A Simple Breakdown of CC License Types

Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a widely used set of legal tools that empower creators to share their works easily while still specifying how others can reuse, adapt, or build upon them. Instead of crafting an entirely new license from scratch, artists, educators, scientists, and other creators can choose a CC license that best fits their vision. The result is a more open, collaborative environment where content can spread freely—while still respecting the creator’s intended boundaries.

Let’s look closely at the main CC license types, examining what each one allows, what it restricts, and the kinds of situations where it makes the most sense. We’ll also talk about how these licenses interact with each other and what they mean for you if you’re using or publishing CC-licensed works.

Understanding the Key Elements

All CC licenses share a few fundamental building blocks. Each license combination starts with “CC BY” and then may add other conditions:

  • BY (Attribution): You must credit the original creator whenever you share or adapt the work, ensuring proper acknowledgment of the author’s contribution.
  • NC (NonCommercial): The work cannot be used for commercial purposes unless you get special permission from the creator.
  • ND (NoDerivatives): The work must remain unchanged. You can share it as-is, but you cannot remix, translate, or build upon it.
  • SA (ShareAlike): If you modify the work, you must license your adaptation under the same terms, ensuring a “chain” of open sharing.

These “building blocks” combine to create the six main CC license types. Let’s break them down one by one.

CC BY (Attribution)

What It Allows:

  • Redistribution: Anyone can copy and redistribute the work in any medium or format.
  • Adaptation: Others can modify, transform, and build upon it.
  • Commercial Use: Users can even incorporate the work or its derivatives into commercial projects.

What’s Required:

  • Attribution: Every time the work or a derivative of it is shared, the original creator must be credited. This usually includes the creator’s name, a link to the original source, and a note about the license.

Ideal For:

  • Creators who want to see their work spread as widely as possible.
  • Educators who hope their teaching materials can be freely adapted and improved.
  • Anyone who wants the fewest possible restrictions, only requiring a simple acknowledgment.

CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike)

What It Allows:

  • Redistribution and Adaptation: Like CC BY, you can share, remix, and adapt the content.
  • Commercial Use: Allowed, provided all conditions are met.

What’s Special:

  • ShareAlike Condition: If you create a derivative work (for example, by editing, translating, or adding additional elements), you must share it under the exact same CC BY-SA license. This ensures that all future adaptations also remain open and shareable.

Ideal For:

  • Projects that aim to maintain a spirit of openness and collaboration, such as open-source software documentation, wikis, or community-driven art collections.

CC BY-ND (Attribution-NoDerivatives)

What It Allows:

  • Redistribution: Others can share the work as it is.
  • Commercial Use: Still allowed as long as the work is unchanged.

What’s Restricted:

  • No Adaptation: Users cannot modify the content. It must remain intact. For example, you can share a CC BY-ND photograph, but you cannot crop it, add filters, or incorporate it into a collage without special permission.

Ideal For:

  • Creators who want to safeguard the integrity of their work while still allowing others to distribute it.
  • Musicians who want their exact recording to circulate freely but don’t want remixes or altered versions.

CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial)

What It Allows:

  • Redistribution and Adaptation: As long as the use is non-commercial, others can share and remix your work.
  • Community Projects: Great for educational resources, charitable organizations, or hobbyist communities that want to benefit from the work without making money from it.

What’s Restricted:

  • No Commercial Exploitation: Users cannot sell the work, use it in advertisements, or profit from it in any direct way without additional permissions.

Ideal For:

  • Creators who want their work used in classrooms, personal projects, or non-profit enterprises, but do not wish it to be incorporated into products for sale or profit-driven campaigns.

CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)

What It Allows:

  • Non-Commercial Redistribution and Adaptation: Similar to CC BY-NC, you can share and modify the work as long as it’s not for commercial purposes.

What’s Special:

  • ShareAlike Condition: Any adaptations must also be licensed under the same CC BY-NC-SA terms, ensuring that the spirit of non-commercial openness is preserved through all future reuses.

Ideal For:

  • Educational, cultural, or community-driven projects that want to foster a collaborative ecosystem of non-commercial sharing and improvement.

CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)

What It Allows:

  • Non-Commercial Sharing: Others can distribute the work freely for non-commercial purposes.

What’s Restricted:

  • No Adaptations: They can’t modify it.
  • No Commercial Use: They can’t sell it or otherwise profit directly from it.

Ideal For:

  • Creators who want maximum control over how their work is presented and ensure it’s never used commercially without direct permission, while still allowing nonprofit circulation.

Tips for Choosing the Right License

Ask Yourself:

  1. Do you want your work to spread as far as possible?

    If yes, consider CC BY—its minimal restrictions often lead to greater dissemination.

  2. Do you want to encourage a cycle of open sharing?

    CC BY-SA or CC BY-NC-SA ensures derivatives will also be widely available under the same conditions.

  3. Do you want to prevent commercial use?

    Any license with “NC” in it (CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-SA, CC BY-NC-ND) blocks direct commercial exploitation.

  4. Do you prefer to keep the work in its exact original form?

    CC BY-ND or CC BY-NC-ND restrict adaptations, ensuring the work isn’t transformed into something you didn’t intend.

Why Use Creative Commons?

International Recognition:

CC licenses are recognized globally. They’re built on top of international copyright law, ensuring consistent standards and legal frameworks no matter where your content travels.

Streamlined Sharing:

Rather than negotiating individual permissions, CC licenses give your audience a clear understanding of what they can and can’t do, saving time and legal complexities.

Cultural and Educational Growth:

By encouraging the free flow of information, CC licenses support an environment where knowledge, culture, and creativity can expand, benefiting education, research, and community projects.

Additional Resources

For more in-depth information, examples, and helpful FAQs, check out:

By understanding the nuances of Creative Commons licenses, you can strike the right balance between sharing your work and preserving your artistic or intellectual boundaries. The power is in your hands—make the most of it!