Understanding CC Licenses: Collections vs. Remixes
André Barbosa - Sunday, November 23, 2025
Understanding the difference between collections and remixes is essential when working with Creative Commons licensed content.
This guide will help you understand:
- What collections are and how to license them properly
- What remixes and adaptations are and their licensing requirements
- Practical examples with real CC-licensed content from Porto
- How to properly attribute works in both scenarios
What is a Collection?
A collection is a gathering of separate, independent works that remain distinct and unmodified. Think of it as a playlist, anthology, or gallery where each item maintains its individual identity.
Key Characteristics
- Works maintain their individual identity and integrity
- No creative adaptation or transformation occurs
- Works can be easily separated from the collection
- Like organizing books on a shelf, each book remains unchanged and complete
Common Examples
- Photo galleries or exhibitions — Curated sets of images displayed together
- Music playlists — Songs arranged in a specific order
- Curated resource lists — Educational materials organized by topic
- Educational content packages — Multiple learning resources bundled together
- Anthology publications — Multiple writings by different authors
Licensing Considerations for Collections
Important: Each work in a collection keeps its original license. You cannot change the license of the individual works, you can only license the collection itself (the selection and arrangement).
What You Must Do
- Provide proper attribution for each work included, following the original license requirements
- Respect all license conditions (NC, ND, SA) of each individual work
- Choose your own license for the collection itself (the creative act of selection and arrangement)
- Clearly distinguish between licenses for individual works and the collection as a whole
- Maintain original licenses — Don't misrepresent or alter the licensing of included works
Example: If you create a photo collection, Photo A might be CC BY, Photo B might be CC BY-SA, and Photo C might be CC BY-NC. Each photo maintains its original license. However, your creative selection and arrangement of these photos can be licensed separately, perhaps as CC BY-SA for the collection itself.
What is a Remix or Adaptation?
A remix, adaptation, or derivative work is created when you modify, transform, or build upon existing work in a creative way. The original work becomes part of something new through creative transformation.
Key Characteristics
- Original work is modified or transformed in some way
- Creative changes are made to the source material
- New creative expression is added or original is altered
- Like making a smoothie—individual ingredients are blended together into something new
Common Examples
- Translations — Converting text from one language to another
- Music mashups — Combining elements from two or more songs
- Image editing — Cropping, adjusting colors, adding filters or effects
- Literary adaptations — Converting a story into a screenplay or different medium
- Modified graphics — Changing elements of an illustration or design
- Video edits — Cutting, rearranging, or enhancing video content
- Annotated versions — Adding commentary or notes to original text
Licensing Considerations for Remixes
Critical Restriction: You can only create remixes from works that don't have the "ND" (NoDerivatives) restriction. If a work is licensed with ND (like CC BY-ND or CC BY-NC-ND), you cannot modify it at all, you can only use it as-is.
ShareAlike Requirement
If the original work has an SA license, your remix must use the same or a compatible license. This ensures that adaptations remain as open as the original.
- CC BY-SA → CC BY-SA: Must use CC BY-SA for your remix
- CC BY-NC-SA → CC BY-NC-SA: Must use CC BY-NC-SA for your remix
- Cannot mix incompatible SA licenses — See compatibility chart below
Attribution Requirements
- Credit the original creator(s) with their name or username
- Indicate what changes you made — Be specific about modifications
- Link to the original work and its license
- Make clear your version is a modification — Don't imply endorsement by original creator
- Provide a link to your new license if different from original
Example: Porto Bridges Collection
Below is a collection of two CC-licensed photographs celebrating Porto's iconic bridges. Each image remains in its original form, unmodified, making this a collection rather than a remix.
Black & White
Ponte de D. Luís — the iconic two-level iron bridge in Porto, Portugal, captured in dramatic black and white.
Night View
Ponte de D. Luís — the same bridge illuminated at night, showcasing Porto's beautiful evening atmosphere.
Collection License: The collection "Porto Bridges" © 2025 by André Barbosa is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
This license applies to the collection itself (the selection and arrangement of these works), not to the individual photographs, which maintain their own original licenses as noted above.
Proper Attribution for the Collection
Individual Work Attributions
Image 1: "Ponte de D. Luís -" by Afsalgado is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Image 2: "Ponte de D. Luis I à noite 03" by GualdimG is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Collection License
The collection "Porto Bridges" (the selection and arrangement of works) © 2025 by André Barbosa is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). This license applies to the collection itself, not to the individual works contained within, which maintain their own original licenses as noted above.
To view a copy of this license, visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Quick Reference: Collections vs. Remixes
| Aspect | Collection | Remix/Adaptation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Gathering of separate, distinct works | Modified or transformed work |
| Original Works | Remain unchanged and complete | Are modified, transformed, or incorporated |
| ND Restriction | Can include ND works | Cannot use ND works |
| Your License | Choose any license for the arrangement | Must respect SA if present in original |
| Attribution | Credit each work per its license | Credit original and indicate changes |
| Separability | Works easily separated | Elements integrated into new work |
| Example | Photo gallery, playlist, anthology | Translated text, edited image, mashup |
CC License Compatibility Chart
The following chart shows which Creative Commons licenses can be combined when creating remixes and adaptations. This is crucial for understanding ShareAlike requirements.
How to Read This Chart
- Rows represent the original work's license
- Columns represent possible licenses for your adaptation
- Green indicates the combination is allowed
- Red indicates the combination is not permitted
- Pay special attention to ShareAlike requirements, they limit your license choices