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Contributing Overview
Updated Feb 2026Firecrawl is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license with a commercial cloud offering. This section covers both options and how to contribute.
Open Source vs Cloud
Firecrawl maintains two deployment models: a self-hosted open-source version and a managed cloud service at firecrawl.dev. Cloud subscription revenue directly funds continued open-source development.
Shared Features (Both Versions)
Both open-source and cloud deployments include:
- Scraping (single URL, batch, multiple formats)
- Crawling (recursive, depth control, filtering)
- Mapping (URL discovery)
- Search (web search + optional scrape)
- Data extraction (JSON mode with schemas)
- LLM-ready formatting (markdown, HTML, raw HTML)
- Change tracking
- SDKs (Python, Node.js, Go, Rust)
Cloud-Only Features
These capabilities require the managed cloud service:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Agent (Spark-1) | AI-powered autonomous research with no URLs required |
| Browser Sandbox | Remote Playwright/CDP sessions with persistent profiles |
| Actions | Browser interaction (click, type, scroll) before scraping |
| Enhanced Proxy | Specialized proxies for anti-bot bypass |
| Proxy Rotation | Automatic IP rotation across regions |
| Dashboard | Usage monitoring, credit tracking, activity logs |
| Enterprise Features | SSO, dedicated support, custom rate limits |
Comparison Table
| Aspect | Open Source | Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Commercial |
| Infrastructure | Self-managed | Fully managed |
| Proxy | Bring your own | Built-in (basic, enhanced, auto) |
| LLM | Bring your own (OpenAI, Ollama) | Built-in |
| Agent/Browser | Not available | Full access |
| Cost | Infrastructure only | Credit-based (pricing) |
| Updates | Manual pulls | Automatic |
| Support | Community (Discord, GitHub) | Community + Priority |
AGPL-3.0 License
Firecrawl uses the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. Key implications:
- Free to use, modify, and distribute the source code
- Copyleft requirement: If you modify Firecrawl and provide it as a service (even over a network), you must release your modifications under AGPL-3.0
- No proprietary forks: Derivative works must remain open source
- Commercial use allowed: You can use self-hosted Firecrawl for commercial purposes, but modified versions served to users must share source code
When to Self-Host
Self-hosting makes sense when you need data to stay within your infrastructure, want to customize the scraping pipeline, or need to integrate with internal services. See the Self-Hosting Guide for setup instructions.
When to Use Cloud
Cloud is the better choice when you need Agent/Browser features, enhanced anti-bot proxies, zero infrastructure management, or enterprise-grade reliability. Start at firecrawl.dev.
Getting Involved
- Self-Hosting Guide -- Deploy Firecrawl on your own infrastructure
- Contribution Guide -- Submit PRs, report bugs, improve docs
- GitHub Repository -- Source code and issue tracker
- Discord Community -- Real-time support and discussion
Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| GitHub | github.com/mendableai/firecrawl |
| Discord | discord.gg/gSmWdAkdwd |
| Documentation | docs.firecrawl.dev |
| LLMs.txt | docs.firecrawl.dev/llms.txt |
| Support Email | help@firecrawl.com |
Next: Self-Hosting Guide -->