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Mock License Header Generator

Used by developers, writers, and creators worldwide.

A mock license header generator produces the comment block that goes at the top of a source file to declare its license. Many projects add a short license header to each file, stating the copyright and the terms under which the code may be used, and getting the wording right matters legally. This tool emits header comments for the common licenses — MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL 3.0, and proprietary. Choose a license and copy the header. It is ideal for open-source projects, documenting licensing, and standardising headers across a codebase. The headers follow the conventional wording for each license, with placeholders for the year and copyright holder to fill in. These are illustrative templates; for anything legally significant, use the official license text and consider legal advice.

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How to use

  1. Choose your options above
  2. Click Generate
  3. Copy your result

Detailed instructions

  1. Choose a license.
  2. Click Generate to produce a header.
  3. Fill in the year and copyright holder.
  4. Use the official license text for legal needs.

Use Cases

  • •Adding a license header to a file
  • •Standardising headers in a codebase
  • •Documenting project licensing
  • •Open-sourcing a project
  • •Learning license header formats

Tips

  • →Headers reinforce your LICENSE file.
  • →Fill in the year and holder.
  • →Use official text for legal matters.
  • →The license affects how code is reused.

FAQ

why add a license header to files

A per-file header states the copyright and the license terms right where the code lives, so anyone viewing a single file knows how it may be used. It reinforces the project's LICENSE file and travels with the code if a file is copied elsewhere.

are these the official license texts

They are illustrative header templates following the conventional wording, not the full official license text. For anything legally significant, use the official license and consider legal advice — the headers here are for learning and scaffolding.

how do i choose a license

It depends on how you want your code used. Permissive licenses like MIT and Apache allow broad reuse, while copyleft licenses like GPL require derivative works to stay open. The choice has real implications, so it is worth researching or seeking advice.