grant, protecting contributors and users from patent claims related to the algorithms implemented
• Academic safety: Collaborators from mathematics and CAD research communities get clear IP protection
• Industrial adoption: Companies have established legal frameworks for Apache 2.0 adoption
• Ecosystem alignment: JAX, Equinox, and many JAX ecosystem libraries use Apache 2.0

Consequences

• Slightly more restrictive than MIT (patent retaliation clause)
• Well-understood by both academic and corporate legal teams
• Compatible with other Apache 2.0 and MIT licensed dependencies