Licensing

Aspose.LLM for .NET is a commercially licensed product. Apply a license once per application process before calling chat APIs.

Evaluation limits

Unlike some other Aspose products, Aspose.LLM does not run inference in evaluation mode. Calling StartNewChatAsync, SendMessageAsync, or SendMessageToSessionAsync without an applied license throws:

System.Exception: Not licensed for this method

To evaluate the SDK, request a free temporary license and apply it as shown below.

Non-inference operations — constructing the API, loading the model, and disposing — run without a license. Use them to validate your environment setup (NuGet install, binary download, model resolution) before committing to a license.

Apply a license

Apply the license once per process, before calling any chat API. Typical placement: application startup (Program.cs, Startup.cs, or a DI bootstrap).

From a file

var license = new Aspose.LLM.License();
license.SetLicense("Aspose.LLM.lic");

If you pass only the file name, the loader searches:

  1. The folder of the Aspose.LLM assembly.
  2. The folder of the calling assembly.
  3. The folder of the entry assembly.
  4. The current working directory.

You can also pass a full path.

From a stream

using var stream = new FileStream("Aspose.LLM.lic", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);
var license = new Aspose.LLM.License();
license.SetLicense(stream);

Use a stream when the license is not a plain file — for example, when it comes from an HTTP response, a secret store, or a resource decrypted at runtime.

From an embedded resource

Embed the .lic file in your assembly, then call SetLicense with the resource name.

  1. Add the .lic file to your project.

  2. In the project file, mark it as an embedded resource:

    <ItemGroup>
  <EmbeddedResource Include="Aspose.LLM.lic" />
</ItemGroup>

  3. Call SetLicense with the file name:

    var license = new Aspose.LLM.License();
license.SetLicense("Aspose.LLM.lic");

    The License class searches embedded resources of the calling assembly automatically.

Check license status

bool isLicensed = Aspose.LLM.License.IsLicensed;

Use this to verify that a license has been applied — for example, to log at startup or to guard optional features that require a commercial license.

Temporary license

A temporary license is a full-functionality license valid for a limited period — typically 30 days — issued free of charge for evaluation, proof of concept, or pre-purchase testing. While active, it removes evaluation-mode restrictions exactly as a commercial license does.

When to request a temporary license

  • You want to evaluate Aspose.LLM for .NET end-to-end before purchasing.
  • You are building a proof of concept and need unrestricted access to chat APIs.
  • You are benchmarking the SDK against alternatives.
  • Your commercial license has expired while a renewal is in progress.

Aspose.LLM does not run inference in evaluation mode, so a license — commercial or temporary — is required to send any chat messages.

Request a temporary license

  1. Go to purchase.aspose.com/temporary-license.
  2. Fill in the request form. You need an Aspose account; create one at no cost if you do not have it.
  3. Describe your evaluation goal in a few sentences.
  4. Submit the form.
  5. Aspose emails you a .lic file. Delivery is usually within a business day.

Apply a temporary license

Temporary licenses use the same License.SetLicense call as commercial ones. No code changes are needed when you switch between temporary and commercial.

var license = new Aspose.LLM.License();
license.SetLicense("Aspose.LLM.Temporary.lic");

All three methods from the Apply a license section work — file path, stream, or embedded resource. Pick whatever fits your deployment.

Limitations

  • Time-limited. The license embeds an expiration date. After expiry, chat APIs throw the same Not licensed for this method exception as with no license. Request a new temporary license or purchase a commercial one before the current one expires.
  • Evaluation scope. Temporary licenses are for evaluation and internal testing, not for production use. Consult the Aspose End User License Agreement for the exact terms.
  • Same API functionality. No feature is held back in a temporary license — the API behaves identically to a commercial license during the validity period.

Renew or replace

  • To extend an evaluation, request a new temporary license via the same form. Replace the old .lic file with the new one and restart your application (the license is applied once per process).
  • To move to production, purchase a commercial license at purchase.aspose.com. Swap the .lic file — code does not change.

What’s next

Installation How to run examples