Introduction

Keygen is a comprehensive Fair Source software licensing and distribution API designed for developers and businesses. It provides robust solutions for managing software licenses, activating devices, and securely delivering software artifacts with automatic updates.

Key Features

• Flagship software licensing API for license key validation, device activation, and entitlements.
• Supplementary software distribution API for secure artifact delivery and automatic updates.
• No-code licensing automation via Zapier, integrating with tools like Stripe and Postmark.
• Flexible deployment options including Keygen Cloud and self-hosted Community (free) and Enterprise Editions.
• Keygen Relay for secure node-locked licenses in offline and air-gapped environments.
• Developer CLI and official SDKs for seamless integration and secure automatic upgrades.

Use Cases

Keygen is ideal for software vendors and developers across various platforms. It enables businesses to implement robust licensing for desktop applications (Go, iOS, Mac, Android, Windows, Electron, Tauri), container images, and web-based software like WordPress plugins. The platform helps solve common problems such as preventing unauthorized software usage, managing device activations, and ensuring licensed users receive timely and secure updates.

Furthermore, Keygen streamlines operational workflows by allowing integration with payment gateways and email services through Zapier, automating the entire licensing lifecycle from purchase to activation and support. For larger enterprises, the self-hosted Enterprise Edition offers advanced features like SAML/SSO, historical request logs, and custom environments, catering to specific security and compliance needs.

Pricing Information

Keygen offers a flexible pricing model. Keygen Cloud is free during development with no upfront commitment, allowing developers to get started easily. The Community Edition (CE) is free to self-host for both personal and commercial projects, making licensing accessible to everyone. The Enterprise Edition (EE) is available for businesses that require self-hosting with advanced features, implying a paid tier for enterprise-grade functionalities.

User Experience and Support

Designed with a "developer-first" approach, Keygen's API is easy to use with official SDKs available for various programming languages. Extensive documentation, an API Reference, and a Changelog are provided to assist developers. Community support is available through GitHub and Discord, fostering a collaborative environment. Users can also chat directly with a Keygen engineer for personalized assistance.

Technical Details

Keygen is built to be cloud-native and can be self-hosted using Docker containers. The self-hosted Community Edition leverages Ruby on Rails for its backend, utilizing PostgreSQL for database management and Redis for caching. It supports integration with applications written in a wide array of languages including Go, Rust, JavaScript, C/C++, C#, Swift, Java, Kotlin, Python, PHP, and Ruby.

Pros and Cons

• Pros: Significantly reduces development time for licensing, highly scalable infrastructure, strong security features (TLS, HA, encryption), flexible deployment options (Cloud/Self-host), Fair Source with open code, robust community support, seamless integration with popular business tools.
• Cons: Initial learning curve for API integration (though SDKs mitigate this), self-hosting requires managing infrastructure, Enterprise features are behind a paid tier.

Conclusion

Keygen provides an enterprise-grade, developer-friendly solution for software licensing and distribution, offering substantial time and cost savings for businesses of all sizes. Its Fair Source model and flexible deployment options make it a compelling choice for managing software entitlements securely and efficiently. Explore Keygen Cloud or self-host the Community Edition to experience its powerful capabilities firsthand.