Archa
License

Archa License Version 1.0
Archa License Version 1.0
Copyright (c) 2026 Archa Authors
License-Ref: Archa-1.0
https://newssungoldentoday-dev.github.io/archalics/

Preamble

The Archa License is designed for sustainable open source. It preserves the freedom that made open source transformative, while acknowledging that maintenance is labor and that scale creates responsibility.

This license is built on three principles:

    1. Free for individuals to learn, build, and share.
    2. Fair for growing businesses that benefit from the commons.
    3. Protected for maintainers against extractive use.

Inspired by the MIT, Apache 2.0, and Fair Source traditions, Archa seeks to be a practical default for independent software that wants to remain open without being exploited.

1. Definitions

    1.1 "Licensor" means the individual or entity that offers the Software under this License.

    1.2 "Software" means the source code, object code, documentation, and other materials made available under this License.

    1.3 "You" (or "Your") means the individual or entity exercising permissions granted by this License.

    1.4 "Commercial Use" means use of the Software for a commercial purpose, including as part of a product or service offered to third parties for a fee.

    1.5 "Threshold Entity" means an organization that, together with its affiliates, exceeds either (a) 100 full-time employees, or (b) $5,000,000 USD in annual gross revenue in its most recent fiscal year.

    1.6 "Delayed Open" means that contributions under Section 3(b) become available under MIT after the Change Date.

2. Grant of Rights

Subject to the terms of this License, the Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual license to:

    (a) use, copy, modify, and distribute the Software;

    (b) make the Software available as part of Your own product or service, subject to Section 3;

    (c) privately use and modify the Software without restriction.

3. Conditions

    3.1 Attribution

        You must retain all copyright, attribution, and license notices in the Software. If You distribute the Software or a derivative work, You must include a copy of this License and preserve the NOTICE file if present.

    3.2 Fair Use for Growth

        If You are not a Threshold Entity, Commercial Use is permitted without additional obligations under this License.

        If You are a Threshold Entity, Commercial Use requires either:
            (i) a commercial license agreement with the Licensor, or
            (ii) becoming a Sponsor at or above the tier defined in the LICENSE_SPONSOR file, or published by the Licensor, or
            (iii) releasing Your modifications that directly relate to the Software under this same License (Delayed Open with a Change Date no later than 18 months from first distribution).

    3.3 Big Tech Protection

        No Threshold Entity may offer the Software as a standalone hosted service that is a direct substitute for the Software's primary functionality, without entering into a written agreement with the Licensor. This does not restrict internal use, or use as a component of a larger service with substantial additional functionality.

    3.4 No Trademark Grant

        This License does not grant permission to use the trade names, trademarks, service marks, or product names of the Licensor, except as required for reasonable and customary use in describing the origin of the Software.

4. Patent Grant

Each contributor grants You a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free patent license to make, have made, use, offer to sell, sell, import, and otherwise transfer the Software, where such license applies only to those patent claims licensable by such contributor that are necessarily infringed by their contribution alone or by combination of their contribution with the Software.

5. Termination

If You fail to comply with this License, Your rights terminate automatically. Rights may be reinstated provisionally if You become compliant within 30 days of becoming aware of non-compliance, and permanently if the Licensor does not notify You of termination within 60 days of such compliance.

6. Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

In no event and under no legal theory, whether in tort (including negligence), contract, or otherwise, unless required by applicable law, shall the Licensor be liable for damages exceeding $100 USD.

7. Change Date and Delayed Open (Optional)

If the Licensor includes a CHANGE_DATE file, then on the Change Date, the Software automatically becomes available under the MIT License in addition to this License. Until that date, this License controls.

END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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