MongoDB compass SSPL license

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Hi Vedant,

We provide end-to-end project management solutions to EPC sector across the globe through our product WrenchSP.
We are looking at the possibility of using MongoDB compass as a back-end data base for processing certain dashboard and reports for our customers. The data shall be provided to MongoDB Compass through a data organizer app from our application server. Customer can access MongoDB for reading data required for their reports.
The schematic of this deployment is given below
Application 1 and Application 2 are proprietary software applications, having their own databases
Data Organiser App is the new software tool that we are developing to fetch data from the proprietary application databases and store in a MongoDB Compass database.
Customers are then allowed to connect to this database for reading data to build their reports
A diagram of a tree

AI-generated content may be incorrect.
While checking the MongoDB licensing documents for the feasibility of this, we have come across the following terms from section 13 of the SSPL:
“If you make the functionality of the Program or a modified version available to third parties as a service, you must make the Service Source Code available via network download to everyone at no charge, under the terms of this License. Making the functionality of the Program or modified version available to third parties as a service …………”
“Service Source Code” means the Corresponding Source for the Program or the modified version, and the Corresponding Source for all programs that you use to make the Program or modified version available as a service, including, without limitation, management software, user interfaces, application program interfaces, automation software, monitoring software, backup software, storage software and hosting software, all such that a user could run an instance of the service using the Service Source Code you make available.
We request you to please confirm whether Section 13 of SSPL will be applicable in our case, and if applicable, whether it calls for making the proprietary applications (Application 1 and Application 2) open source or only the Data Organizer App to be open source.

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Let me see if I get this right… you’re building a “Data Organizer App” to extract data from those two apps and push it into a MongoDB instance (which they’re accessing via Compass, but Compass is just a UI — the real action is the MongoDB database).

if you’re offering MongoDB as part of a hosted service (e.g., you’re managing the MongoDB deployment and letting others use it), then yes, SSPL kicks in and says you need to open source your service stack — not just MongoDB, but the surrounding code that powers the service (like your Data Organizer App, potentially).

BUT (and this is key) if…

  • You’re not modifying MongoDB itself,
  • You’re not offering MongoDB as-a-service to others (meaning you’re just using it as part of your internal stack),
  • And your customers are just accessing data from MongoDB (not managing or spinning up DBs themselves),

…then SSPL likely doesn’t apply in the “you must open-source” way they’re worried about.

Let me know if I have that right… happy to answer any additional questions about this.

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Initially, I wondered if you might be mixing up MongoDB Compass with another part of the MongoDB server platform. However, if you are indeed using the Compass source code, it’s important to note that Compass itself is licensed under the SSPL. This means that if your app incorporates Compass code, the SSPL requires you to open-source the entire GUI application as well.

Your original question isn’t entirely clear, though. Could you share a bit more about what you’re aiming to do? That way, we can provide more specific guidance.

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