.. SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0
   Copyright 2026 The Linux Foundation

``WITH`` Expressions
====================

Use a ``WITH`` operator to indicate that a license is subject to an *exception* or *other additional non-standalone text*.

For example:

``# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only WITH Autoconf-exception-3.0``

indicates that the recipient must comply with `GPL-3.0-only <https://spdx.org/licenses/GPL-3.0-only.html>`__, *but* may also exercise the additional permission described in `Autoconf-exception-3.0 <https://spdx.org/licenses/Autoconf-exception-3.0.html>`__  when doing so.

The ``WITH`` operator should *only* be used with language that is considered additional text appended to another standalone license. This may include exceptions that are on the `Exceptions List section of the SPDX License List <https://spdx.org/licenses/exceptions-index.html>`__, or with :doc:`custom AdditionRef- text </ip/spdx-license-ids-custom>`.

The ``WITH`` operator should *not* be used to combine two standalone licenses. In that case, you probably want ``OR`` or ``AND`` instead.