FC0-U71 Software Development Concepts Practice Question
A retail company wants to build an online store where the source code is freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and redistribute, provided that any derivative work is released under the same license. Which licensing model should the company adopt?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming any open-source license enforces that derivative works stay open, when only copyleft licenses carry that reciprocal requirement.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Copyleft open-source license
The scenario requires that source code be freely available for inspection, modification, and redistribution, and that derivative works carry the same license. A copyleft open-source license enforces exactly those conditions, ensuring downstream versions remain open. Proprietary and public domain models fail to preserve the reciprocal sharing requirement, while permissive licenses allow derivatives to be closed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Copyleft open-source license
Why this is correct
A copyleft license such as the GNU General Public License allows anyone to view, modify, and redistribute the source code, but requires that derivative works be distributed under the same license terms. This matches the company's requirement that modifications remain open, making it the appropriate choice for an online store project with those sharing conditions.
- ✗
Permissive open-source license
Why it's wrong here
A permissive license like MIT or Apache 2.0 does allow inspection and modification, but it does not require derivative works to be released under the same license. Since the company specifically wants downstream modifications to stay open, a permissive license does not satisfy the copyleft condition and is therefore incorrect for this scenario.
- ✗
Proprietary license
Why it's wrong here
A proprietary license keeps source code closed and restricts modification and redistribution, which directly contradicts the requirement that anyone can inspect and modify the code. It also does not enforce that derivative works remain under the same terms, so it fails both the openness and the copyleft conditions described in the scenario.
- ✗
Public domain dedication
Why it's wrong here
Public domain dedication removes copyright restrictions entirely, which would allow inspection and modification, but it also allows derivative works to be relicensed as proprietary. Because the company wants to require that modifications remain under the same open terms, public domain dedication does not meet the copyleft requirement and is not the best fit.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.