In RAT License Family has a unique ID that is exactly 5 characters (I want to change this), and a Name. So we have license family like: <family id="AL" name="Apache License" /> and <family id="GPL" name="GNU General Public License family" />
Licenses belong to a family, have their own unique ID, a name, a matcher, and an optional note. If the license ID is not specified it defaults to the family id. So we have families like <license family="AL" id="AL1.0" name="Apache License 1.0"> <any>...</any> <note>Retired. Use Apache License 2.0</note> </license> <license family="AL" id="AL1.1" name="Apache License 1.1"> <any>...</any> <note>Retired. Use Apache License 2.0</note> </license> <license family="AL" id="AL2.0" name="Apache License 2.0"> <any>...</any> </license> Then in the configuration you can enbable/disable the entire family. I think there is a ticket to add individual license enable/disable to the configuration. So the license family ID and the license ID serve to uniquely identify the family or license within the configuration. On Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 8:48 AM Robert Stupp <[email protected]> wrote: > +1 > > The term family avoids confusion with Apache A/B/X license categories. > > One question: Is the license ID used in RAT more equivalent to a > "full" SPDX license ID like `GPL-2.0-only WITH > Classpath-Exception-2.0`, so an SPDX license with (or without) an > exception? > > On Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 8:22 PM P. Ottlinger <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > Am 16.11.25 um 13:46 schrieb Claude Warren: > > > We need to settle on at least one point of nomenclature. > > > > > > Licenses belong to one family or category. For example Apache 1, > Apache > > > 1.1 and Apache 2 all belong to the Apache (family or category) of > licenses. > > > > > > I would like to settle on the name "family". If there are any strong > > > objections speak now or forever hold your peace. > > > > +1 for family - > > I guess we will have to update the webpage and documentation as it mixes > > both words. > > > > Thanks, > > Phil > -- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/claudewarren
