Sterling (program)
Sterling is a command-line program used primarily for detecting software license information within source code files. It is a part of the FOSSology project, a free and open-source software compliance toolset. Sterling's function is to scan files for copyright notices, license texts, and other indicators related to software licensing. The program then reports its findings, which can be used to identify the licenses applicable to the code and facilitate license compliance efforts.
Sterling operates by employing a database of known license texts and patterns. It utilizes regular expressions and string matching algorithms to compare the content of scanned files against this database. The output is typically a list of potential licenses found within the file, along with their associated confidence levels.
The primary use case for Sterling is in automated software compliance auditing. Software developers, legal teams, and compliance officers can integrate Sterling into their build pipelines or use it as a standalone tool to identify potential licensing issues before releasing or distributing software. By identifying the licenses present in the code, organizations can ensure they are adhering to the obligations and restrictions associated with those licenses.
Sterling is generally invoked from the command line with arguments specifying the file or directory to be scanned, as well as optional parameters controlling the behavior of the scan. It produces textual output indicating the licenses it has identified. This output can be further processed by other tools within the FOSSology ecosystem or analyzed manually.
Key features include:
- License Identification: Sterling's primary function is to identify licenses within source code and other text files.
- Database of License Texts: Sterling utilizes a database of known license texts and patterns to identify potential licenses.
- Command-Line Interface: It is operated through the command line, making it suitable for integration into automated build systems.
- Part of FOSSology: Sterling is a component of the larger FOSSology project, a comprehensive suite of tools for software compliance.