The aim of the CORSIKA project is to creat a scientific, and collaborative software framework as a fundamental tool for research. The collaborative agreement and licinsing scheme are based on the guidelines layed out by HSF [[1]](https://hepsoftwarefoundation.org/activities/licensing.html) and CERN [[2,](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiLqKG00dXdAhUOZFAKHdIwAh4QFjAAegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Findico.cern.ch%2Fcategory%2F4251%2Fattachments%2F101%2F505%2FOSL-2012-01-Open_Source_Licences_at_CERN-Short_version.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1n4S0PQCSeE6wbdfdhKDqF), [,3]](http://legal.web.cern.ch/licensing/software), and follow the examples of other big scientific software projects.
The CORSIKA project very much welcomes all collaboration and contributions. The aim of the CORSIKA project is to create a scientific software framework as a fundamental tool for research. The collaborative agreement and licinsing scheme are based on the guidelines layed out by HSF [[1]](https://hepsoftwarefoundation.org/activities/licensing.html) and CERN [[2]](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiLqKG00dXdAhUOZFAKHdIwAh4QFjAAegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Findico.cern.ch%2Fcategory%2F4251%2Fattachments%2F101%2F505%2FOSL-2012-01-Open_Source_Licences_at_CERN-Short_version.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1n4S0PQCSeE6wbdfdhKDqF), [[3]](http://legal.web.cern.ch/licensing/software), and follow the examples of other big scientific software projects.
The CORSIKA project consists of the contributions from the scientific community and individulas in a best effort to deliver the best computing performance and physics output possible.
## The software license of the CORSIKA project
The license adopted by the CORSIKA project will be the explicit coyleft licencse GPLv3, as copyied in full in the file [LICENSE](LICENSE).
The license adopted by the CORSIKA project is the explicit coyleft licencse GPLv3, as copyied in full in the file [LICENSE](LICENSE). Each source file of the CORSIKA project contains a short statement of the copyright and license. The code, documentation and content in the folder [ThirdParty](ThirdParty) is not part of the CORSIKA project and can be based on other licences. Check the content of this folder for details. It depends on the configuration of the build system to what extend this code is used to build CORRSIKA.
## Definition of coyright holder
For legal reasons and the ability to maintin the CORSIKA project effectively over a very long lifespan of several decades, all contibuters are required to yield their copyright to the CORSIKA project, and it decision making stucture, as defined in this document.
