[Question]: Incompatible License Due to Dependency on GPLv2 Libraries

[REBAUD]

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Description: VideoGear is currently licensed under the Apache-2.0 license. However, I noticed that VideoGear depends on yt-dlp, which in turn relies on mutagen, a library licensed under GPLv2. Since the GPLv2 license is incompatible with Apache-2.0 for redistribution in certain contexts, this creates a licensing conflict for using VideoGear in production.

Request: Is it possible to either:

Replace yt-dlp (or mutagen) with alternatives that have more permissive licenses, or
Adjust the dependencies in a way that removes this conflict?
This change would help make VideoGear more viable for production use in projects requiring Apache-2.0 compatibility.

Thank you!

Terminal log output(Optional)

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Python Code(Optional)

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VidGear Version

3.3.0

Python version

3.11

Operating System version

ubuntu 24.04

Any other Relevant Information?

No response

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[abhiTronix]

Description: VideoGear is currently licensed under the Apache-2.0 license. However, I noticed that VideoGear depends on yt-dlp, which in turn relies on mutagen, a library licensed under GPLv2. Since the GPLv2 license is incompatible with Apache-2.0 for redistribution in certain contexts, this creates a licensing conflict for using VideoGear in production.

@REBAUD Thank you for bringing up this licensing concern. I'd like to clarify the dependency relationship:

yt-dlp is actually an optional dependency that is only required by CamGear API when using video URLs as input sources. It is not a core requirement for VideoGear's main functionality. Users who don't need URL video processing can use VideoGear without installing yt-dlp or its dependencies.

Since this is a soft dependency that's only loaded when specifically using URL features, there is no direct licensing conflict with VideoGear's Apache-2.0 license. The optional nature of this dependency means users can choose whether to include yt-dlp based on their specific needs and licensing requirements.

If you have concerns about yt-dlp's dependencies and licensing, I'd encourage you to raise this issue in the yt-dlp repository as they would be better positioned to address questions about their dependency chain and licensing implications.

Let me know if you have any other questions!