FC0-U71 Applications and Software Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are open-source licenses? (Select 2)
⚠ Common exam trap
FC0-U71 often tests the confusion between 'free of charge' and 'open source' — candidates incorrectly select shareware or commercial licenses because they conflate zero cost with source code freedom, missing that open source is defined by the rights granted, not the price.
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
✓
MIT License
The MIT License (B) is a permissive open-source license that allows users to freely use, modify, and redistribute software with minimal restrictions, requiring only preservation of the copyright notice and license text. The GNU General Public License (D) is a copyleft open-source license that guarantees end users the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software, requiring derivative works to be distributed under the same terms. Both are recognized by the Open Source Initiative (OSI) as approved open-source licenses. In contrast, a shareware license (A) permits limited trial use with a required payment for continued use and is not open source, a EULA (C) is a proprietary contract restricting usage rights rather than granting open-source freedoms, and a commercial license (E) is a proprietary licensing model sold for profit, not an open-source license.
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 license
Why it's wrong here
Shareware is distributed free for a trial period, after which payment is required to continue using it; the source code stays proprietary, so it grants no open-source freedoms. It is tempting because shareware is freely downloadable, but free-of-charge distribution is not the same as open-source licensing.
- ✓
MIT License
Why this is correct
The MIT License grants permission to reuse, modify and redistribute software with only attribution and licence-notice requirements, satisfying the stem's open-source criterion. Its permissive terms contrast with proprietary EULAs, which restrict source access. Recognised by the Open Source Initiative, it qualifies alongside other approved licences such as Apache 2.0 and GPL.
- ✗
End-User License Agreement (EULA)
Why it's wrong here
A EULA is the proprietary contract governing use of closed-source software, restricting copying, modification and redistribution rather than granting those rights. It is tempting because every installed application displays one, but a EULA asserts the vendor's restrictions — the opposite of an open-source licence.
- ✓
GNU General Public License (GPL)
Why this is correct
The GNU General Public License is a free, copyleft licence approved by the Open Source Initiative, satisfying the stem's requirement for open-source licences. Its defining mechanism, copyleft, requires derivative works to be distributed under the same terms, guaranteeing source code remains open. This contrasts with permissive licences such as MIT, which permit proprietary redistribution.
- ✗
Commercial license
Why it's wrong here
A commercial licence grants paid, restricted rights to proprietary software, typically prohibiting source access, modification and redistribution. It is tempting because businesses routinely purchase licences, but commercial licensing protects the vendor's closed code, whereas open-source licences such as GPL and Apache expressly permit modification and redistribution.
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JA
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.