# How to handle FMOD in an open source project?

**URL:** <https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208>\
**Category:** FMOD Engine\
**Tags:** cpp\
**Created:** [February 7, 2024, 8:29am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208 "2024-02-07T08:29:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wobbier](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/wobbier/32/6144_2.png) [@wobbier](https://qa.fmod.com/u/wobbier)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 8:29am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208/1 "2024-02-07T08:29:27Z")

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I have an open source engine for fun/learning purposes. I’m starting to wonder about the ability to distribute builds via Github Actions.

For further reading purposes, FMOD in my engine is currently behind a define and can only work if you clone the repo locally and build with FMOD installed.

What are my options here?  
Am I allowed to build and link against fmod via github?  
Is there any workarounds besides going private and distributing a zip?  
Does purchasing a license even make a difference even though I’ll have like 1 download?

My project is essentially useless without FMOD and then github actions just becomes a build success/fail tool.

I’m curious of your thoughts.

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**Author:** ![wobbier](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/wobbier/32/6144_2.png) [@wobbier](https://qa.fmod.com/u/wobbier)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 8:43am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208/2 "2024-02-07T08:43:02Z")

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> [@FMOD Github procedure](https://qa.fmod.com/t/fmod-github-procedure/16799/2):
>
> The official stance is that users should only download from FMOD the FMOD site currently. We allow binaries to be distributed (ie for a non engine, fmod.dll would be ok to distribute), but not the full api. The more this happens the more unofficial sources of the API there are and then people are sourcing old versions from non official sites more often than coming to [fmod.com](http://fmod.com) to get updated builds, documentation, examples and support. We have the ability to do engine licenses for people that …

Looking at this, is there a middle ground for this or am I basically fucked?

My project is non-commercial btw

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**Author:** ![Andrew](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/andrew/32/261_2.png) [@Andrew](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Andrew)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208/3 "2024-02-07T22:04:45Z")

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Our stance hasn’t changed, you’re still not allowed to host your own copy of the FMOD APIs or tools on github or anywhere else unless you have a specific license allowing you to do so. Maybe there’s a non-commercial alternative that would suit your project?

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**Author:** ![wobbier](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/wobbier/32/6144_2.png) [@wobbier](https://qa.fmod.com/u/wobbier)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208/4 "2024-02-07T22:38:34Z")

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let’s say I install it on a build machine, so then the api files/lib/dll is never committed into the git repo?

but the zip produced would include the dll

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Andrew](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/andrew/32/261_2.png) [@Andrew](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Andrew)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 10:06pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/how-to-handle-fmod-in-an-open-source-project/21208/5 "2024-02-08T22:06:03Z")

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If you’re not hosting the FMOD API or tools somewhere publicly available then that would be ok.