BSD License
The BSD License is a permissive open-source software license that allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute software, including in proprietary products, with minimal restrictions. It originated from the University of California, Berkeley's Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) operating system and is known for its simplicity and flexibility. The license typically requires only attribution of the original authors and a disclaimer of warranty.
Developers should learn about the BSD License when working on open-source projects, especially if they want to allow maximum freedom for downstream users, including commercial use without copyleft requirements. It is commonly used in foundational software like operating systems (e.g., FreeBSD), libraries (e.g., SQLite), and tools where broad adoption is desired, as it avoids the viral nature of licenses like the GPL.