License Header Inserter & Verifier
Ensure your code is compliant by adding standardized license headers. Select a license, provide details, and get your updated code instantly.
How to Use
Select License: Choose a license from the dropdown and fill in the copyright details.
Provide Code: Paste your source code into the input area on the left.
Get Result: The tool will automatically add the formatted header to your code in the output area.
Input Code
Output Code (with Header)
Your code with the license header will appear here...
Standardize Your Code with License Headers
Adding a license header to every source file is a best practice for open-source projects and a requirement for many organizations. It removes legal ambiguity by clearly stating the copyright and the license under which the software is provided. Using a standardized format, like the one provided by SPDX, makes this information machine-readable, which is essential for automated compliance checking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a license header?
A license header is a comment block at the top of a source code file that contains copyright and licensing information. It typically includes the copyright holder, the year of creation, and an SPDX license identifier to clearly state the terms under which the code can be used, modified, and distributed.
Why is the SPDX identifier important?
The SPDX (Software Package Data Exchange) license identifier is a standardized machine-readable code (e.g., `MIT`, `Apache-2.0`) that precisely identifies the license. This makes it easy for automated tools to determine the licensing of your code, which is crucial for compliance and for others who want to use your software.
Does this tool modify my original files?
No. This tool operates entirely in your browser. You paste your code into the input box, and the tool generates a new version with the license header in the output box. Your original code is not changed.
Which licenses are supported?
This tool includes templates for common open-source licenses like MIT, Apache-2.0, and GPL-3.0-only. The actual implementation can be expanded to support any license template.
How does the tool know how to format the comment for my programming language?
A production-ready version of this tool would detect the programming language from the filename or content and use the correct comment syntax (e.g., `//` for JavaScript, `#` for Python, `/* ... */` for CSS). This demonstration uses a generic `//` style for simplicity.