API source code has a dependency with BSD license

Question

I have an API that I use for commercial purposes. I find out today that I have dependencies with licence types: BSD (3-Clause), BSD, Apache, and MIT.

I am confused as the BSD (3-Clause) license states that: "The BSD UNIX license states one may copy, modify and redistribute the code so long as one retains a copy of the original copyright statement."

While I am not modifying my dependencies, they are part of the source code. Hence, I wonder if I should notify our users/clients about the code dependencies that we use.

Answer 1

Yes, you should!

Otherwise you become liable of copyright infringement.

You may use the code only on the conditions laid out in the license. The BSD license asks you to credit the authors by retaining their copyright statement and disclaimer and communicating that to both, recipients of your binary as well as the recipients of your source code (if you distribute the latter, you don't need to distribute the sources):

Copyright YEAR COPYRIGHT HOLDER

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.