Pimcore's license change could fundamentally change your business strategy - find out what you need to know now.
Why Pimcore is Leaving the GPLv3 Behind
Pimcore has decided to move away from the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3) and adopt the Pimcore Open Core License (POCL) instead. This decision is a strategic response to the growing compliance requirements in corporate environments and aims to increase legal certainty for users.
GPLv3, although fundamental to Pimcore's open source roots, has been increasingly challenging for organizations. Its strong copyleft clause meant that derivative works also had to be licensed under GPLv3. This led to legal uncertainty and a high level of review effort in legal and procurement departments.
The Risks and Challenges of GPLv3 for Companies
The use or integration of GPLv3 software can lead to the obligation to disclose internal company code. This source code disclosure obligation created considerable compliance risks. It was also difficult to assess the legal boundaries when using APIs or libraries.
Another critical point was the automatic waiver of certain patent claims during distribution, which could be problematic. There were also liability risks in the supply chain, as license infringements by third parties could fall back on the company.
An additional problem that can arise when using software under GPLv3 relates to tax assessment. As GPLv3 includes a disclosure requirement for derivative works, this can affect the valuation of a company's intangible assets. The need to disclose the source code could reduce the market value of the software, which in turn may have an impact on accounting and tax valuation. Companies must therefore carefully consider the impact of GPLv3 on their tax obligations and whether additional measures are required to minimize potential financial risks.
Introduction of the Pimcore Open Core License (POCL)
The POCL was developed to maintain the openness of the source code but remove the legal hurdles of GPLv3 for companies. Users of the Community Edition continue to have full access to the code of the Pimcore platform and Pimcore Studio, can make customizations and develop extensions without disclosing them.
At the same time, the POCL introduces commercial framework conditions: Offering the Pimcore core as SaaS, PaaS or Managed Service to third parties requires a separate commercial OEM license of Pimcore. In addition, free use of the Community Edition is limited to companies with an annual turnover of less than five million euros.
Which Companies are Affected by the Switch to the POCL
The license change only affects users of the free Community Edition. Companies already using a Pimcore Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition (on-premise or cloud) or Enterprise Edition PaaS under an existing commercial license are not affected; their contracts remain unchanged.
If your organization is using the Community Edition, you need to assess your current situation and understand the implications of the POCL. To do this, you should consider whether you want to move to version 2025.1 or later, whether your annual turnover is above the five million euro mark and whether you offer Pimcore-based services to third parties as SaaS, PaaS or managed services.
Advantages of Upgrading to Commercial Pimcore Editions
The license change can serve as an impetus to reconsider the suitability of the Community Edition and examine the advantages of the commercial Pimcore editions. The Professional Edition offers a commercial license without copyleft obligations and access to the Pimcore Marketplace. It is ideal for organizations that need to ensure compliance but do not yet require advanced enterprise features or support.
The Enterprise Edition offers maximum control, scalability and customization. It includes all enterprise features, full data sovereignty, flexible deployment options and access to professional support. Switching to an Enterprise Edition not only offers legal certainty and extended functionalities, but also a more robust foundation for business-critical data and experience management in complex enterprise landscapes.
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