Google brings major modifications to the way it develops the Android operating system

Regardless of the manufacturer, each Android phone has one thing in common: its software base. Manufacturers can strongly personalize the appearance of the Android operating system they ship on their Android devices, but under the hood, the basic functionality of the system is derived from the same open source foundation: the open source Android project. After more than 16 years, Google brings major modifications to the way it develops the open source version of Android in order to rationalize its development.

The open source Android project, or AOSP for short, is an operating system that Google publishes under the Apache 2.0 license. APACHE 2.0 is a software license that allows anyone to use, distribute or modify and distribute operating systems based on AOSP without the need to pay license or source of liberation code. This permissive license structure facilitated the generalized adoption of AOSP, leading to the creation of personalized forks such as the Samsung user interface.

Like many other open source projects, AOSP accepts contributions from the third -party developer code. However, Google Performs most of the AOSP development itself, because it “treats the Android project as a large-scale product development operation” to “ensure the vitality of Android as a platform and as an open-source project”. Therefore, Google has the last word on which code can be merged in AOSP and when a new version of version of version is published. The company is developing AOSP components in private allow “Developers and OEMs to use a single version [of Android] Without following unfinished future work just to follow. »»

To balance the open nature of AOSP with its product development strategy, Google maintains two primary Android branches: the AOSP public branch and its internal development branch. The AOSP branch is accessible to anyone, while Google’s internal branch is limited to companies with a Google Mobile Services license agreement (GMS).

While some components of the operating system, such as the Android Bluetooth battery, are developed publicly in the AOSP branch, most components, including the Android OS basic framework, are developed in private in the internal branch of Google. Google confirmed to Android authority that it will soon move all the development of the Android operating system to its internal branch, a change intended to rationalize its development process.

To simplify the development of Android OS, Google will no longer have two “main” branches

Because Google develops large parts of Android in its internal branch, the AOSP public branch is often far behind what is available in private. This difference is apparent when comparing the features and the availability of the API between a clean ASOSP version and the last Android 16 BETA from Google, which was built from its internal branch. Although the transition to development based on the trunk reduces this gap, it persists and continues to set challenges for Google.

This gap forces Google to spend time and efforts to merge fixes between the AOSP public branch and its internal branch. Due to the difference in branches, merger conflicts often occur. Take for example This patch This allows a screen stirring functionality for the navigation bar and the keyboard. The patch has a new accessibility parameter, which is placed at the end of the list of accessibility settings. This creates a melting conflict because the length of the list varies between AOSP and the internal branch of Google. While a solution for this specific problem is simple, other AOSP fixes trigger similar fusion conflicts when integrated in the internal branch of Google.

Likewise, the development of the new Android unlocking storage zone API required a Google engineer to select a patch From the internal branch to AOSP to resolve a melting conflict. Indeed, if the API has been developed in AOSP, the file containing new Android construction flags has been developed internally. Consequently, an updating fixture updating the built flag files had to be subjected internally and then applied to AOSP.

There are probably countless examples of fusion conflicts like this, which is why Google removes its Android development strategy with current two-components and rather moves any internal development.

What does this mean for us?

Google confirmed to Android authority that it is determined to publish Android’s source code, therefore This change does not mean that Android becomes closed. The company will continue to publish the source code of the new Android versions, so when Google pays Android 16 later this year, we will obtain the source code of the update. In addition, Google will continue to publish the source code of the Android Linux nucleus fork, because it is under a GPLV2 license, which obliges the versions of source code, and is distinct from AOSP.

What will change is the frequency of public source code versions for specific Android components. Certain components such as the construction system, the update engine, the Bluetooth battery, the virtualization frame and the configuration of Selinux are currently AOSP-Prime, which means that they are fully developed in public. Most Android components such as the Core operating system are mainly developed internally, although certain features, such as the unlocked storage area API, are always developed within AOSP.

From next week, all Android development will occur in internal google branchesand the The source code of modifications will only be published when Google publishes a new branch containing these modifications. As is already the practice for most changes in Android components, Google simply consolidates its development efforts in a single branch.

This change will have a minimum impact on regular users. Although it rations the development of Android OS for Google, potentially affecting the speed of the development of new versions and the reduction of bugs, the global effect will probably be imperceptible. Therefore, do not expect this change to accelerate the operating system updates for your phone.

This change will also have a minimum impact on most developers. Application developers are not affected because it only concerns the development of the platform. Developers of platforms, including those who build personalized ROMs, will largely see few changes, because they generally base their work on specific beacons or branches of liberation, and not the main branch of AOSP. Likewise, companies that release AOSP products have rarely used the main AOSP branch due to its inherent instability.

External developers who like to read or contribute to AOSP will probably be dismayed by this news, because this reduces their overview of Google’s development efforts. Without GMS license, contributing to the development of Android OS becomes more difficult, because the available code will be systematically late per week or month. This news will also make more difficult for some developers to follow the new Android platform changes because they will no longer be able to follow changes in AOSP.

For journalists, this change means less access to potentially revealing information, as AOSP fixes often provide an overview of Google’s development plans. For example, a change of code that I spotted in AOSP revealed the Pixel month webcam functionality before its official version. Likewise, I used advice in AOSP to deduce the previous release date of Android 16, while a change of code now deleted that I spotted last week gave us our first public mention of the next Google Pixel 10. Although these types of leaks probably did not trigger this change, this will undoubtedly affect our ability to present itself on the next characteristics and Android devices.

In the end, I think this change makes sense, even if the optics seem bad for Google. Google had three options here: maintain the status quo, move all development internally or make public development. Given the declared justification of Google for Android private development and its recent transition to development based on trunk, its decision to consolidate work in a single internal branch, rationalizing both the development of the operating system and the source code versions, is understandable.

Google will share more details on this change when he announces it later this week. If you are interested in knowing more, be sure to keep an eye on the announcement and the new documentation on Source.android.com.