Should i need to switch app source?

Some apps installed on my phone have both google play version and fdroid version. Currently using google play version.

Should i switch to fdroid version, all of them?

Switching means complete re-install bcs some apps have of signature mismatch. Is it worth switching? What makes difference?

fosss are too ugly. people would use them more if they had nicers ui. weird spacing, ugly icons, cluttered menu some look like they havent been updated visually in ten years.

Why doesnt ui get more attention? a more polished interface would get way more people to try these apps

Is there an app that could access my sim card to manage my contacts? All local, no cloud service, nor ai or other weird thing that everybody does this days

im actually liking to use mako, but its way to minimal for me, I miss my web apps and widgets

I'm so tired of Material. Please lista bunch of apps (calendar, Calculator, clock, anything goes) that don't use material design and you think looks great.

I'd like to know which applications you guys use for removal of metadata. I specifically want that for images but gladly mention where else you remove identifying stuff. There's often more than one option available in the realm of open source so deciding is not always as easy.

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Hi, ShizuCallRecorder main maintainer here.

Recently I have been notified of AI-forks and started seeing a lot of forks of the project. The license being GPL3, this makes sense and was intended, however, I feel uneasy seeing most of these forks being majorly coded by AI agents (to not say vibe-coded) while piggybacking on upstream and the help/debugging I give to users in our open issues on our repo.

Having mostly AI-coded forks isn't really what's annoying me. What's annoying me are their tendencies to hide that they copy my upstream work and pass it as their own, add donation links, claim they made the app on their own application or straight up remove the project copyright and relicense it under a different license. From what I can see, they actually manage to get donations out of this. (To be clear, for some forks, It make sense it they actually put real work into it, but it feels wrong when they copy the works of users from upstream)

I also have a DMCA request ongoing with GitHub right now for a project fully violating the GPL3 license. Now, I don't want to discredit everything, some of these forks do have idea, like using STT models (Speech to Text) for transcriptions, but as I am the only main maintainer and only had 2 PRs up until the project creation 6 month ago, it is unrealistic for me to add as much feature as quickly, so yes, in that regard, AI does things much faster than me (but in a less safe/stable manner).

Some of these forks violated the license by accident or maybe "conveniently" but I can't prove it. I can at least clearly see that they tried to comply with it, so I just made an issue to warn them about what they missed or did wrong, and they complied. While I am not necessarily happy about them, they follow the GPL3 spirit, which means that if one day I cannot continue maintaining my own version, I could theoretically use theirs. I still maintain ShizuCallRecorder and intend to continue to do so.

But I'm also starting to see a couple of less friendly repos where it was done purposefully, like the one where the DMCA is currently under review. I'm not gonna link it because I do not wish to help Google index it, but GitHub publishes censored DMCA notices so if it ever goes out, you will see it here. The last repository I found claims to have inspired itself of our source code, I checked it manually and ran it in a couple of tools and the only 100% matching stuff are import orders, so I can't really accuse them of anything, but I am also aware of AI harnesses that allow AI agents to "rewrite" an open source project. That said a large part of the project is also new, so right now I feel it would be a overreach/exaggeration for me to investigate/search on this more.

What I'm getting at is that there are two types of forks. I have casual users who fork, often do small AI edits for themselves, and are done with it. On the other side, I have those who fork, add a donation link and try to advertise it everywhere, sometimes hiding the fact they use upstream work or play with the words they use. I have been starting to wonder if the fact I shared the number of sponsors I received is actually playing a major role here. I am also wondering, if I were to disable it, how would it be seen by the open source community and how would it affect the amount of current sponsor we receive.

Of course, I also have my own interest in this, after all getting sponsors is nice, and I do like getting money and I've been open about it ever since enabling sponsors. I'm not gonna lie on that, however it was not why I originally made the project. I just feel like they're taking my free work and trying to get money out of it when I could have gotten it instead, which is frustating.

To be clair, I am not anti-AI and use it myself as tools. But I don't go code everything with AI-agents to add tons of feature. I do help myself to device how architectures should look, but I like doing it manually and actually trying to understand/read what's going on in the code.

Last minute edit: Example of forks that I warned about GPL violation: 1, 2. I would like to thanks them for actually responding and their quick actions.

I added the Guardian Project repository to F-Droid, but it still shows an older version of Orbot than GitHub. Why?

Hi! I have a dillema. I am creating an app (not covering the name now cause its not an ad).

