SPDX Identifier: Elastic-2.0
- Elastic-2.0 is not OSI-approved open source
- Prohibited uses:
- Providing it as a managed service (Managed Service)
- Using it as a core feature of a competing product
- Circumventing licensing/protection mechanisms
- Permitted uses:
- Internal use
- Integrating it into your own service/product (when not a competing service)
- Modification and redistribution (when the conditions are observed)
Elastic License 2.0 has three Limitations:
- Prohibition on providing a managed service: You may not provide Elasticsearch/Kibana as a service
- Prohibition on circumventing the license: You may not remove the software’s protection mechanisms
- Trademark use restriction: You may not use the Elastic trademark in a misleading way
Be sure to consult the OSPO before including it in a product/service.
What Is Elastic License 2.0?
Elastic License 2.0 (ELv2) is the license that Elastic introduced in 2021 when it changed the license of Elasticsearch and Kibana from Apache-2.0.
Background of the License Change
Before January 2021: Apache-2.0
- AWS provided Elasticsearch as a managed service (Amazon Elasticsearch Service)
- This infringed on Elastic’s revenue model
After January 2021: Elastic License 2.0 + SSPL dual license
- Restricted AWS from providing the managed service
- Result: AWS forked it as OpenSearch
The Three Limitations
1. Prohibition on Providing a Managed Service
Prohibited: Providing the substantial functionality of the software as a service to third parties
Specific examples:
Prohibited cases:
- Providing “Elasticsearch as a Service”
- Providing “Managed Kibana”
- Providing Elasticsearch clusters to customers as a managed offering
Permitted cases:
- Using Elasticsearch as the backend of your own service
- Implementing internal search functionality
- Building a log analysis system
2. Prohibition on Use as a Core Feature of a Competing Product
Prohibited: Circumventing the software’s functionality or creating a competing product
Specific examples:
Prohibited cases:
- Circumventing the restrictions on Elasticsearch’s paid features
- Removing the license check of X-Pack features
- Developing a product that provides Elastic’s commercial features for free
Permitted cases:
- A general application that uses Elasticsearch as a search engine
- Developing log collection and analysis tools
3. Trademark Use Restriction
Prohibited: Using the Elastic trademark in a misleading way
Specific examples:
Prohibited cases:
- “Powered by Elasticsearch” (without official approval)
- “Elasticsearch Compatible” (potentially misleading)
Permitted cases:
- “Works with Elasticsearch” (a factual statement)
- “Built on Elasticsearch technology” (a clear factual statement)