# Question: An application made with Ruby on Rails is Open Source by default? **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [March 31, 2009, 10:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341 "2009-03-31T10:47:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/1 "2009-03-31T10:47:50Z")
Hello everybody, I’m about to enter the Ruby on Rails Community after reading a lot of good feedback on the Internet and the Agile Programming book also. Before starting to develop my application I would like to clear one last thing (or doubt). I was told that using applications that are developped in Ruby on Rails are Open Source by default. Is that true? (In my case, it will be a commercial application, so Open Source is not an option for the moment) Thank you in advance for your kind answer. Best regards, Dorian ---
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/2 "2009-03-31T10:49:01Z")
On Mar 31, 8:53 am, Dorian [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Rails is under the MIT license which doesn’t place any obligations on you (other than stuff like no warranty is provided for Rails etc. ) Fred ---
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/3 "2009-03-31T11:30:38Z")
Thank you Fred for your quick answer. Looks like i’ll start soon my application using RoR! Best Regards, Dorian 2009/3/31 Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/4 "2009-03-31T11:57:11Z")
Dorian L. wrote: > Thank you Fred for your quick answer. > > Looks like i’ll start soon my application using RoR! However, if you use MySQL, make sure you fully understand their license if you want to distribute your app. I decided to use PostgreSQL just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 11:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/5 "2009-03-31T11:54:42Z")
On Mar 31, 10:29 am, Dorian L. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Thank you Fred for your quick answer. > > Looks like i’ll start soon my application using RoR! Also (and I am not a lawyer etc.) if what you’ve got is just a hosted service it wouldn’t matter if you had to gpl your code because (at least under the gpl v2) you’re usully not actually distributing your app, so none of the provisions about providing source code kick in. Fred ---
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/6 "2009-03-31T17:38:07Z")
Fernando P. wrote: […] > However, if you use MySQL, make sure you fully understand their license > if you want to distribute your app. I decided to use PostgreSQL just in > case. Interesting point. Just another reason to avoid mySQL – as if we needed more reasons! 🙂 ## Best, Marnen Laibow-Koser removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org) ---
**Author:** ![Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Dorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-an-application-made-with-ruby-on-rails-is-open-source-by-default/164341/7 "2009-03-31T22:35:47Z")
On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 8:38 AM, Marnen Laibow-Koser \< removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid\> wrote: > ## Best, > > Marnen Laibow-Koser > removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > [http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org) I would also agree that this is an interesting point after skimming the MySQL license and reading through some threads. -Conrad