Switching to the MPL 2.0 License

Vector has switched to the Mozilla Public License 2.0, a weak copyleft license used by other popular open-source projects, such as Terraform and Consul.

Why?

This excellent article by Julien Ponge describes the license well, and the Mozilla MPL 2.0 FAQ offers a more in-depth analysis:

Like all other free and open source software, software available under the MPL is available for anyone (including individuals and companies) to use for any purpose. The MPL only creates obligations for you if you want to distribute the software outside your organization.

We love open-source, and we feel this license more accurately embodies the spirit of open-source by requiring direct Vector code changes (not code around it) to be made in the open. This ensures that the entire Vector community benefits from changes. A fundamental principle of open-source.

Does it restrict usage?

No! It is not our intent to restrict Vector usage or distribution in any way, now or in the future.