• CRITICAL
  • INFO
  • ACTION
  • CLEAN

How to verify dependency license risks with your AI

Connect the LicenseCheck API to your agent to automate legal audits of your software dependencies.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How do I check dependency licenses with AI?

Your AI uses the LicenseCheck API to pull license metadata from your project and flags any restrictive or prohibited terms. This prevents legal issues by identifying risky dependencies during development. You'll see how the AI handles these checks below.

Where findings land.

The results of your audit.

The AI categorizes findings based on the severity of the license terms.

CRITICAL

Restrictive license flags

The AI identifies copyleft or prohibited licenses that conflict with your project. These appear as high-priority warnings.

INFO

License metadata logs

The AI pulls specific license details for every dependency found. You get a clear list of what each package uses.

ACTION

Human review required

When the AI finds a gray area or a complex legal clause, it flags it for you to review manually. It won't make legal decisions for you.

CLEAN

Safe dependency list

Dependencies that pass your defined criteria are marked as safe. This gives you confidence to proceed with your build.

The workflow

What your AI does when a dependency is added.

The AI acts as a gatekeeper by inspecting the metadata of every new package.

  1. Scan manifest

    The AI looks through your project files to find all listed dependencies.

    check_software_license

  2. Extract license data

    The AI pulls the specific legal text and conditions for each identified package.

    get_license_details

  3. Identify conflicts

    The AI compares the extracted license terms against your project's requirements.

    get_license_details

  4. Flag risks

    The AI highlights any dependency that violates your license policy.

    check_software_license

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger the license check immediately.

Starting points

Swap the bracketed text with your actual file paths or repository names.

LicenseCheck Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_75oKU8x6kQJG0YfKIXadGE8T9yPcWPlnBuGpCZsO/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — LicenseCheck capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "licensecheck-api-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_75oKU8x6kQJG0YfKIXadGE8T9yPcWPlnBuGpCZsO/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Scan the dependencies in my current repo and flag any GPL licenses.

  • Check the license metadata for the packages listed in ./package.json.

  • Are there any restrictive license conditions in my current dependency tree?

  • Review the licenses for the libraries in my python project and list any risks.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect LicenseCheck API once, then ask.

One connection gives your agent access to your dependency metadata. Your credentials stay encrypted and secure.

Connect LicenseCheck API to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves.

  • 01

    Can the AI automatically remove risky dependencies?

    No. The AI only identifies and flags the risks. You must manually decide which dependencies to remove or replace.

  • 02

    Does the AI change my package.json file?

    No. The AI only reads the metadata to perform the check. It does not modify your source code or manifest files.

  • 03

    How does the AI know which licenses are risky?

    The AI uses the license details it retrieves to compare terms against the constraints you provide in your prompt.

  • 04

    Can it check licenses for local files?

    Yes, as long as the files are accessible to your AI client and contain the necessary dependency metadata.

  • 05

    Does it provide legal advice?

    No. The AI identifies license types and specific clauses based on the metadata, but it does not provide legal counsel.

  • More questions about LicenseCheck API? The Connector page answers them. See everything the LicenseCheck API Connector can do

Connect LicenseCheck to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more