# keygen-sh/keygen-api

Keygen is a modern, fair source software licensing and distribution API. For developers, by developers.

Repository: https://github.com/keygen-sh/keygen-api
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/keygen-api
Homepage: https://keygen.sh
Language: Gherkin
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: api, fair-source, license-keys, rails-api, software-distribution, software-licensing, source-available, rails, ruby, ruby-on-rails
Last push: 2026-07-31T16:20:27+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 86/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 95, release rhythm 66, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3797, "days_push": 33, "days_rel": 71, "gap_med": 161, "n_releases_24m": 4}
- flags: no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1568, forks 126 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:05.066343+00:00)

## What it is
Keygen is a fair source software licensing and distribution API that lets developers add license key validation, entitlements, device activation, and release distribution to their products. It can be used via managed Keygen Cloud or self-hosted as Community/Enterprise editions built on Ruby on Rails.

## Use cases
- add license key validation to a desktop app
- self-host a software licensing API
- implement floating or node-locked licenses
- distribute signed software releases from CI/CD
- manage device activations and entitlements
- license software in offline or air-gapped environments
- implement trial and per-seat licensing models

## When to choose
- you need licensing infrastructure for desktop, server, or on-premise software without building it in-house
- you want a self-hostable licensing API with a free community edition
- you need multiple licensing models (perpetual, timed, floating, node-locked, feature, metered)
- you want secure software release distribution with signed binaries

## When to avoid
- you need a fully open-source (OSI-approved) license — Keygen is fair source under the FCL
- you only need simple license file generation without an API
- you require enterprise features like audit logs, SSO, or custom rate limits without a paid EE license or cloud plan

## Facets
- artifact type: service
- maturity: active
- function: api-framework, auth, webhook, self-hosted, developer-tools
- domain: developer-tools, apis, security, self-hosted, backend
- platform: self-hosted, cloud, ruby, windows
- tags: software-licensing, license-keys, license-validation, device-activation, entitlements, software-distribution, fair-source, rails-api, license-files, offline-licensing, floating-licenses, node-locked-licenses, docker, web-server, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- keygen-sh/keygen-api (main) score 86

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:05.066343+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:58:57.679562+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/keygen-sh/keygen-api (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:05.066343+00:00, sha f5618ec6721f)
  - homepage: https://keygen.sh (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.600975+00:00, sha e2c627fa17c1)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/docs/self-hosting (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.604115+00:00, sha 4c8f0f1283c3)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/docs/relay (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.607133+00:00, sha 3ccf160b3b25)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/docs/cli (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.609302+00:00, sha d6b87f87c7ee)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/docs (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.612050+00:00, sha 56817de5df27)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/docs/api (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.614194+00:00, sha d1049573f247)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/about (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.618642+00:00, sha 055535e536fe)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/changelog (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.616120+00:00, sha eb5d7b0245ee)
  - site_page: https://keygen.sh/pricing (fetched 2026-08-29T11:28:37.620140+00:00, sha ff84e1a28dd6)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.