docs(licensing): improve explanation of license file vs script key activation

Author: Jekata

licensing/license-key.md

@@ -9,29 +9,44 @@ position: 1
 
 # Setting Up Your Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX License Key
 
-Starting with **2025 Q1**, Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX requires activation through a License Key. The `Telerik.Web.UI.dll` assembly now depends on `Telerik.Licensing.Runtime.dll` which can be obtained from NuGet ([https://www.nuget.org/packages/Telerik.Licensing](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Telerik.Licensing)) or from the Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX installations.
+Starting with **2025 Q1**, Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX requires activation through a License Key. The `Telerik.Web.UI.dll` assembly now depends on `Telerik.Licensing.Runtime.dll`, available via NuGet ([https://www.nuget.org/packages/Telerik.Licensing](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Telerik.Licensing)) or the Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX installations.
 
-This article describes how to download your personal license key and use it to activate the Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX components.
+This article shows how to download your personal license key and activate Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX.
 
-A missing or invalid license results in [errors and warnings]({%slug licensing/license-errors-warnings%}) during build and run-time indicators such as watermarks and banners.
+If the license is missing or invalid, you will see [errors and warnings]({%slug licensing/license-errors-warnings%}) during build and run-time, such as watermarks and banners.
 
-## Setup your License Key
+## Choose your licensing method
 
-Due to the differences between `Web Application Project` and `Web Site Project`, the steps to activate the license will differ. 
+Because Web Application and Web Site projects differ in structure, the activation steps also differ. Use the table below to quickly pick the correct method.
 
-`Web Application Projects` have a `.csproj`/`.vbproj` file, whereas the `Web Site Projects` do not. For more details about the differences you can check out the following Microsoft documentation article: [Web Application Projects versus Web Site Projects in Visual Studio](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/aspnet/dd547590(v=vs.110)?redirectedfrom=MSDN). 
+| Project type    | Using NuGet | License method                       |
+|-----------------|-------------|--------------------------------------|
+| Web Application | Yes         | License file (`telerik-license.txt`) |
+| Web Application | No          | Script key in `AssemblyInfo`         |
+| Web Site        | No          | Script key in `App_Code`             |
+
+> Quick check: If your project contains a `.csproj` or `.vbproj` file, it is a Web Application. Otherwise, it is a Web Site project. For additional background, see:
+> - [Microsoft guidance: Web Application vs Web Site](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/aspnet/dd547590(v=vs.110)?redirectedfrom=MSDN)
+> - [Web Site vs Web Application - Key Differences](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gI6t57cDAc)
+
+
+Now follow the activation steps for your project type:
 
 ### Web Applications using NuGet
 
-Only for Web Application projects that have the `Telerik.UI.for.AspNet.Ajax.Net462` and `Telerik.Licensing` packages installed from NuGet, can be activated using a License File. Otherwise, an assembly attribute is required, see [Web Applications without NuGet and Web Sites](#web-applications-without-nuget-and-web-sites) section.
+Only Web Application projects that have the `Telerik.Licensing` package installed from NuGet can be activated using a license file (`telerik-license.txt`). Otherwise, a Script key (assembly attribute) is required, see [Web Applications without NuGet and Web Sites](#web-applications-without-nuget-and-web-sites) section.
 
 To download and install your Telerik license key file:
 
 1. Go to the [License Keys](https://www.telerik.com/account/your-licenses/license-keys) page in your Telerik account.
 2. Click the **Download License Key** button.
 3. Save the `telerik-license.txt` file to your user profile directory `%AppData%\Telerik\telerik-license.txt`, for example, `C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\Telerik\telerik-license.txt`
 
->This will make the license key available to all Telerik applications that you develop on your local machine. If you need to activate Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX only in a specific application, save the `telerik-license.txt` to the root folder of this project or solution.
+> This makes the license available to all Telerik applications on the local machine. 
+> To scope the license to a single project or solution, place `telerik-license.txt` in the root folder of that project or solution.
+> The telerik-license.txt is applied during build and does not need to be deployed to the production server.
+
+
 
 ### Web Applications without NuGet and Web Sites
 
@@ -44,14 +59,35 @@ Web Applications projects that do not use NuGet and Web Site projects require an
     - **Web Application**: Paste the copied key to the `Properties > AssemblyInfo` (C# Apps) or `My Project > AssemblyInfo` (VB Apps)
     - **Web Site**: Add a C#/VB Class file to the `App_Code` directory of your project, e.g. `App_Code\TelerikLicense.cs` and paste the Script Key from your clipboard.    
 
->To activate the license in other projects, repeat these steps.
+> To activate the license in other projects, repeat these steps.
+
+### License file vs Script key
+ - **License file** - supported for Web Application projects that use NuGet. It enables license validation during build and runtime.
+ - **Script key** - required for Web Applications that do not use NuGet and for Web Site projects.
+
+> The license file method does not work for Web Site projects or for Web Applications that do not use NuGet. Use the Script key in these cases.
+
+### How the license is applied based on project type
+
+| Project Type | How license is applied | File needed on production server |
+|--------------|------------------------|----------------------------------|
+| Web Application using NuGet | License file (telerik-license.txt) is resolved at build time and embedded by the licensing tooling | ❌ No |
+| Web Application without NuGet | Script key attribute is compiled into the assembly | ❌ No |
+| Web Site Project | Script key file in `App_Code` is evaluated at runtime | ✅ Yes |
+
+
+> **Explanation**
+> - NuGet Web Applications use the `telerik-license.txt` only on the development machine. The license is embedded during build.
+> - Web Applications without NuGet embed the license via an assembly attribute (e.g., in `AssemblyInfo.cs` or `TelerikLicense.cs`).
+> - Web Site projects cannot embed attributes into a compiled assembly, so the license file must remain in `App_Code` on the server.
+
 
 ## See Also
 
 * [License Activation Errors and Warnings]({%slug licensing/license-errors-warnings%})
 * [Adding the License Key to CI Services]({%slug licensing/add-license-to-ci-cd%})
 * [Frequently Asked Questions about Your Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX License Key]({%slug licensing/licensing-faq%})
-* [ASP.NET Web Forms Web Site vs Web Application in Visual Studio - Key Differences Explained](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gI6t57cDAc&t=5s)
+* [ASP.NET Web Forms Web Site vs Web Application in Visual Studio - Key Differences Explained](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gI6t57cDAc)
 * [Fix Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX License Error Banner & Watermarks (the NuGet approach)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qvHlqdgEg0)
 * [Fix Telerik UI License Error in ASP.NET Web Forms site via EvidenceAttribute (App_Code & Precompile)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFPV-gFozPE)
 * [Removing the Telerik AJAX license error and watermark in ASP.NET Web Forms application](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKvQ3dpPEIw)