docs/content/communities/setting-up-your-project-for-healthy-contributions/adding-a-license-to-a-repository.md

title	intro	redirect_from	versions	topics
Adding a license to a repository	You can include an open source license in your repository to make it easier for other people to contribute.	[/articles/adding-a-license-to-a-repository /github/building-a-strong-community/adding-a-license-to-a-repository]	[{free-pro-team *} {enterprise-server *}]	[Community]

If you include a detectable license in your repository, people who visit your repository will see it at the top of the repository page. To read the entire license file, click the license name.

Open source licenses enable others to freely use, change, and distribute the project in your repository. For more information on repository licenses, see "Licensing a repository."

Including an open source license in your repository

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %} {% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %} {% data reusables.files.add-file %} 3. In the file name field, type LICENSE or LICENSE.md (with all caps). 4. To the right of the file name field, click Choose a license template. 5. On the left side of the page, under "Add a license to your project," review the available licenses, then select a license from the list. 6. Click Review and submit. {% data reusables.files.write_commit_message %} {% data reusables.files.choose_commit_branch %} {% data reusables.files.choose-commit-email %} 10. Click Commit new file.

{% endif %}

{% if enterpriseServerVersions contains currentVersion or currentVersion == "github-ae@latest" %}

{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %} {% data reusables.files.add-file %} 3. In the file name field, type LICENSE or LICENSE.md (with all caps). 4. On the Edit new file tab, paste the full text of the license you want to use. {% data reusables.files.write_commit_message %} {% data reusables.files.choose-commit-email %} 7. Below the commit message fields, decide whether to add your commit to the current branch or to a new branch. If your current branch is main, you should choose to create a new branch for your commit and then create a pull request. For more information, see "Creating a pull request". 8. Click Commit new file.

{% endif %}

Further reading

• "Setting guidelines for repository contributors"