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Is it ok to include the CMSIS code in a open source project for Cortex M based mcu:s?

Johan Simonsson
Note: This was originally posted on 13th April 2011 at http://forums.arm.com

Hi

After reading the license for the CMSIS I am a little bit confused.
  • Is it ok to include the CMSIS code in a open source project for Cortex M based mcu:s?
  • Is it ok if that project is under the GPL license?
  • Is it ok if that project is under the Apache2.0 license?
Thanks Johan
  • Arm Employee Badge
    Note: This was originally posted on 14th April 2011 at http://forums.arm.com

    I am afraid that is the kind of question you should be asking a lawyer/legal department.

    Good starting point - carefully read the license that comes with the CMSIS package and then license you want to use for your project.
  • Note: This was originally posted on 15th April 2011 at http://forums.arm.com


    I am afraid that is the kind of question you should be asking a lawyer/legal department.


    Since I'm a just a "regular joe" I don't have a legal department in my back pocket....

    But someone working at ARM must have some idea behind this strange license?
    And I can't be the first one to think about this type of questions?
  • Note: This was originally posted on 18th April 2011 at http://forums.arm.com

    Hello Johan,
    There is unfortunately no "blanket answer". It depends on what you part of CMSIS use and where.
    That is why ttfn advised the lawyer to look at it. Any post in a forum would only be a personal interpretation anyway...
    Regards, Alban.
  • Arm Employee Badge
    Note: This was originally posted on 22nd April 2013 at http://forums.arm.com

    ARM has change licensing of CMSIS in Version 3.20.  The software components contained in this folders are under the terms of the BSD License:

    (a) ./CMSIS/DSP_Lib - DSP Library sources and examples;
    (B) ./CMSIS/Include - Header files;
    (c) ./CMSIS/Lib - DSP Library build for various toolchains;
    (d) ./CMSIS/RTOS - Header file template for CMSIS-RTOS implementation; and
    (e) ./Device - Template files and implementations for Cortex-M class processors.


    If you are using CMSIS Version 3.20 (available for download under www.arm.com/cmsis) and only the portions contained in the above folders (which are essentially the software portions needed in Cortex-M projects) you are fine.  The BSD licence is compatible with GPL or Apache licenses and you can therefore include the CMSIS 3.20 software outlined above in open source projects.