Reusing someone else's code without attribution is considered what?

• A. No; it is unethical and may violate licensing or plagiarism rules.
• B. It depends on the license.
• C. Yes, it's ethical.
• D. Only for open-source code.

Answer: (A)

Attribution and licensing obligations govern how code can be reused. Reusing someone else’s code without credit treats the original creator’s work as if you produced it yourself, which is both dishonest and a potential violation of legal terms. A license attached to the code specifies what you may do, including whether you must credit the author, include the license text, or share modifications. If you skip those requirements, you could breach the license or face plagiarism in academic or professional contexts. Because of these risks and the importance of giving proper credit for others’ work, reusing code without attribution is considered unethical and may violate licensing or plagiarism rules. When in doubt, always check the license and attribute appropriately, and comply with any terms about distribution and modifications.