Software licences - GCSE Computer Science Definition

Software licences are legal agreements that tell you how you can use a piece of software. When you buy or download software, you're not actually buying the software itself, but rather getting permission to use it in certain ways. These licences can set rules about things like how many devices you can install the software on or whether you can share it with others. Some licences are strict, meaning you can't change the software or see its coding, while others, like open-source licences, let you look at and modify the code if you want to. Understanding software licences is important because it helps you know what you're legally allowed to do with the software you use.