# Sluice Licence FAQ Sluice is published under the **Elastic Licence 2.0 (ELv2)**. This page explains in plain English what that means for you. If in doubt, read the [full licence text](LICENSE) or contact us. --- ## Can I use Sluice to run data migrations for my own business? **Yes, absolutely.** If you are running Sluice internally — your own team, your own data, your own migration project — you are welcome to use it free of charge with no restrictions. That is exactly what it was built for. --- ## Can I use Sluice as part of an internal IT project or toolchain? **Yes.** Embedding Sluice in internal scripts, automation pipelines, or tooling used within your own organisation is permitted. --- ## Can I modify Sluice for my own use? **Yes.** You can fork the repository, modify the code, and run your modified version internally. You are not required to publish your changes, though contributions back to the project are always welcome. --- ## Can I use Sluice to deliver a data migration project for a client? **No.** Using Sluice as the basis of a commercial service delivered to third parties — for example, running Sluice pipelines on behalf of a paying client as part of a consultancy engagement — requires a commercial licence from Caracal Lynx Limited. This restriction exists because Sluice is the core product of Caracal Lynx's data migration practice. We are happy for businesses to use it for themselves; we are not able to allow other consultancies to compete directly using our tool without an agreement in place. --- ## I am a consultant. Can I recommend Sluice to my clients and help them set it up? **Yes, with a distinction.** You may recommend Sluice to clients and help them understand it. The restriction applies when Sluice is central to a commercial service *you* are delivering — i.e. you are operating or running pipelines on the client's behalf as a paid engagement. If the client is operating Sluice themselves after your initial help, that is their internal use and is permitted. If you are unsure whether your situation requires a commercial licence, please contact us — we would rather clarify upfront than create problems later. --- ## Can I resell Sluice or white-label it as my own product? **No.** Reselling, repackaging, or white-labelling Sluice — with or without modifications — is not permitted under ELv2. --- ## Can I write and publish plugins or adapters for Sluice? **Yes.** Building and publishing `sluice-adapter-*` or `sluice-plugin-*` packages on npm is encouraged. The restriction on commercial use applies to Sluice itself; it does not prevent you from building and selling plugins or adapters as separate products, provided those products do not effectively replicate Sluice's core functionality. --- ## Can I contribute to the Sluice codebase? **Yes, and thank you.** Pull requests are welcome. By submitting a contribution you agree that your code is licenced under the same ELv2 terms as the rest of the project, and that Caracal Lynx Limited retains the right to include it in future releases (including any future commercial releases). --- ## What if I want to use Sluice commercially? Contact us. We offer commercial licences for consultancies and service providers who want to use Sluice as part of a paid offering. Pricing is by arrangement and depends on the nature and scale of use. 📧 **sluice@caracallynx.com** 🌐 **Caracal Lynx Limited** — registered in Scotland, SC826823 --- ## Is this "open source"? Technically, no. The Elastic Licence 2.0 is a *source available* licence — the code is fully public, you can read it, fork it, and use it for internal purposes, but it does not meet the OSI definition of "open source" because of the restriction on commercial service use. We have chosen this approach to keep Sluice accessible to businesses while protecting the consultancy practice that funds its development. --- *This FAQ is a plain-English guide and does not constitute legal advice. The [LICENSE](LICENSE) file is the authoritative legal text. Last updated: April 2026.*