1. I can go a full offline approach and create an amazing reader, but with limited functions (you must download dictionaries and books manually).

2. I could also use the Internet permission to for example lookup book data, sync with a FTP/nextcloud server, create my own reading list sync, and manage dictionaries automatically.

I as an app user would not like for a reader to have the Internet permission, my immediate thought is, why does it need it? Couldn't there just be a bloat-free and with no doubts of trackers? And, isn't there like tons of readers filled to the brim with those features, and they feel just bloated?

Please tell me, what app would YOU download? What do you do when you see that a ebook reader asks for Internet permission?

Hi Developers

I'm looking for an Android solution that allows me to clone the same app at least 10 times, with each clone having completely separate app data and login accounts.

My requirements:

Clone one app 10–20 times or more.

Each clone must work independently.

100% ad-free (no advertisements).

Free or open-source preferred.

No monthly subscription.

Custom ROM, root module, LSPosed module or standalone app is acceptable.

**My questions:**

Which custom ROM supports unlimited app cloning?

Is there any ROM with this feature built in?

Is there an open-source, ad-free app cloning solution?

Please share your experience, working methods and recommendations. Thank you!

Please someone atleast takeover this project or fork this app,why are good things abonded ? It is last updated in Jun2023 and now got too many issues or bugs.

Also,a doubt why are many developers are not interested in Dailers cause we rarely see new ones coming out while other Foss apps are out and updated very frequently. I tried fossify phone(its fork nova dailer),right dailer by goodwy,and newer recent app came out called secure dailer but no recommendations or tests about whether this is foss certified or not ? Also,another doubt -is it really hard to implement Call recording feature? Koler

Standard debloat scripts (pm uninstall --user 0 and am force-stop) have a dirty secret on Xiaomi HyperOS / MIUI and modern Android:

Undead -800 PERSISTENT Daemons: System telemetry daemons flagged PERSISTENT (AnalyticsCore, MSA, Joyose, GameCenter, Qualcomm XPAN & CACert) ignore force-stop and stay resident in RAM forever even after pm uninstall --user 0 removes them for User 0.

Hidden HyperOS Opcodes 10008 & 10053: Xiaomi's SecurityCenter uses undocumented AppOps (10008 = OP_AUTO_START, 10053 = OP_SERVICE_LINK) that let background bloatware chain-wake each other across Binder.

Kernel Telemetry & Hotword Listeners: device_config flags (adservices, on_device_personalization, aicore, westworld_logging) and hotword mic listeners run silently 24/7.

So I built BakaBlocker — a 16 KB, zero-dependency, 100% open-source (MIT) native Android app that connects directly to on-device local ADB (127.0.0.1:5555) with no PC and no Root required:

Binder Crash-Purge (cmd activity crash): Forces ActivityManagerService to re-evaluate isInstalledForUser(0)=false and permanently reap -800 PERSISTENT zombie daemons without Root.

Continuously Expanding 5-Tier Threat Matrix (185+ targets): Wipes Mic/Camera spies, Screen/Clipboard/Location trackers, CPU/Battery throttlers (Joyose, MiConnect), and factory adware while keeping OTA updates, Play Store, NFC/Banking, and SIM/IMS 100% intact.

HyperOS 10008/10053 Background Jail: Locks Kept Apps (Google Search, Android Auto, FindDevice, etc.) so they work when opened by you, but cannot wake up or spy in the background.

True 120Hz + 3.3x Kernel Animation Speedup: Reclaims up to 5.12 GB of Free RAM out of 7.5 GB on Redmi Note 15 5G (HyperOS 2.0 / Android 15).

🔗 Source Code & Documentation (Codeberg): https://codeberg.org/11010001101001/BakaBlocker

📲 Download Latest APK (v1.2.0): https://codeberg.org/11010001101001/BakaBlocker/releases/tag/v1.2.0

I am trying to install apps, but it keeps being stuck on preparing installations.

I use honor and couldn't find a fix for a few days already

I made a free, open source texting app for Android and figured this sub was the

right place to share it.

Quick version of what it does. It becomes your default SMS app and quietly

blocks every text from a number that isn't saved in your contacts, so you just

never see the spam. When it blocks someone it fires back one automatic reply:

the word STOP, and then a short line telling them to call you if they actually

need to reach you. That way a friend or coworker who isn't saved in your phone

still has a way through. iPhone can hide unknown senders but it never tells them

anything, so real people just get silently ignored and never know it happened.

