Open Source
MetaTana uses open-source software. Each open-source part is licensed to you under its own licence. We do not own these parts. Their copyright belongs to their authors.
MetaTana's own code is proprietary and belongs to Watari Labs Pty Ltd. Our Terms of Service cover MetaTana itself. They do not limit your rights under the licence of any open-source part.
What MetaTana Includes
These are the main parts that need a licence notice or a source code offer, and which download includes each one.
| Part | Licence | macOS app | Windows app | Linux app | Docker image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg and FFprobe | GNU GPL version 3 | Your own copy | Included | Your own copy | Included |
| libvips (through sharp) | GNU LGPL version 3 or later (libvips); Apache 2.0 (sharp) | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Electron, Chromium and Node.js | MIT (Electron), BSD 3-Clause (Chromium), and the licences of their parts | Included | Included | Included | Not included |
| better-sqlite3 and SQLite | MIT (better-sqlite3); public domain (SQLite) | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| mediainfo.js (MediaInfoLib, ZenLib, zlib) | BSD 2-Clause; zlib | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Inter font | SIL Open Font License 1.1 | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Node.js and Debian base packages | MIT (Node.js); GPL, LGPL and other licences (Debian packages) | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Other JavaScript packages | Mostly MIT, Apache 2.0, ISC and BSD | Included | Included | Included | Included |
- FFmpeg and FFprobe. The Windows app ships the BtbN FFmpeg 8.1 GPL build unchanged, with LICENSE.txt and SOURCE.txt next to ffmpeg.exe in the app's media-tools folder. The Docker image is moving to the same pinned BtbN GPL build, with its licence and SOURCE.txt in the image's /licenses folder. The macOS and Linux desktop apps do not include FFmpeg. They use the ffmpeg you install.
- libvips (through sharp). MetaTana uses libvips for image work. It is a separate shared library that MetaTana loads at run time, and the LGPL lets you replace it with your own build. The libvips build also contains other libraries, such as GLib, Pango, cairo, librsvg and libheif, under the LGPL, MPL, BSD, MIT and similar licences.
- Electron, Chromium and Node.js. The desktop apps run on Electron. Chromium includes its own FFmpeg library for media playback, under the GNU LGPL version 2.1 or later. Chromium's full credits list is LICENSES.chromium.html, which ships in the Windows and Linux app folders.
- better-sqlite3 and SQLite. MetaTana stores your library database with SQLite.
- mediainfo.js (MediaInfoLib, ZenLib, zlib). MetaTana reads media file details with a WebAssembly build of MediaInfoLib.
- Inter font. The typeface used in the app and on this website.
- Node.js and Debian base packages. The Docker image is built on the official Node.js slim image, which contains Debian packages. Their copyright files are in /usr/share/doc inside the image.
- Other JavaScript packages. Several hundred smaller packages. Help › Licences in the app lists each one with its licence.
“Your own copy” means MetaTana does not include that part. It uses the copy you install, so that copy comes to you under its own terms from wherever you got it.
Licence Texts And Notices
- In the app: open Help › Licences. It lists the open-source packages MetaTana ships and the licence of each one, with a link to the licence text.
- Windows app: the
media-toolsfolder inside the app's resources folder holdsLICENSE.txt(the GNU GPL version 3) andSOURCE.txt, which names the exact FFmpeg build and where its source code is. - Docker image: images built with the pinned FFmpeg build have a
/licensesfolder with the GNU GPL version 3 text,SOURCE.txtfor FFmpeg, and a note about the Debian base packages. - Anything else: if you need the full licence text or copyright notice for any part, email support@watari.dev and we will send it.
Source Code For Open-Source Parts
MetaTana includes open-source software. Some of it, including FFmpeg, libvips and parts of Electron, is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) or the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). Those licences give you the right to get the complete corresponding source code.
You can download the source code for each MetaTana release at https://github.com/metatana/oss-sources/releases/tag/metatana-2.0.0, at no charge.
For at least three years after we last distribute a release, we will also give anyone who has a copy of that release the corresponding source code, either as a download at no charge or on a physical medium for no more than our cost of making and sending it. Email support@watari.dev and name the MetaTana version and platform.
The Docker image also contains Debian packages. Their source code is available from Debian and, on request, from us on the same terms.
Your Rights Under These Licences
Nothing in our Terms of Service limits the rights you have under the licence of an open-source part. Where a licence such as the GNU LGPL allows it, you may modify the open-source parts MetaTana uses, replace them with your own versions, and reverse engineer MetaTana as far as needed to debug those changes.
Questions about open-source licences in MetaTana can be sent to support@watari.dev.