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wkhtmltoimage is identified by its project as LGPLv3-licensed, not GPL-licensed. Commercial use is not categorically prohibited, but distributing it with a product requires checking the LGPL obligations for the exact build, its components, and how they are linked and delivered. Whether a particular product complies is a legal question, not something the tool’s license label alone can settle.
Is wkhtmltoimage GPL or LGPL?
The project describes wkhtmltoimage as an open-source command-line tool under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 3 (LGPLv3). The upstream repository’s LICENSE file contains LGPLv3, and GitHub labels the repository LGPL-3.0. So “GPL” in the title is often shorthand or a mistaken label: the identified license is the LGPL, which is distinct from the GNU General Public License. Project website · Upstream repository
The project says the tools render HTML into PDF and image formats using the Qt WebKit rendering engine. That description identifies the project’s stated license; it does not establish that every component in every packaged binary has identical terms. Check the notices and license terms accompanying the exact build you use.
Can I use wkhtmltoimage commercially?
Commercial use is not described by the project as prohibited. Qt’s official LGPL guidance says an application may in many cases keep its own source code proprietary when it satisfies the LGPL’s requirements. That is not blanket permission to distribute any integration without conditions: compliance depends on the covered libraries, modifications, linking and packaging choices, and the way users receive the product. Qt LGPL obligations guidance
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Qt also says that if the LGPL requirements are not met, the application or device cannot be distributed under that license. The important distinction is between using software in commercial activity and distributing a product in a way that complies with the license. A company’s internal use, a service delivered over the network, and shipping an installer or device can raise different questions; the cited guidance does not decide a specific deployment’s status.
What should developers review before distributing it?
Use these questions to frame a review, not as a complete legal checklist. Qt expressly cautions that its summary is not a complete list of LGPL requirements and cannot determine whether a specific application complies. Qt LGPL obligations guidance · Qt open-source licensing information
Identify the exact build and components
- Record the precise
wkhtmltoimagebuild and version, and inspect its included license notices. - Identify accompanying Qt, Qt WebKit, and other bundled components. Do not assume every dependency has the same license; Qt says third-party components may carry separate terms.
- Track any changes your team made to the tool or to an LGPL-covered library. The source and modification obligations can depend on what was changed.
Understand linking and packaging
- Determine whether the application uses the relevant library through dynamic or static linking, or distributes the command-line tool as a separate executable. Qt says dynamic linking can permit proprietary application code where it qualifies as a “work that uses the library”; static linking can change the analysis.
- For distribution, assess whether applicable library source and modifications are provided or a compliant written offer is supplied, as applicable.
- Check whether users can replace or relink the LGPL-covered library and whether installation information is needed for the target device.
Check notices, user rights, and platform terms
- Include the required license texts and notices explaining users’ rights.
- Review app-store, device, or other platform restrictions that could prevent users from exercising the freedoms the license requires.
- Have counsel examine whether the combination of components, contracts, or patents creates additional issues for your product.
These are areas to investigate, not a conclusion that a particular approach is compliant. Qt says it cannot provide legal advice on a specific application and recommends an experienced lawyer for a full review.
Does a Qt commercial license change wkhtmltoimage’s license?
Not by itself. Qt offers its framework under commercial and open-source licensing options and recommends a commercial Qt license for some projects that cannot or do not intend to meet open-source terms. That is Qt’s licensing offer; it is not evidence of a separate commercial license for wkhtmltoimage, nor does buying a Qt license automatically clear every dependency bundled with a build. Review the actual grant and the license of each component. Qt licensing · wkhtmltopdf repository
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Project age and a separate security warning
The upstream GitHub repository was archived on January 2, 2023. The project download page lists version 0.12.6 as the stable series, released June 11, 2020. These project status details do not answer the license question, but they matter when deciding whether to adopt the tool: verify that its maintenance status and platform support fit your requirements. Repository status · Project downloads
The project separately warns against using wkhtmltoimage with untrusted HTML: user-supplied HTML or JavaScript should be sanitized because it can lead to complete server takeover. This is a security concern, not an LGPL obligation. Treat untrusted input as a serious execution risk and assess whether this archived tool is appropriate for the workload. Project warning
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does LGPLv3 require publishing my entire application’s source code?
Not necessarily. Qt says application source may remain proprietary in many cases if the LGPL requirements are met; the specific linking, distribution, and component details need review.
Does paying for a Qt commercial license automatically license wkhtmltoimage commercially?
No such effect is established by the project or Qt materials cited here. Check the actual license grant for Qt, wkhtmltoimage, and every included dependency.
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