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[ LEGAL DOSSIER · LAST UPDATED 2026 ]

Terms & Conditions

The legal contract governing your use of OpenShelf, our submission guidelines, and the indexing disclaimer. Please read this before contributing to the catalog.

Indexing Disclaimer

OpenShelf links to external tools but does not host, distribute, or endorse any executable binaries. Each indexed tool is governed by its own license, distributed by its own authors, and supported by its own community. OpenShelf is a directory, not a software publisher.

01 // Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using OpenShelf (the "Service") at openshelf.dpdns.org or openshelf.qzz.io, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

02 // License Notice

The OpenShelf site source code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON schemas) is released under the MIT License. You are free to fork, modify, and self-host it.

Each indexed tool in the catalog is governed by its own license, as indicated in the license field of its catalog entry. Common licenses include MIT, GPL, AGPL, Apache-2.0, MPL-2.0, and BSD-3-Clause. The license badge on each card links to the upstream license declaration where available.

OpenShelf claims no intellectual property over the tools listed. All trademarks and project names remain the property of their respective owners. Use of a name in the catalog is for descriptive, nominative purposes only and does not imply endorsement or partnership.

03 // Submission Guidelines

OpenShelf accepts community submissions of free and open-source tools. By submitting a tool, you affirm that the tool meets the following criteria:

  • Free tier required. The tool must be usable at no monetary cost. Paid tools without a functional free tier will be rejected.
  • Open source preferred. Tools with a publicly available source code (under an OSI-approved license) are strongly preferred. Closed-source freeware is accepted but flagged accordingly.
  • No affiliate wrappers. Tools whose primary purpose is to wrap, redirect, or rebill another service with an affiliate tag will be rejected.
  • No copyright-infringing material. The tool, its name, and its description must not infringe on third-party intellectual property rights.
  • No malware, no tracking, no deceptive distribution. Tools that bundle unwanted software, harvest user data without consent, or use deceptive install flows will be rejected.
  • Factual description. The catalog entry description should be a single neutral sentence describing what the tool does. Marketing copy will be edited or rejected.
Zero tolerance policy.

Submissions violating any of the above will be removed without notice. Repeat offenders will be blocked from future submissions.

04 // Maintainer Editorial Discretion

OpenShelf is curated. The maintainer reserves the right to reject, edit, reorder, or remove any catalog entry at any time, with or without explanation, in service of catalog quality. Editorial decisions are not subject to public vote.

05 // Indexing Disclaimer

OpenShelf is an index, not a publisher. We do not host, package, or distribute any of the tools listed. Each tool is hosted and maintained by its own authors at its own URL. OpenShelf makes no warranty as to the fitness, safety, security, or continued availability of any indexed tool.

You access and use indexed tools at your own risk. OpenShelf is not a party to any agreement between you and the tool authors. License disputes, security disclosures, support requests, and refund demands should be directed to the respective tool maintainers.

06 // External Links

The Service contains links to third-party websites not owned or controlled by OpenShelf. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We strongly encourage you to read the terms and privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

07 // Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, OpenShelf, its founder, contributors, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from:

  • Your use or inability to use the Service
  • Your reliance on any indexed tool or its availability
  • Any unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or data

08 // Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be reflected by an updated "Last Updated" date and a summary of the change at the top of this page. Continued use of the Service after such modifications constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

09 // Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the founder resides, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising from these Terms or use of the Service shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation first, and binding arbitration second.

10 // Contact

Questions about these Terms? Reach out via the contact page or at support@guidly.in.

// END OF TERMS · MIT-LICENSED · NO WARRANTIES BEYOND THIS POINT