What is “distribution”?
What is “distribution”?¶
In simple terms, distribution refers to transferring a copy of a copyrighted work (such as software) from one legal person to another.
The concept of distribution matters because the requirements of open source licenses are triggered only when software is distributed.
Thus, a person who does not distribute software cannot violate an open source license’s terms.
And because “legal person” includes a corporation, there is no distribution—and therefore no risk of violating a license’s terms—if software is merely transferred between employees of the same company.