# License badge in 3D Slicer and related repositories \`README\` files

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280>\
**Category:** Community\
**Tags:** license\
**Created:** [October 17, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280 "2023-10-17T19:12:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jhlegarreta](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jhlegarreta/32/66542_2.png) [@jhlegarreta](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jhlegarreta)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280/1 "2023-10-17T19:12:42Z")

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Hi,

I was about to add a License badge to the `README` files of some of our 3D Slicer-related repositories that use exactly the same license as 3D Slicer, and was  
going to do the same for 3D Slicer as I see that the badge is not displayed.

However, some concerns were raised about the shield,  
[License: BSD](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-BSD-green.svg)

as the 3D Slicer license text may be a customized version of BSD, so the shield, or maybe the “BSD” text itself, may not be appropriate.

What are the thoughts about this? Maybe a custom text in the shield  
(e.g. BSD style) would be faithful enough for the license type?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![pieper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pieper/32/8_2.png) [@pieper](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pieper)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280/2 "2023-10-17T22:01:11Z")

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You can read some background here: [About 3D Slicer — 3D Slicer documentation](https://slicer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user_guide/about.html#license)

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**Author:** ![jcfr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jcfr/32/17825_2.png) [@jcfr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jcfr)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280/3 "2023-10-17T22:01:17Z")

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For context, you may be interested in reading the following.  
See [https://slicer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user\_guide/about.html#license](https://slicer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user_guide/about.html#license)

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**Author:** ![jcfr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jcfr/32/17825_2.png) [@jcfr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jcfr)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280/4 "2023-10-17T22:04:39Z")

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To help with this, we discussed submitting the Slicer license so that it is added to the SPDX license list.

This should then allow us to move forward with having the license detected by GitHub, which in turn should allow to automatically generate a badge.

> [@Proposal: Add the Slicer license to SPDX license list](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/proposal-add-the-slicer-license-to-spdx-license-list/28664):
>
> What is the SPDX License List ? The SPDX License List is an integral part of the SPDX Specification. The SPDX License List itself is a list of commonly found licenses and exceptions used in free and open or collaborative software, data, hardware, or documentation. The SPDX License List includes a standardized short identifier, the full name, the license text, and a canonical permanent URL for each license and exception. See [SPDX License List | Software Package Data Exchange (SPDX)](https://spdx.org/licenses/)Why should…

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**Author:** ![jhlegarreta](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jhlegarreta/32/66542_2.png) [@jhlegarreta](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jhlegarreta)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/license-badge-in-3d-slicer-and-related-repositories-readme-files/32280/5 "2023-10-18T15:13:44Z")

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OK. Thanks for the answers, Steve and JC. Have gone through the information in the links pointed. It has been informative.

Thanks for all this work, and thanks @jcfr for having submitted the request yesterday to the SPDX list