Pythagora Supports Fair Source
At Pythagora, our mission has always been to push the boundaries of what’s possible in software development. Creating a collaborative system where AI agents work together to build entire applications was a groundbreaking challenge, but sharing that innovation with the world posed an equally important question: How do we license our work in a way that’s fair, sustainable, and empowering for the developer community?
In this post, I’ll share why we adopted the Functional Source License (FSL), why it is the right choice for Pythagora, how it safeguards our work while promoting collaboration, and what it means for developers exploring our open-source contributions.
Early Concerns About Open-Source Licensing
When we started building Pythagora in 2023, we set out to create one of the first truly complex agentic systems, where a collection of AI agents work together to create an entire codebase. Excited by what we had built, we wanted to share our code with the world to inspire others, but we also had to think carefully about the risks of open-sourcing it without proper safeguards.
Licensing open-source software is not always straightforward. Like many teams, we admired the simplicity and freedom of popular licenses like MIT, Apache, and GPL, but we had serious questions:
- Which license would best balance openness, innovation, and sustainability?
- How could we prevent larger companies from taking our code, rebranding it, and profiting without contributing back?
These were critical considerations for an early-stage startup like ours, and we knew we couldn’t afford to get it wrong. We’ve all seen what happened with Elasticsearch and Amazon; cases like this highlight the risks of permissive licenses for smaller teams.
We briefly started with the GPL License, but it didn’t fully meet our needs. Other licenses like MIT and Apache offer unparalleled freedom, but they unfortunately don’t protect smaller teams like ours from the risk of large companies co-opting their work. On the other hand, hybrid licenses that combine open-source with commercial terms felt overly restrictive and complex for developers and businesses who wanted to explore Pythagora.
Why We Chose the Functional Source License (FSL)
After exploring various licensing options, we came across the Functional Source License (FSL). It turned out to be the perfect fit for Pythagora’s use case. The FSL license is part of the broader Fair Source movement, which aims to help companies share access to their core software while maintaining control over their roadmap and business. It’s designed to address concerns faced by modern open-source companies without confusing users with restrictive or unclear rules.
At the heart of this decision is GPT Pilot, Pythagora’s open-source contribution, which exemplifies our commitment to advancing developer tools while aligning with open source principles. By sharing its foundational code, we hope to inspire a new wave of development where AI agents collaborate to build powerful tools.
Here’s why we chose FSL:
1. Two-Year Grace Period
- The FSL includes a two-year grace period, allowing us to share our work openly while ensuring that our innovation stays ahead.
- After two years, others can use the license commercially, but by then, Pythagora will have evolved far beyond its starting point.
2. Promoting Innovation Without Restriction
- Anyone can read GPT Pilot's codebase.
- People can use, modify, and share the software with very few restrictions.
- But there’s one key condition: you can’t compete with the project itself.
3. Simplicity
- Unlike some licenses that require legal expertise to interpret, the FSL is clear and easy to understand, fostering trust and accessibility. You can read about it here.
- By sharing GPT Pilot under FSL, we’re inviting everyone to explore how AI agents can collaborate to build powerful tools while ensuring the sustainability of our product and roadmap.
The Two-Year Grace Period: A Game-Changer for Startups
For startups like Pythagora, this grace period is a game-changer. It gives us room to innovate and grow without fearing that larger companies will swoop in, fork our code, and compete without giving back. This approach creates a win-win for developers and companies, fostering innovation while ensuring fairness.
Joining the Fair Source Movement
At its core, the Fair Source movement is about encouraging companies to share their code responsibly while empowering communities to collaborate, innovate, and contribute. By adopting the Functional Source License, we’re aligning ourselves with this vision, and we believe it’s a forward-thinking approach that empowers both developers and companies to thrive in an open and collaborative environment.
Our commitment to openness doesn’t just stop at transparency. Sharing GPT Pilot with the community allows us to inspire others to build agentic systems and advance the possibilities of AI collaboration. At the same time, FSL provides the safeguards necessary for startups like ours to protect their innovation while staying competitive.
Why FSL Works for Pythagora
The decision to adopt the Functional Source License wasn’t just a technical one; it was about staying true to our values of fairness, sustainability, and collaboration. The FSL allows us to:
- Share our innovation with the world while retaining control over its commercial use.
- Foster community engagement and collaboration with minimal restrictions.
- Scale Pythagora without compromising our ability to grow and innovate.
By sharing GPT Pilot as open source under this license, we’re inviting developers to join us in exploring the potential of AI agent collaboration, without losing sight of the long-term sustainability of our product.
What the Functional Source License Means for You
If you’re a developer or team exploring GPT Pilot, here’s what the FSL means:
- Transparency: You can freely read our code and understand how it works.
- Flexibility: You can use, change, and share GPT Pilot under simple conditions.
- Sustainability: Benefit from Pythagora’s continuous innovation while knowing the project is protected.
We’re excited to share our work and inspire others to build innovative systems like GPT Pilot. At the same time, the FSL ensures that we can continue improving the project while protecting our roadmap and long-term sustainability.
Conclusion
The Functional Source License allows us to achieve our two core goals:
1. Sharing GPT Pilot’s groundbreaking technology with the world, and
2. Protecting the project from potential downsides in a fair and transparent way.
As fans of open source, we’re proud to contribute to the Fair Source movement and hope it encourages more teams to share their work.
If this all resonates with you and you want to help shape the future of open software, we strongly encourage you to explore the Functional Source License and become part of a movement that’s redefining how companies and communities can collaborate, build, and thrive together.
Learn more about Fair Source here and thanks for reading!
-Zvonimir Sabljic, CEO and Co-Founder of Pythagora