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Linux Kernel Organization

The Linux Kernel Organization is the non-profit that runs kernel.org and distributes the Linux kernel and other open-source software without charge. The kernel is licensed under the GNU GPL version 2 only, with a system-call exception.

Licensing at a Glance

  • Open source

  1. The Linux kernel is provided under the GNU General Public License version 2 only (GPL-2.0), with an explicit syscall exception (Linux-syscall-note), as described in the COPYING file.[1]

  2. Individual kernel source files may carry a different licence, which must be compatible with GPL-2.0 (for example GPL-2.0+, LGPL-2.1 or a dual GPL/BSD or MIT licence).[2]

  3. The kernel licensing rules describe how each source file should be annotated with an SPDX licence identifier so that its licence is clear and unambiguous.[3]

  4. The Linux Kernel Organization is a California public benefit corporation established in 2002 to distribute the Linux kernel and other open-source software to the public without charge, and is managed by The Linux Foundation.[4]

  5. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.[5]

Products

References

  1. Linux kernel licensing rules — The Linux Kernel documentation · docs.kernel.org · retrieved 2026-09-27
  2. Linux kernel licensing rules — The Linux Kernel documentation · docs.kernel.org · retrieved 2026-09-27
  3. Linux kernel licensing rules — The Linux Kernel documentation · docs.kernel.org · retrieved 2026-09-27
  4. The Linux Kernel Archives - About · kernel.org · retrieved 2026-09-27
  5. The Linux Kernel Archives - About · kernel.org · retrieved 2026-09-27
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