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ClearlyDefined

ClearlyDefined is an open source project that collects and improves licensing, security, and other information about free and open source software.

Place
#21 of 28
Score
5.9
ClearlyDefined's website

What ClearlyDefined is

ClearlyDefined is an open source project that collects and improves licensing, security, and other information about free and open source software. It combines harvested data with contributor curation and links records to source code or packages. Definitions may include declared and discovered licenses, attribution parties, file details, and source information. Harvesting can use tools such as ScanCode and FOSSology. You can browse the dataset through a web interface or connect systems through the REST API. Documented providers include GitHub, Maven Central, NpmJS, NuGet, GitLab, and crates.io. Contributors submit curation changes through the API, which ultimately become pull requests in a configured repository. ClearlyDefined assigns component coordinates and supports links between components, but does not attempt to solve the broader identity problem. Source code uses the MIT license and data is distributed under CC0. The Open Source Initiative manages the project, with participation through GitHub and Discord.

Good

  • Open source code under the MIT license
  • Data distributed under CC0
  • Combines harvested and curated component data
  • REST API supports system integration
  • Covers major package providers

Watch out

  • Does not solve component identity
  • Production POST endpoints have rate limits
  • No obligation tracking
  • Curation changes surface through pull requests

Who it suits

ClearlyDefined suits developers, compliance teams, and open source communities that need licensing and related component data. Its web, API, and self-hosted access support both browsing and integration.

Verdict

ClearlyDefined offers openly licensed component information through a web interface, REST API, and self-hosted options. Its harvesting and curation model is useful for software metadata, while identity resolution remains outside its stated scope.

Plans and prices

From ClearlyDefined's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
ClearlyDefinedFreeAll data is available for everyone to see and use

The facts

Each one read from ClearlyDefined's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Access
Users can browse the data in a web UI or connect their systems through the REST API.checked 4 Oct 2026
API limits
On the production API, POST requests to definitions, curations, and notices are limited to 250 per minute, while other endpoints allow up to 2,000 requests per minute.checked 4 Oct 2026
Community support
The project invites participation through its GitHub community and Discord forum.checked 4 Oct 2026
Curation
Contributors can submit curation changes through the API, where they ultimately surface as pull requests in the configured curation repository.checked 4 Oct 2026
Data
The project manages harvested data, curated data, and a merge of both, relating data to source code or packages.checked 4 Oct 2026
Governance
The FAQ says ClearlyDefined is managed by the Open Source Initiative.checked 4 Oct 2026
Harvesting
ClearlyDefined can harvest component data using tools such as ScanCode and FOSSology.checked 4 Oct 2026
Integrations
The documented provider list includes GitHub, Maven Central, NpmJS, NuGet, GitLab, crates.io, and other package providers.checked 4 Oct 2026
License information
Definitions can include declared and discovered licenses, attribution parties, file details, and source information.checked 4 Oct 2026
Open source terms
The source code is licensed under MIT and the data is distributed under CC0.checked 4 Oct 2026
Purpose
ClearlyDefined is an open source project that crowdsources the gathering, curation, and upstreaming of licensing, security, and other data about free and open source projects.checked 4 Oct 2026
Scope limit
ClearlyDefined assigns unique coordinates to components and allows links between them, but says it is not attempting to solve the identity problem.checked 4 Oct 2026

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