License

How we read the Elastic License 2.0

This section explains how we, the maintainers of Pipelex, read the license, so that you can tell whether your use is fine. The license itself follows, in full, at the end of this page.

What does the license cover?

The Elastic License 2.0 is a source-available license: you may use, copy, distribute, modify and build on the software, within the limitations and conditions it sets. It applies to pipelex (the Python runtime), pipelex-api (the runner API server) and @pipelex/mcp (the MCP server), for every version released after 2026-09-14. Every earlier version of them stays under the MIT license it was released with.

The other Pipelex repositories, such as the SDKs, the starters and the plugins, keep their own licenses, and so does the MTHDS language standard.

What can I do with Pipelex?

Nearly everything you would want to. For instance, all of these uses are fine:

Embedding pipelex in your own product, including a service you offer to others whose features run your methods behind the scenes, such as a contract-review product that runs your methods on the documents its customers upload.
Using Pipelex in your internal tools.
Running pipelex-api or the MCP server for your own team or company, on your own infrastructure or in your own cloud account.

What is not allowed?

One thing: using our software to host a service that runs any method for anyone. For instance, these uses are not allowed:

Offering third parties a hosted API or runner that executes methods, whether they send the methods themselves or pick them from a catalog you make available.
Offering third parties a remote MCP server through which they run the methods of their choice, their own or a catalog's.
Offering a managed "Pipelex as a service", where your customers get Pipelex itself, operated by you.

The difference from the uses above is what your customers come for. In your own product, they come for what the product does, and your methods are how it does it: the customers of a contract-review product get their contracts reviewed, however many methods run behind it. In a service that runs methods, whether sent to it or picked from a catalog, running methods is what they come for, and what they get is Pipelex itself.

This is how the license says it:

You may not provide the software to third parties as a hosted or managed service, where the service provides users with access to any substantial set of the features or functionality of the software.

What else does the license ask of me?

You must not remove, alter or obscure the licensing, copyright or other notices in the software.
Anyone who gets a copy of any part of the software from you must also get a copy of the license.
If you modify the software, your modified copies must carry prominent notices saying that you modified it.

The license text below, which each project ships as its LICENSE file, gives the exact terms.

What is this page?

Apart from the license text at its end, this page is an explanation of how Pipelex reads the Elastic License 2.0. It does not modify the license, add to it or grant any rights of its own: the license, as written in LICENSE, governs. If you have a question about your use, write to oss@pipelex.com.

Full text of the Elastic License 2.0

Elastic License 2.0

URL: https://www.elastic.co/licensing/elastic-license

Acceptance

By using the software, you agree to all of the terms and conditions below.

Copyright License

The licensor grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, non-sublicensable, non-transferable license to use, copy, distribute, make available, and prepare derivative works of the software, in each case subject to the limitations and conditions below.

Limitations

You may not provide the software to third parties as a hosted or managed service, where the service provides users with access to any substantial set of the features or functionality of the software.

You may not move, change, disable, or circumvent the license key functionality in the software, and you may not remove or obscure any functionality in the software that is protected by the license key.

You may not alter, remove, or obscure any licensing, copyright, or other notices of the licensor in the software. Any use of the licensor’s trademarks is subject to applicable law.

Patents

The licensor grants you a license, under any patent claims the licensor can license, or becomes able to license, to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale, import and have imported the software, in each case subject to the limitations and conditions in this license. This license does not cover any patent claims that you cause to be infringed by modifications or additions to the software. If you or your company make any written claim that the software infringes or contributes to infringement of any patent, your patent license for the software granted under these terms ends immediately. If your company makes such a claim, your patent license ends immediately for work on behalf of your company.

Notices

You must ensure that anyone who gets a copy of any part of the software from you also gets a copy of these terms.

If you modify the software, you must include in any modified copies of the software prominent notices stating that you have modified the software.

No Other Rights

These terms do not imply any licenses other than those expressly granted in these terms.

Termination

If you use the software in violation of these terms, such use is not licensed, and your licenses will automatically terminate. If the licensor provides you with a notice of your violation, and you cease all violation of this license no later than 30 days after you receive that notice, your licenses will be reinstated retroactively. However, if you violate these terms after such reinstatement, any additional violation of these terms will cause your licenses to terminate automatically and permanently.

No Liability

As far as the law allows, the software comes as is, without any warranty or condition, and the licensor will not be liable to you for any damages arising out of these terms or the use or nature of the software, under any kind of legal claim.

Definitions

The licensor is the entity offering these terms, and the software is the software the licensor makes available under these terms, including any portion of it.

you refers to the individual or entity agreeing to these terms.

your company is any legal entity, sole proprietorship, or other kind of organization that you work for, plus all organizations that have control over, are under the control of, or are under common control with that organization. control means ownership of substantially all the assets of an entity, or the power to direct its management and policies by vote, contract, or otherwise. Control can be direct or indirect.

your licenses are all the licenses granted to you for the software under these terms.

use means anything you do with the software requiring one of your licenses.

trademark means trademarks, service marks, and similar rights.