This license has not yet been approved by the OSI (Open Source Initiative) or other standardization organizations. Open Source license status has not been granted. The license is therefore also subject to change based on OSI recommendations.
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The open owner
The Controlled Open License (COL) was born out of dissatisfaction with the lack of any license that properly attributes credit to original authors — something that could be a barrier to open-source adoption in businesses, or to the publication of research and projects.
This license is designed to balance openness and freedom of use with commercial exclusivity. It allows a project to be widely used, modified, and distributed, while maintaining consistent direction through a clearly designated Project Director.
The COL is particularly well-suited for open-source hardware projects, collaborative engineering projects, and any project requiring broad contribution, centralized governance, and commercial exclusivity.
The Controlled Open License offers a unique balance between openness and project control. Here are its main features:
Freedom to use the project for any purpose, whether personal or commercial, without major restrictions.
Ability to modify the project according to the specific needs of forks, while respecting the terms of the license.
Permission to distribute copies, provided the origin and Project Director are credited, and explicit approval has been obtained.
Defined governance structure with a Project Director who holds precise responsibilities and rights.
Structured framework for external contributions, ensuring project consistency.
Requirement to document important decisions and the governance structure.
Do you have questions about the Controlled Open License? Here are answers to the most common ones:
The COL is primarily distinguished by its emphasis on clear governance. Unlike other licenses that focus solely on usage and distribution rights, the COL explicitly defines a governance structure with a clearly identified Project Director who has authority over the direction of the project. This helps avoid the common problems of vague governance in collaborative projects.
The COL is designed to guarantee production exclusivity for the director while still allowing access and the possibility of contribution.
Although the COL was primarily designed for hardware projects, it can be adapted for software projects. Its clear governance structure can be particularly beneficial for complex software projects requiring close coordination between multiple contributors. However, it is recommended to evaluate whether other established software licenses such as MIT, GPL, or Apache might be better suited to your specific case.
The Project Director must be clearly identified in the project's MoM (Members of Membership Declaration) file (e.g. MoM.md) that accompanies the project files. This document should include the Director's name, contact information, and any named Co-Directors. It is recommended to keep this document up to date and make it easily accessible to all users and contributors.
No, contributors retain copyright over their specific contributions. However, by submitting a contribution, they grant the project a perpetual and irrevocable license to use, modify, and distribute that contribution within the project. This balanced approach protects both the rights of individual contributors and the integrity of the project as a whole.
Since the COL assigns project ownership to the Director(s), contributors have no choice but to defer to their will. However, contributors are not bound by their contributions — they are free to create an alternative to the project.
The compatibility of the COL with other licenses depends on the specific licenses in question. In general, the COL may be compatible with permissive licenses (such as MIT or BSD), but may present compatibility challenges with certain copyleft licenses (such as the GPL). It is recommended to consult a legal expert to assess compatibility in your specific case, especially if you plan to integrate code or components under different licenses.
How does the Controlled Open License compare to other common licenses? Here is a comparative analysis:
| Feature | COL | MIT | GPL v3 | Apache 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial use | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed |
| Modifications | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed |
| Distribution | ✅ Allowed with attribution | ✅ Allowed with attribution | ✅ Allowed under GPL | ✅ Allowed with attribution |
| Copyleft | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Strict | ❌ No |
| Governance structure | ✅ Explicit | ❌ Not defined | ❌ Not defined | ❌ Not defined |
| Patent protection | ❌ Not specified | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Contribution process | ✅ Defined | ❌ Not defined | ❌ Not defined | ❌ Not defined |
| Project Director | ✅ Formally identified | ❌ Not specified | ❌ Not specified | ❌ Not specified |
| Suited for hardware projects | ✅ Specifically | ⚠️ Partially | ⚠️ Partially | ⚠️ Partially |
| Designed for commercial exclusivity? | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not specified | ❌ Not specified | ❌ Not specified |
The Controlled Open License is particularly well-suited to certain types of projects and contexts. Discover how it can be applied:
The COL is ideal for open-source hardware projects such as 3D printers, robots, or electronic devices, where consistent technical direction is essential while still enabling collaborative innovation.
For example, a 3D printer manufacturer can use the COL to allow users to modify and improve designs, while retaining control over the overall project direction to ensure consistency, compatibility, and ownership.
Research labs can use the COL for their scientific instrumentation projects, allowing other researchers to contribute and adapt the equipment to their specific needs while keeping attributions with the laboratory.
The laboratory can be designated as Project Director, ensuring that external contributions align with scientific objectives while fostering collaborative innovation.
Startups developing hardware products can use the COL to build a collaborative ecosystem around their products while maintaining their commercial vision and leadership position.
This approach accelerates innovation through external contributions while protecting brand integrity and the strategic direction of the product.
Add the full COL text in a LICENSE.md file at the root of your project.
AND/ORAdd a link to the license loc.zyglonk.fr#license-text in your readme.
Create a MoM.md file that clearly identifies the Project Director and, where applicable, any Co-Directors.
Create a CONTRIBUTING.md file that explains how contributors can participate in the project and submit their contributions.
Include a reference to the COL in each source file of the project with an appropriate copyright notice.
/*
* [Project Name]
* Copyright (c) [Year] [Copyright Holder Name]
*
* This file is part of a project distributed under the terms of the Controlled Open License (COL).
* See the LICENSE file for the full license details.
*
* Project Director: [Director's Name]
*/
The Controlled Open License offers an innovative legal framework that balances open collaboration with clear governance. Ideal for collaborative hardware projects, it allows you to keep control over the direction of your project while benefiting from community contributions.