Licensing

This chapter explains the license mechanism of yFiles for HTML. It describes

the steps to successfully include a valid license into a yFiles for HTML-based application,
the different license types, and
how to resolve license errors.

See the section Redistributables to learn about the Redistributables of yFiles for HTML.

General Concept

In order to run, a yFiles for HTML-based application needs a valid license that contains information about:

the domains from which the application can be served
the yFiles for HTML versions for which a license is valid
the type of the license
data about the licensee

The following example shows a (non-functional single developer) development license:

What license data looks like

{
  "company": "yWorks GmbH",
  "date": "05/08/2020",
  "developer": "Joe Average",
  "distribution": false,
  "domains": [ "*" ],
  "fileSystemAllowed": true,
  "licensefileversion": "1.1",
  "localhost": true,
  "oobAllowed": true,
  "package": "complete",
  "product": "yFiles for HTML",
  "type": "singledeveloper",
  "version": "2.0",
  "watermark": "yFiles for HTML Development License",
  "key": "90b9a98e11c9923878b2c6403ac60efc60fbacdc"
}

Registering the License

Although yFiles for HTML licenses are usually conveyed as separate files, and the demos and tutorials load the license data from a separate license file (license.json), it is not necessary to use a separate license file in your yFiles for HTML application. Instead, the license data can just as well be included in one of your source code files.

Regardless of whether you use the JS Modules or the AMD of modules the yFiles for HTML library, add the license data to the value property of the License object before calling any other yFiles for HTML API.

Registering the license data with ES modules

import { License } from 'yfiles';

License.value = {
  company: 'yWorks GmbH',
  date: '05/08/2020',
  developer: 'Joe Average',
  ...
}

Registering the license data with AMD modules

require(['yfiles-umd/view-component'], yfiles => {
  yfiles.License.value =  {
    company: 'yWorks GmbH',
    date: '05/08/2020',
    developer: 'Joe Average',
    ...
  }
})

Development vs. Distribution License

There are two different kinds of yFiles for HTML licenses that are strictly intended for one of two different situations:

Development: During application development, the development license can be used. It allows unrestricted access and usage of the yFiles for HTML-based application in development but each CanvasComponent will show a watermark to indicate the usage of the development license. In development licenses, the distribution property is false.
Deployment: For final deployment, the distribution license must be used.

It is most important that for final deployment of a yFiles for HTML-based application, the development license must not be included. Instead, the distribution license must be included.

Licenses in Evaluation Packages

yFiles for HTML evaluation packages contain a development license that is valid for the evaluation period.

This license is in the file lib\license.json in the yFiles for HTML installation directory. For example, if the yFiles for HTML directory is located at C:\Users\Me\My Files\yFiles for HTML 2.x, the license file will be at C:\Users\Me\My Files\yFiles for HTML 2.x\lib\license.json.

All programming samples and tutorials load the license file using the relative path to this location.

Licenses for Purchased Packages

Non-evaluation packages of yFiles for HTML do not contain a license. Instead, a development license and a distribution license are provided directly to you.

Still, the programming samples and tutorials use the same relative path in the yFiles for HTML installation directory to reference the license. Thus, if you copy the development license to the .\lib\license.json location, all samples, etc. are set up.

A non-evaluation license cannot be used to activate an evaluation version of yFiles for HTML.

Resolving License Errors

If validating the license fails, yFiles for HTML logs an error to the developer’s console of the browser and shows an error dialog on top of the CanvasComponent. In both cases, the message contains a description of the actual problem.

The most common license errors and possible solutions are listed below. In case of doubt, do not hesitate to contact the support team.

Keep in mind that after updating the license, the old data might still be cached by the server or the browser, and you might get an unexpected error due to this. Caching is discussed in detail in the Web Browser Caching section.

Not valid for this version, subscription too old

If after updating to a new major version, you see a license error like "license is not valid for this version" or "subscription date is too old", you should update to the latest license that was provided to you.