# GPL Linking exception

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/gpl-linking-exception/5401>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [November 11, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/gpl-linking-exception/5401 "2012-11-11T16:12:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nathan)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/gpl-linking-exception/5401/1 "2012-11-11T16:12:39Z")

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Does anybody know if it is possible to write a 3rd parth Ignition GPL module that falls under the “classpath exception” or “GPL Linking Exception”? Obviously, Inductive Automation can’t release GPL software without turning the whole platform GPL.

[en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL\_linking\_exception](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_linking_exception)

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**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/gpl-linking-exception/5401/2 "2012-11-11T17:06:14Z")

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Not sure what you mean here.

Do you want to release a module under the GPL but allow others to link against it under that exception?

Or do you want to release a module that uses a GPL’d library and hope you can avoid releasing the source code, citing the exception as the reason you don’t need to release it?

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**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nathan)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/gpl-linking-exception/5401/3 "2012-11-11T18:05:51Z")

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In either case - can you release a module that uses someone elses open source GPL code (releasing your source code as well)? The issue in question is whether the platform can legally remain closed source/commercial while allowing a 3rd party module to use GPL.

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**Author:** ![Carl.Gould](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/carl.gould/32/7262_2.png) [@Carl.Gould](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Carl.Gould)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/gpl-linking-exception/5401/4 "2013-03-29T18:18:00Z")

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I think so. I’m no laywer, but I can’t see how we’d be drawn into GPL if a third party added a module that linked against a GPL library. Seems like if that was the case, then if you installed a GPL program onto Windows, then Windows itself would become GPL (obviously not the case)