I have a commercial Java application which I will be distributing.
I want to use an LGPL'd java library. I wont be modifying the library. Does the LGPL license of that library have any impact on my application's license?
TL;DR A component licensed under LGPL can be used by closed source, proprietary software, both internally used and distributed, for free, with no effects on the software using the component.
You can use and distribute LGPL libraries on your website and use them in combination with commercial code. The only big restriction is that you must keep the library open source, including any modifications you make to it, and allow your users to obtain the source, licence and copyright information for the library.
The key difference is that the LGPL strips the GPL from most of its “virality”. But the only reason to use the GPL instead of another license is that it forces dependent code to also be licensed under the GPL. It is therefore possible to use LGPL code in a GPL project but not the other way round.
Yes, it does to a certain degree. You are e.g required to allow people to upgrade the LGPL'd library without your help. I suggest reading through the whole license yourself, as you're legally obligated to adhere to it's clauses. Know what you oblige yourself to, don't just take other people's words for it :)
My guess is that as long as your linking is dynamic (i.e. dynamic loading of the .dll/.so/.a/.class/whatever file at runtime), you're OK. If you statically compile your code to include the library, you're at risk of violating the license, depending on how your code is structured.
If it's Java, however, you can not link statically - it's an impossibility of the platform.
As far as I understand the LGPL, no, you can distribute it however you like. You will only be linking to the library, not creating a derivative work, and the LGPL doesn't restrict linking.
There is no impact on your application. LGPL license allows inclusion in commercial application as long as the terms of the license are fulfilled (LGPL license text in the distribution, indication of the use of the library, etc).
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