FC0-U71 Applications and Software Practice Question
Which of the following license types allows users to view, modify, and distribute the source code, as long as they include the original copyright notice and any modifications are also open source?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse permissive licenses (MIT, Apache 2.0) with copyleft licenses (GPL); candidates often assume any open-source license requires derivatives to remain open source, but only copyleft licenses impose that condition.
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
✓
GNU General Public License (GPL)
The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a copyleft license that explicitly requires derivative works to be distributed under the same GPL terms, meaning any modifications must also be open source. It also mandates preservation of the original copyright notice. This copyleft requirement is the defining characteristic that matches the question's condition that 'modifications are also open source.'
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Shareware
Why it's wrong here
Shareware is proprietary software distributed for trial use, granting no source-code rights at all, so it cannot permit viewing, modification or redistribution. It is tempting because it is freely distributed, but that model suits time-limited evaluation copies, not open-source licensing.
- ✗
Apache License 2.0
Why it's wrong here
Apache License 2.0 is permissive, so it permits modified versions to be distributed under different, closed licences; it does not require derivative works to remain open source. It is tempting because it does mandate copyright notices, which suits projects wanting attribution without copyleft obligations.
- ✗
MIT License
Why it's wrong here
The MIT License is permissive, allowing modified versions to be relicensed and distributed as proprietary code; it imposes no copyleft requirement that modifications stay open source. It is tempting because it does require the copyright notice be retained, which suits projects wanting minimal attribution conditions.
- ✓
GNU General Public License (GPL)
Why this is correct
The GNU General Public License is a copyleft licence: it permits viewing, modifying and distributing source code provided the original copyright notice is retained and derivative works are released under the same open-source terms. Permissive licences such as MIT or BSD allow modifications to remain closed-source, so they fail the stem's condition.
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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.