License question: adapted components in a public open-source repo (docs website only)

[harshbhx]

Hi David, thank you for React Bits!

Note

I read your answer in #1101. Bundling React Bits into an app or website is fine. My question is about one case it doesn't cover: the adapted component source sits in a public repository.

My project

Ratchet is an open-source (Apache-2.0) project I'm building solo for the Nebius x NVIDIA Global AI Hackathon. Its documentation website (Astro) uses adapted versions of 9 React Bits components:

Component	What we changed
BlurText, ShinyText, GradientText, CountUp	Our colour tokens, light and dark themes, reduced motion
SpotlightCard, FadeContent, Stepper	Same, plus server rendering
ShapeGrid, LogoLoop	Same, with a few features removed

How they're kept

• All 9 sit in one folder, docs-site/src/components/rb/, with your MIT + Commons Clause license and copyright notice (LICENSE.md).
• That file says these components are not under the repo's Apache-2.0 license and must not be copied out to redistribute as components.
• They're used only on our docs website. Nothing is sold, and no component library, template or kit is offered.

Our landing page contains no React Bits code

Its effects were written from scratch after the idea of eight React Bits components (Aurora, SplitText, BlurText, ShinyText, SpotlightCard, TiltedCard, Magnet, GlareHover). Each file credits React Bits in a comment. I compared them line by line with your sources to make sure.

My question

Because the repository is public, anyone can view the adapted source files in that folder.

Is it OK to keep these adapted components in the public repository, as part of the docs website's source code?

If you'd prefer something else, I'm happy to:

• add a visible "Built with React Bits" credit on the docs site
• restructure or rename the folder
• remove the components and write our own

Thanks for your time, and for making React Bits free to use in real products!

[DavidHDev]

Hi,

Yes, this is permitted under our license, as long as the components are part of your website and not redistributed as a standalone library.

[SanketPathare]

The answer depends on the original components' license and how they were adapted.

Before publishing adapted components in a public repository, I would recommend checking the following:

1. Review the original license: Confirm whether it permits modification and redistribution, including use in a public documentation website.
2. Preserve required notices: If the license requires copyright notices, attribution, or inclusion of the original license, make sure these are retained.
3. Check component-specific restrictions: Components copied from different repositories may have different licensing requirements, even if they are used only on a documentation website.
4. Document modifications: Clearly identify adapted components and link to their original sources where appropriate.
5. Verify compatibility: Make sure the original component license is compatible with the license used by your repository.

Publishing a component only as part of a documentation website does not automatically exempt it from its original license terms.

If you share the original component's license and the repository's intended license, it will be easier to determine which attribution and redistribution requirements apply. For legal certainty, consult a qualified legal professional.