👉 The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a free software license that ensures any software distributed under it remains free and open for users to modify, share, and distribute. The "copyleft" aspect of the GPL mandates that any derivative works or modifications must also be released under the same GPL license, preventing proprietary forks and ensuring that the freedoms to use, study, share, and improve the software are preserved for all users. This means that if you modify or build upon GPL-licensed software, you must release your changes under the same license, maintaining the open-source nature of the project. The GPL aims to foster a collaborative environment where software development benefits from collective contributions while protecting the rights of users and developers.