How strict Microsoft is with enforcement of this license is another story.
> Previously, if the application you were developing was not OSS, installing VSBT was permitted only if you had a valid Visual Studio license (e.g., Visual Studio Community or higher).
From (https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/updates-to-visual-stu...). For OSS, you do not even need a Community License anymore.
You may not compile OSS software developed by your own organisation.
The OSS software must be unmodified, "except, and only to the extent, minor modifications are necessary so that the Open Source Dependencies can be compiled and built with the software."
https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/license-terms/vs2026-ga-d...
Under that usage, the Community license counts as a valid Visual Studio license for Build Tools purposes, hence the second paragraph:
> This change expands user rights to the Build Tools and does not limit the existing Visual Studio Community license provisions around Open-Source development. If you already are a developer contributing to OSS projects, you can continue to use Visual Studio and Visual Studio Build Tools together for free, just like before.
[0] https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/license-terms/vs2022-ga-c...
> if you and your team need to compile and develop proprietary C++ code with Visual Studio, a Visual Studio license will still be required.
It's why the example they give in the article is a Node.js application with native open source dependencies (e.g. sqlite3).
EDIT: it's clearer when read in context of the opening paragraph:
> Visual Studio Build Tools (VSBT) can now be used for compiling open-source C++ dependencies from source without requiring a Visual Studio license, even when you are working for an enterprise on a commercial or closed-source project.
I don’t need visual to write, read, compile, or link any code using the toolchain.
https://www.stacksocial.com/sales/microsoft-visual-studio-pr...
At least in the EU, this is legal.
