Open Source Compliance
REUSE Compliance Checker
Enter a file header to check REUSE compliance — correct SPDX-FileCopyrightText and SPDX-License-Identifier format, and whether the license identifier is valid.
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About this tool
REUSE Compliance Checker
The REUSE Compliance Checker validates file headers against the REUSE specification for correct SPDX-FileCopyrightText and SPDX-License-Identifier format.
• Check a new file's header for REUSE compliance before committing
• Validate the SPDX-License-Identifier format for a file in a REUSE-compliant project
• Understand the REUSE format requirements before adopting the specification
• Check whether a binary file header is handled correctly via DEP5 or .license
Next step
Continue with Utility Matrix tools for the next decision in this workflow.
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FAQ
What does this tool tell you?
The REUSE Compliance Checker validates file headers against the REUSE specification for correct SPDX-FileCopyrightText and SPDX-License-Identifier format.
What affects the result most?
REUSE specification requires SPDX-FileCopyrightText and SPDX-License-Identifier in every source file. File header format: '// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Author Name' followed by '// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT'. LICENSES/ directory: every SPDX identifier used must have a corresponding LICENSE file.
How should I use the result?
Treat the tool's output as a first-pass check, not a proof of correctness. A clean pass means no issues in the patterns this tool recognizes; a failure points to a specific problem you can investigate in your source. The underlying spec is the authoritative source for edge cases.
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