Who owns the websites content and code?
The client owns the text, images, and other content that he created, including anything edited by me. I am paid only for my time and expertise, not for the copyright of the code I create. Thus, when a client fully pays for a finished website, he owns the implementation of the website, which is all that he paid for, and not the underlying code — per a Supreme Court ruling. The client holds a lifetime license to use the code only for the original site, and cannot redistribute it, nor resell it, except with the business. My proprietary PHP library was created in the past, and may not be examined or redistributed. That library is licensed for use by the client only on his original domain name. It is encoded for security and better performance. Third-party applications, such as CMSs and shopping carts, are owned by their respective license holders. For most websites, that is the majority of the code. I reserve the right to use a screenshot of the site in marketing materials, such as the por
