ISC License
Functionally identical to MIT but shorter. Do whatever you want, keep the copyright.
Commercial use
✓ Yes
Modify
✓ Yes
Distribute
✓ Yes
Must open source changes
✗ No
Must attribute
✓ Yes
Patent grant
✗ No
What this license means
The ISC license is a simplified version of the MIT and BSD 2-Clause licenses. It removes redundant language, making it one of the shortest permissive licenses. The effect is identical to MIT — you can do anything as long as you include the copyright notice.
When you encounter this license
Used by OpenBSD, npm (the package manager), and many Node.js packages. Choose ISC if you want the simplest possible permissive license. It's the default for npm init.
Watch out for
No practical difference from MIT. Some corporate legal teams may not recognize it as quickly as MIT, which can slow approval processes.
Tools using ISC License (2)
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For licensing decisions in commercial products, consult a qualified attorney.