How To Evaluate Open Source Software

The first thing to look at is the what license the code has been released under. If the license is incompatible with the intended final project, there’s really no need to look at the project further. Do you intend to release your final project as open source? If so, than the GPL or one of it’s relatives might be a good fit. GPL code is also generally acceptable in use in web applications, where you are not redistributing a final binary and the product is the service the application provides. However, if you are planning on selling your application, avoid the GPL like the plague. Friendlier licenses like BSD and Apache give the author leeway to build whatever they like, and distribute it however they like.