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Where to legally get useful files

The internet is packed with free resources — icons, fonts, templates, photos. But "free to download" and "allowed to use in your project" are two different things. An image from search results, a font from a pirate site or code without a license can turn into a claim from the rights holder, especially in a commercial project.

The good news: there are as many legal sources as questionable ones — you just need to know where to look and how to read a license. This page is a map of trusted resources across six categories plus a short breakdown of the MIT, CC0, Apache and other licenses.

Updated: 2026 ~11 min Section: Resources
Where to legally get useful files
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The key points in 30 seconds
  • CC0 / Public Domain — use anything, even without crediting the author.
  • MIT / Apache 2.0 — for code: commercial use is allowed, keep the license text.
  • CC BY — anything goes, but credit the author.
  • "Free for personal use" — NOT for commercial use, the most common trap.
  • Always check the license before downloading.
Contents
  1. Why the license matters more than the price
  2. Licenses in plain words
  3. Icons
  4. Fonts
  5. UI kits
  6. Open datasets
  7. Code templates and boilerplate
  8. Stock media
  9. FAQ

Why the license matters more than the price

The main risk with free resources is not quality, but the right to use them. A file may be posted for free, yet with the caveat "for personal projects only". Put such a font in a client's logo and you formally breach the license.

Rule number one: license first, download second. If the terms aren't stated anywhere, assume you can't use it: by default any work is protected by copyright.

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No license = can't use it

If a file's terms of use aren't stated anywhere, by default it's protected by copyright — assume you can't use it.

Licenses in plain words

LicenseCommercial useCredit the authorIn plain words
CC0 / Public DomainYesNot required"Do whatever you want." As free as it gets.
CC BYYesYesAnything goes, but credit the author.
CC BY-SAYesYesDerivative works — under the same license.
CC BY-NCNoYesNon-commercial use only.
MITYesLicense textThe freest one for code.
Apache 2.0YesLicense textLike MIT + patent protection.
GPLYesYesDerivative code must also be open.

Three practical takeaways:

  • For images and media, look for the CC0 label.
  • For code, the gold standard is MIT or Apache 2.0.
  • Beware of "free for personal use" and CC BY-NC — these ban commercial use.

Icons

Everyone needs icons — for websites, apps, presentations. The key sources provide sets under open licenses (often MIT or CC0).

What to look for: SVG is preferable to PNG (scales losslessly, colored via CSS); a consistent style from a single set; an open license.

Fonts

The font has the strongest effect on perception, and this is also where licenses get breached most often. Safe: libraries of open-source fonts under the SIL Open Font License (OFL) — it can be used in commercial projects.

What to check: OFL — green light; the range of styles; Cyrillic support.

UI kits

A UI kit is a ready set of interface components in a single style. It saves designers and developers weeks of work.

What to check: the format (source file or code components); the license; how current the guidelines are.

Open datasets

A dataset is a structured collection of data for analytics, training models, testing and study. Open datasets are published under free licenses.

What to check: the license (even data has one); freshness and completeness; the format (CSV and JSON are more convenient).

Code templates and boilerplate

Boilerplate is a ready-made project scaffold. Instead of setting things up from scratch, a developer clones a proven starter. The license is almost always MIT.

What to check: a match with your stack; freshness; the license (MIT/Apache — go for it).

Detailed review: Where to get code templates and boilerplate →

Stock media

Photos, videos, illustrations, music. The main risk is grabbing "a nice picture from Google": it's almost guaranteed to be someone else's intellectual property. Safe: stock platforms with a CC0 license.

What to check: CC0 is the safest label; releases for photos with people; resolution.

FAQ

What does "free for personal use" mean?

The file may be used only in non-commercial projects. Any commercial use requires a paid license.

Can CC0 files be used in a commercial project?

Yes. CC0 is the freest license: you can use it however you like, even without crediting the author.

How does MIT differ from Apache 2.0?

Both allow commercial use and only require you to keep the license text. Apache 2.0 additionally includes explicit patent protection.

Do I need to credit the author for free icons and fonts?

It depends on the license. CC0 — not required. CC BY and OFL — recommended or required.

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Conclusion

There are enough legal file sources for any task — icons, fonts, UI kits, datasets, boilerplate and stock media. The one skill that separates safe use from risk is the ability to read a license. Remember three labels: CC0 for media, MIT/Apache for code, OFL for fonts.

A ready scaffold instead of setup from scratch

We've covered licenses — now to practice. Where to get proven starters and boilerplate for your stack.

More on boilerplate To the tools