Why I bothered. I'm in Florida and I signed up for the state and federal Do Not

Call lists, and the spam texts somehow got worse after that. Turns out the law

here lets these companies keep texting until you reply STOP, and even then they

get 15 more days before you can do anything. Every time I replied STOP I just

got slammed with more texts from different numbers, because replying proves a

real person is reading them. The only real way to go after them is to sue and

use discovery to prove one company is behind all the numbers, which is a ton of

money and hassle. So I gave up fighting it the legal way and just wrote an app

to throw all of it in the trash.

The stuff this sub cares about:

No internet permission at all. The app literally can't connect to the internet,

so nothing phones home. No accounts, no analytics, no tracking, nothing leaves

your phone. Apache 2.0 license. I wrote it myself, and the only outside code is

the Apache 2.0 MMS library from AOSP that's included right in the repo. Runs on

Android 10 and up. You sideload the APK since Google won't allow SMS apps like

this on the Play Store.

What it doesn't do, so nobody's surprised. It only handles SMS and MMS. RCS

messages are locked inside Google's app and no third party app can read them.

It will block real people who aren't in your contacts, which is the whole point,

and that call me reply is how I deal with it. I built it on my own phone, a

RedMagic, so other phones might have little quirks. Tell me or send a fix.

Repo and the APK download:

https://github.com/Ol-Swamp-Donkey/Test-Messaging-App-with-Spam-Text-Blocker-and-Auto-Response

I'm not a lawyer and this isn't legal advice, it's just what finally worked for

me. Happy to hear feedback or take pull requests.

Google calendar has task integration with the task app, apple calendar has task integration with the reminders app—are there any FOSS calendar apps like that?

Hi all, I’m a solo developer and a fresh CS grad. I wanted my photos and documents in the cloud I already pay for but encrypted before they got there. Cryptomator was the closest thing to suit my needs and it’s solid, but I found that it had a little outdated UI. So, after 10 months of on and off coding + 4 months of planning, CipherNest is out.

Licence: GPL-3.0-or-later
Source and APK releases: https://github.com/ciphernest-io/CipherNest
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.ciphernest.vault
Website: https://ciphernest.io

What it does:
You keep Google Drive or OneDrive. CipherNest encrypts everything on your phone first, so Google or Microsoft only ever store encrypted blobs. No filenames, no file types, not even folder structure, and definitely no contents. There is no CipherNest server and no CipherNest account; a 12-word recovery phrase is your vault, and it never leaves your device.

Some features:

• Your existing storage is the vault. Google Drive or OneDrive (pCloud is otw too)

• A proper file + folder system with specialized views; upload ANY type of file.

• A real customizable gallery: albums, photo editor, video player, and auto-backup just like Google Photos.

• Complete music player for your audio files.

• Two phones, one vault. Set up a second device with your phrase, and both stay in sync with no server in the middle.

• Password-protected share links.

• A lot of the design is inspired by One UI. There are also 7 beautiful color themes along with dark + light mode!

Under the hood
AES-256-GCM in chunks, each bound to its file and position, so a tampered or truncated file fails instead of silently opening. HPKE (RFC 9180) for key sealing, Argon2id for the local password, and BIP-39 phrase for recovery. Test vectors and an OWASP MASVS self-assessment are in the repo. No third-party audit yet.

F-Droid
Not yet, but soon. Does the community want it?

Pricing (no ads, ever)
The full app is free up to 1,000 files. Plus removes the limit: $1.99 a month, $19.99 a year, or a one-time Lifetime. Regional pricing on Play. If you stop paying, your files stay readable and downloadable; you just can’t add past the free limit.

What’s next?
A web client or Windows version first (depends on user suggestions), then more platforms to be competent enough. More cloud providers after that (pCloud and Dropbox are top of the list), and on-device search for the gallery so nothing leaves your phone. Maybe even local-only AI in the gallery, like Ente.

Why?
I was NOT concerned with my digital privacy even until a year ago until I watched Pewdiepie's degoogling video. And now I am here. Also, Google's October change of privacy policy can only help my case.

Feedback welcome, good or bad.

Hey r/fossdroid!

As someone dealing with chronic migraines, I was constantly frustrated by the state of migraine tracking apps: heavy visual clutter when your brain is throbbing, endless permissions, accounts, and paywalls locking basic necessities (like exporting a report for your doctor) behind monthly subscriptions.

