Terraform, a popular open-source infrastructure as code (IaC) tool, recently announced a change to its licensing model. Starting January 1, 2023, Terraform will be licensed under the HashiCorp Business Source License (HBSL). This change has been met with mixed reactions from the community, with understandably some members expressing concerns.
In fact, it even triggered an open-source fork of Terraform called Open Tofu
From what I can deduce, there are several reasons why some members of the Terraform community are upset about the change to HBSL.
HBSL restricts the use of Terraform in commercial products. While HBSL is a permissive license, it does require commercial users to agree to certain terms, such as providing support for Terraform and not using it to compete with HashiCorp's commercial offerings. This has led some to worry that the change will make it more difficult to use Terraform in commercial products and that it will stifle innovation.
HashiCorp has not been transparent about the reasons for the change. There has been some speculation that HashiCorp is trying to lock in its customers and prevent them from using Terraform alternatives. However, HashiCorp has not publicly stated its reasons for the change.
The change has been made without community input. The Terraform community has been largely excluded from the decision-making process surrounding the change to HBSL. This has led to some feeling that HashiCorp is not respecting the community's input and that the change is being made in a self-serving way.
The contrasting perspective
I wonder if the crux of things is because of the change. We're not super great with change especially when it's unexpected. I remember reading once that it isn't the act that hurts when trust is damaged but rather it is the surprise of the damage that hurts.
That being said, commercial hat on, I can understand a perspective of being slightly miffed that competing products (once you've decided that revenue is important) are using the ground you've laid to make their competitor.
There could however be potential benefits of the change.
On the one hand, the change to HBSL could make it more difficult for commercial users to use Terraform. This could lead to some users switching to alternative IaC tools. However, it is important to note that HBSL is still a permissive license and that it still allows for a wide range of use cases. Additionally, there are a number of other open-source IaC tools available that can be used in commercial products.
On the other hand, the change to HBSL could give HashiCorp more flexibility to develop and innovate Terraform. It could also make it easier for HashiCorp to attract commercial support for Terraform. This could ultimately benefit the Terraform community as a whole.
Overall, I believe that the change to HBSL is a mixed bag for the Terraform community. There are potential benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to weigh these carefully. I hope that HashiCorp will continue to engage with the community and address the concerns that have been raised.
Conclusion
The change to HBSL is a significant change for the Terraform community. It is important for HashiCorp to continue to engage with the community and address the concerns that have been raised. I hope that the community will be able to work together to ensure that Terraform remains a thriving open-source project.
