Question 1

How should I use this Creative Commons license picker?

Accepted Answer

Answer the questions based on the permission you want to offer, not only the way you expect people to use the work today. The picker is a plain-language starting point: open the exact Creative Commons deed, confirm the rights you control, and document the selected version before publishing a license notice.

Question 2

What is the difference between CC0 and an attribution license?

Accepted Answer

CC0 is a public-domain dedication intended to waive copyright and related rights as far as the law allows, so it does not require credit. CC BY and the other BY variants require attribution and add conditions such as NonCommercial, ShareAlike, or NoDerivatives. Credit is still appreciated with CC0, even when it is not a license condition.

Question 3

Can I combine ShareAlike and NoDerivatives?

Accepted Answer

No. ShareAlike governs adaptations, while NoDerivatives does not permit distributing adapted versions. If derivatives are not allowed, this picker does not offer ShareAlike as a separate choice and resolves to a NoDerivatives variant instead.

Question 4

Why do I still need to inspect the deed and confirm rights ownership?

Accepted Answer

The picker translates a few common choices into a standard license label; it does not verify that you own every copyright, sample, performance, or neighboring right in the work. Read the canonical deed and legal code for the jurisdiction, check co-writer and contract obligations, and get qualified advice for a disputed or high-value release.

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