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Software Licensing and Distribution API - Keygen

Keygen is Fair SourceStar us on GitHub *arrow\_right\_alt*

Keygen

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- Pricing
- Use Cases*expand\_more*
- *lock\_open* Software Application LicensingUse Keygen's flagship software licensing API to add license key validation, device activation and entitlements to any software product.
- *cloud\_download* Software Artifact DistributionUse Keygen's supplementary software distribution API to securely deliver artifacts and offer automatic updates to licensed users.
- *bolt* No-code Licensing AutomationUse Zapier to integrate Keygen with your favorite tools, such as Stripe for payments, and Postmark for transactional emails. No code required.
- For On-Premise/Multi-Prem
- For Go Programs
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- *phonelink\_lock* License Activation Portal Demo
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- *dns* Self-Host KeygenLearn how to self-host Keygen's Community Edition for free, or self-host our Enterprise Edition for your business.
- *lan* Keygen Relay NEWUse Keygen Relay to securely distribute node-locked licenses in offline and air-gapped environments.
- *terminal* Developer CLIUse Keygen's official CLI to sign and publish software releases. Integrate with our SDKs for secure automatic upgrades.
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- Read the Source CodeKeygen is an Fair Source software licensing and distribution API. View the source code on GitHub to learn more. *compare\_arrows* Build vs BuyBusinesses of all sizes face the question of whether to build or buy a licensing solution.
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Keygen relicenses to the Fair Core License *arrow\_right\_alt*

# **Open, enterprise-grade** licensing & distribution

*Keygen* is a *Fair Source* software licensing and distribution *API*, built for developers, by developers. *Self-host* or try *Keygen Cloud* today.

Try Cloud

*Free during development, no upfront commitment*

## Developer-first

We've designed *Keygen*'s software licensing and distribution *API* to be easy to use for developers of all skill sets. Use our official SDKs or grab your favorite HTTP client.

keygen.LicenseKey = "C1B6DE-39A6E3-DE1529-8559A0-4AF593-V3" // Validate the licenselicense, err := keygen.Validate(fingerprint)if err == keygen.ErrLicenseExpired {  panic("license is expired!")} if err == keygen.ErrLicenseNotActivated {  // Activate the license  machine, _ := license.Activate(fingerprint)   fmt.Printf(    "activated machine %s for license %s!\n",    machine.ID,    license.ID,  )}keygen.LicenseKey = "C1B6DE-39A6E3-DE1529-8559A0-4AF593-V3"

// Validate the license
license, err := keygen.Validate(fingerprint)
if err == keygen.ErrLicenseExpired {
panic("license is expired!")
}

if err == keygen.ErrLicenseNotActivated {
// Activate the license
machine, _ := license.Activate(fingerprint)

fmt.Printf(
"activated machine %s for license %s!\n",
machine.ID,
license.ID,
)
}content_copy

## Cloud-native

*Keygen* was born in the cloud. Cloud is in our team's DNA. With *Keygen Cloud*, we'll handle all the hard stuff while your team focuses on product, not critical infrastructure.

### Focus

Let your team focus on product, not in-house licensing and distribution. Save time by using Keygen Cloud as a ready-to-go licensing solution.

### Maintenance

Skip the expensive up-front and ongoing costs of an in-house or self-hosted licensing solution. Save your business development time and money with Keygen Cloud.

### Scale

Effortlessly go from hundreds of users, to thousands, to hundreds of thousands and beyond. We'll handle the infrastructure so your team can focus on product.

### Security

We strive to ensure that data stored within Keygen Cloud is as secure as possible. TLS, HA, continuous backups, data encryption at-rest, in-transit, and at-work.

## Enterprise-grade

*Keygen EE*, our Enterprise Edition, is perfect for businesses that want to *self-host* Keygen.

