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Is GNU Lesser GPL v3.0 compatible with Beerware License?

Yes — but the combined work must be released under the more restrictive license.

GNU Lesser GPL v3.0 is a file-level (or library-level) copyleft license. You can include GNU Lesser GPL v3.0 files in a Beerware License project; the GNU Lesser GPL v3.0 files retain their copyleft obligation (changes must be released), while the project at large can stay Beerware License. Keep file boundaries clear.

About these licenses

LicenseFamilyPatent grant
GNU Lesser GPL v3.0 (LGPL-3.0) weak-copyleft Yes
Beerware License (Beerware) permissive No (implicit at most)

GNU Lesser GPL v3.0: Same library-linking permission as LGPL-2.1, with GPLv3's patent provisions inherited.

Beerware License: Joke license: 'if we meet someday, you can buy me a beer.' Not legally rigorous.

What to do next

If you found this page because you're trying to figure out whether shipping a particular dependency is safe, the answer above is a starting point — not a substitute for reading the actual licenses or talking to a lawyer when stakes are high.

LicenseHound walks every transitive dependency in your repo, maps each to its SPDX license, and flags pairs like this one in PR comments. The CLI is free; the team dashboard is paid.

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