# Swift is open-source but is it patent-free as well?

**URL:** <https://forums.swift.org/t/swift-is-open-source-but-is-it-patent-free-as-well/19483>\
**Category:** Discussion\
**Created:** [January 13, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://forums.swift.org/t/swift-is-open-source-but-is-it-patent-free-as-well/19483 "2019-01-13T20:50:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

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**Author:** ![nuclearace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@nuclearace](https://forums.swift.org/u/nuclearace)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://forums.swift.org/t/swift-is-open-source-but-is-it-patent-free-as-well/19483/5 "2019-01-14T18:35:38Z")

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> [@ebup](#):
>
> If Apple has patented parts of Swift, then at any time they can demand payment for anyone using the patented parts of the language or runtime, and you may find the friendly face disappears and is replaced by the angry monster demanding a pound of flesh.

In what context are you talking about? Are you thinking about lifting pieces of code of the Swift compiler into your own work? Because with that, I think you might run into issues with the license and any patents used in the software.

Or are you talking about using Swift on your server/app/IoT device? Because if they could do this, and did, I could almost guarantee a tremendous backlash that would almost certainly cause Swift adoption to drop to next to nothing. So I wouldn't worry too much about it.

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