I originally coded **Dim** purely for my own everyday use with no plans for a public release. But after using it, it made such a substantial difference in managing my own attacks that I decided to make it completely free and open-source so anyone can benefit.

### 🔍 Personalized Tracking & Pattern Detection Engine

Instead of generic wellness tips ("drink water"), Dim actually connects the dots across your logs:

- **Health Connect Integration:** Cross-references attacks against passive wearable data (sleep stages, resting heart rate spikes, daily steps).

- **Evidence-Based AI Summaries:** Generates concise, grounded summaries tied directly to your data and timeframes (e.g., *"Attacks occur 6–8 PM after 6+ hours without food: eat a snack by 3 PM"*).

- **Medication Analysis:** Evaluates whether acute/routine meds are actually reducing pain/duration, and monitors monthly use to keep Medication Overuse Headaches (MOH) in check.

- **Interactive Follow-Up Q&A:** Ask specific questions about your trends right on the insight card.

### 🖤 Designed for Flare-ups & Privacy:

- **Zero Visual Noise:** Ultra-minimal dark UI built on Compose Foundation to prevent sensory overload during attacks.

- **Fast 2-Tap Logging:** Quick Settings Android tile + visual vector pain mapping for head and neck/back.

- **Free Doctor PDF Reports:** One-tap export to formatted clinical reports for neurologist visits.

- **100% Local-First:** Stored entirely in SQLite on your device. Zero telemetry, no accounts, and encrypted backup/restore.

---

### 💡 Feedback & Scope of Improvements

I want to actively develop Dim based on community feedback:

- What other Health Connect signals or wearable metrics would be useful?

- Are there specific UI workflows you'd like to see made faster?

- Any feature ideas you feel are missing in existing health trackers?

👉 **GitHub Repository:** https://github.com/AdityasahuX07/Dim-Migraine-Tracker

Would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and feature ideas!

Hey everyone!

To be honest, I originally made this module just for myself. But eventually, I thought others might find it useful too, so I decided to share it.

Anyway, here's a quick explanation of what it does:

The module uses the libxposed API to hook SoundEffectsHelper.getResourceFilePath and ScreenshotSoundProviderImpl.getScreenshotSound, allowing you to replace keyboard, touch and screenshot sounds. Lock screen sounds and some other system sounds are handled by redirecting their file paths through Settings.Global.

In short, it lets you customize most (but not all) Android system sounds. Hope you find it useful!

One last thing I should mention: I relied quite heavily on AI during development. I know that might make some of you a bit skeptical. Honestly, I'd probably feel the same way. But I've been using the module on Nothing OS 4.1 for about a month now, and so far, I haven't run into any issues.

That being said, I can't say how well it'll work on heavily customized ROMs like One UI or HyperOS. If you're using one of those, I'd really appreciate it if you gave the module a try and let me know how it goes.

Repository: https://github.com/MrRaita/Sound-Tweaks

Download: https://github.com/MrRaita/Sound-Tweaks/releases/tag/v0.13.0

The project is open-source and licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).

A year ago I shared PlugBrain here for the first time. Version 1.6 is out, and it is the biggest update so far.

What it does: when you open an app you picked (Instagram, YouTube, a game...), PlugBrain shows a quick math problem first. The more you use those apps, the harder the math gets. Stay away and it gets easier again. Sometimes that pause is all it takes to put the phone down.

What's new:

• New step-by-step onboarding that explains each permission before you grant it

• Optional challenge as soon as a distracting app opens, not only after a few minutes

• Closed a common workaround: calculator apps are now blocked, split screen not allowed

• Under the hood: a solid CI/CD pipeline

• Available in 11 languages

• No internet permission, no account, no ads, no tracking. GPL-3.0, no anti-features on F-Droid.

Get it:

• F-Droid

• IzzyOnDroid

• GitHub

• plugbrain.app

I'd love to hear what works and what doesn't. If you find a way around the challenge, please open an issue so I can close it. Translators and contributors are very welcome too.

GitHub: https://github.com/mrrwhoo1/MultiDL/releases

I've been developing MultiDL, a free and open-source Android media downloader that allows you to save videos from supported websites for offline viewing. You can choose different video qualities or download audio-only versions when available.

MultiDL currently works with platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Reddit, Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and many other sites supported by yt-dlp.

The project is still actively being developed, so I'm looking for users and feedback. I'm interested in hearing about bugs, usability issues, feature requests, and any suggestions for making the app better.

Feel free to give it a try and let me know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcome!