BuddyPress.org

The GPL only applies to *distribution*. If your client plans on packaging up the website somehow… then worry about it.

“Does that mean that all of the code for this project would have to be GPL licensed and made available for free because we use BuddyPress for social networking? “

no, it does not. only if you actually *release * it. Just having it as part of your website is not releasing your code.

think of it this way – Buddypress is a plugin for WordPress. Anyone who build a site on WordPress itself is also not required to release their code.

(and I will note that GPL doesn’t mean it has to be free either. There’s plenty of for-sale GPL plugins and themes.)