Keygen EE comes with the following:

- OCI/Docker container registry
- Historical request logs
- Event/audit logs
- Custom environments
- Custom permissions
- SAML/SSO
- Self-hosting support

docker run --name keygen.1 -p 3000:3000 \  -e DATABASE_URL="postgres://postgres:***@host.docker.internal:5432/postgres" \  -e REDIS_URL="redis://host.docker.internal:6379" \  -e KEYGEN_LICENSE_FILE_PATH="/etc/keygen/ee.lic" \  -e KEYGEN_LICENSE_KEY="C1B6DE-39A6E3-DE1529-8559A0-4AF593-V3" \  -e KEYGEN_ACCOUNT_ID="c8ef4b4b-9a0a-49c7-8ea4-c47d13aa11f9" \  -e KEYGEN_HOST="licensing.enterprise.example" \  -e KEYGEN_MODE="singleplayer" \  -e KEYGEN_EDITION="EE" \  -v /etc/keygen:/etc/keygen \  keygen/api webdocker run --name keygen.1 -p 3000:3000 \
-e DATABASE_URL="postgres://postgres:***@host.docker.internal:5432/postgres" \
-e REDIS_URL="redis://host.docker.internal:6379" \
-e KEYGEN_LICENSE_FILE_PATH="/etc/keygen/ee.lic" \
-e KEYGEN_LICENSE_KEY="C1B6DE-39A6E3-DE1529-8559A0-4AF593-V3" \
-e KEYGEN_ACCOUNT_ID="c8ef4b4b-9a0a-49c7-8ea4-c47d13aa11f9" \
-e KEYGEN_HOST="licensing.enterprise.example" \
-e KEYGEN_MODE="singleplayer" \
-e KEYGEN_EDITION="EE" \
-v /etc/keygen:/etc/keygen \
keygen/api webcontent_copy

## Fair-source

*Keygen CE*, our Community Edition, is *free* to *self-host* for personal and commercial projects.

### Free

Keygen CE is free (as in beer) to self-host for any project. We want to make licensing accessible for everyone.

### Open

Keygen is licensed under the Fair Core License. Browse the code on GitHub, clone it, fork it, modify it, use it.

### Community

Join our communities on GitHub and Discord to make friends, talk shop, and get community support.

### Contribute

Want to see something new in Keygen? Open an issue or pull request and let's talk about your new idea.

### Ready, set, run

Clone it, run the setup, then serve. That's it. Self-hosting made easy.

git clone https://github.com/keygen-sh/keygen-api && cd keygen-apibundlebundle exec rails keygen:setupbundle exec rails servergit clone https://github.com/keygen-sh/keygen-api && cd keygen-api
bundle
bundle exec rails keygen:setup
bundle exec rails servercontent_copy

#### **Trusted by over 6,000 software businesses all over the world**including F1000s, AI startups, SMBs, and indies

Read testimonials

#### Longevity, or abandonware?

Is the promise of longevity for you, or somebody else?

October 30th, 2024 *chevron\_right*

#### Keygen joins OSS Pledge

Keygen commits to Open Source through the Open Source Pledge.

September 9th, 2024 *chevron\_right*

#### Licensing is packaging

On the first- and second-order effects of software licensing.

September 2nd, 2024 *chevron\_right*

#### Keygen is now Fair Source

Keygen relicenses from the Elastic License to the Fair Core License.

August 6th, 2024 *chevron\_right*

#### Locked-in

On the risks of vendor lock-in, and how to escape it.

January 31st, 2025 *chevron\_right*

## **Ready to get started?**
### Sign up today, or reach out.

* * *

"Licensing was planned to make up at least 25% percent of planned dev time for our product so it's awesome to see that we've been able to cut it down to 2.5% with Keygen." *– Ranorex*

Try Cloud

*Free during development, no upfront commitment*

* * *

Use Slack? Chat 1-1 with a Keygen engineer

© 2016–2025 Keygen LLC – All Rights Reserved – Reach out <\[email protected\]\>
The Keygen name, logo, and mark are trademarks of Keygen LLC in the United States

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