CKEditor is distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). When using this library, it is critical to distinguish between a "work based on the library" and a "work that uses the library":
- Work that uses the library: A program designed to work with the library by being compiled or linked with it, but which contains no derivative of any portion of the library. Such a work, in isolation, is not a derivative work and falls outside the scope of the LGPL.
- Work based on the library: A work containing the library or a portion of it, either verbatim or with modifications. This includes the library itself or any derivative work under copyright law.
Key Compliance Requirements for Linking/Distribution:
If you combine a "work that uses the library" with the library to produce a work containing portions of the library, you may distribute that work under terms of your choice, provided that:
- The terms permit modification of the work for the customer's own use.
- The terms permit reverse engineering for debugging such modifications.
- You give prominent notice that the library is used and that it is covered by the LGPL.
- You supply a copy of the LGPL license.
- If the work displays copyright notices during execution, you must include the library's copyright notice and a reference to the license.
To satisfy the source code requirements, you must fulfill one of the following:
- Option A: Accompany the work with the complete machine-readable source code for the library (including changes) and the object code/source code of the "work that uses the library" so the user can relink a modified library.
- Option B: Use a suitable shared library mechanism (e.g., using a copy of the library already present on the user's system at runtime) that operates properly with an interface-compatible modified version of the library.
- Option C: Provide a written offer (valid for 3 years) to provide the materials specified in Option A.
- Option D: If distributing via a designated download location, offer equivalent access to the materials from that same location.