# Claude MPM Licensing FAQ

## TL;DR

**✅ You CAN:**
- Use Claude MPM internally in your company (any size)
- Build products and services that use Claude MPM
- Modify and redistribute Claude MPM
- Provide consulting/integration services
- Embed Claude MPM in your applications

**❌ You CANNOT:**
- Offer Claude MPM as a hosted SaaS service
- Provide managed Claude MPM hosting to customers
- Remove or modify license notices

**Need SaaS rights?** Contact bob@matsuoka.com for commercial licensing.

---

## Detailed Q&A

### What is the Elastic License 2.0?

The Elastic License 2.0 is a source-available license that allows free use with one main restriction: you cannot offer the software as a hosted service to others. It was created by Elastic (the company behind Elasticsearch) to prevent cloud providers from reselling their work.

### Is this "open source"?

Not according to the OSI (Open Source Initiative) definition, but the source code is fully available, and you can modify and redistribute it. This is sometimes called "source-available" or "fair-code."

### Why did you choose this license?

To protect Claude MPM from SaaS providers who might take the work and offer it as a competing hosted service without contributing back to development. This ensures the project remains sustainable.

---

## Common Use Cases

### ✅ ALLOWED: Internal Business Use

**Scenario:** Your company uses Claude MPM to automate development workflows.

**Allowed:** Yes, unlimited use for internal purposes, any company size.

---

### ✅ ALLOWED: Building Products with Claude MPM

**Scenario:** You build a development tool that uses Claude MPM as a component.

**Allowed:** Yes, you can sell your product. The restriction is on offering *Claude MPM itself* as a service, not products that use it.

**Example:** A CI/CD tool that uses Claude MPM for agent orchestration is fine.

---

### ✅ ALLOWED: Consulting Services

**Scenario:** You offer consulting to help companies set up and customize Claude MPM.

**Allowed:** Yes, you can charge for consulting, training, integration, and support services.

---

### ✅ ALLOWED: On-Premise Deployment for Clients

**Scenario:** You install and configure Claude MPM on a client's infrastructure.

**Allowed:** Yes, as long as you're deploying it for their internal use, not running it as a service you control.

---

### ✅ ALLOWED: Modified Versions

**Scenario:** You fork Claude MPM and add features for your needs.

**Allowed:** Yes, you can modify it. Just keep the license notices and note what you changed.

---

### ❌ NOT ALLOWED: SaaS/Hosted Service

**Scenario:** You want to offer "Claude MPM as a Service" where customers sign up and use your hosted instance.

**Not Allowed:** This requires a commercial license. Contact us to discuss terms.

---

### ❌ NOT ALLOWED: Managed Service Provider

**Scenario:** You offer managed Claude MPM hosting where you run instances for multiple clients.

**Not Allowed:** This is a managed service and requires a commercial license.

---

### ⚠️ GRAY AREA: Internal SaaS Platform

**Scenario:** You build an internal platform for your company's developers that uses Claude MPM.

**Typically Allowed:** If it's genuinely internal (employees only), this is usually fine. If you're providing it to external clients as a service, you need a commercial license.

**Contact us if unsure:** bob@matsuoka.com

---

## Additional Questions

### Can I contribute to Claude MPM?

Yes! Contributions are welcome. By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the same Elastic License 2.0 terms.

### Can I redistribute Claude MPM?

Yes, you can distribute it (modified or unmodified) as long as:
1. You include the LICENSE file
2. You don't offer it as a hosted service
3. You don't remove license notices
4. If modified, you note the modifications

### What if I want to offer Claude MPM as a service?

Contact bob@matsuoka.com to discuss commercial licensing. We offer reasonable terms for companies that want to provide hosted services.

### What about agents and configurations I create?

**Your agents, configurations, and workflows are yours.** The license only covers the Claude MPM software itself, not the content you create with it.

### What happens if I violate the license?

Your license automatically terminates. However, if we notify you and you stop the violation within 30 days, your license is reinstated. Continued violations result in permanent termination.

### I'm still not sure if my use case is allowed

Email bob@matsuoka.com with your specific scenario. We're happy to clarify and are reasonable about edge cases.

---

## Commercial Licensing

For use cases that require:
- Offering Claude MPM as a hosted SaaS service
- Providing managed Claude MPM hosting
- Embedding in proprietary systems with SaaS components
- Custom licensing terms

**Contact:** bob@matsuoka.com

---

**Questions?** bob@matsuoka.com
**GitHub Issues:** https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm/issues
**License Text:** https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm/blob/main/LICENSE
