Google is making significant changes to the way it develops its open-source Android operating system (OS), aiming to optimize and streamline the development process. According to a recent report, Google will soon transition all Android development to its internal branches, departing from its previous model that included both a public Android Open Source Project (AOSP) branch and an internal branch. While this move will be largely transparent to the general public, it has important implications for Android developers and the overall development workflow.
The Shift to Internal Branches
Historically, Google developed Android on two distinct branches: the AOSP branch, which was open and public, and the company’s own internal development branch. The AOSP branch allowed external developers, such as those working on custom ROMs, to have access to the latest changes, patches, and updates. Meanwhile, Google’s internal branch remained private, focusing on the core development work that the company’s own teams used to build the OS.
However, discrepancies between these two branches have often caused delays and challenges in syncing the latest updates between the two. AOSP often lagged behind Google’s internal code, which slowed the rollout of new features and updates. Merging patches from the internal branch into AOSP also sometimes led to errors, further complicating the development process. This inefficiency is set to change with the latest shift in strategy.
According to an Android Authority report, Google will begin to move all Android development to its internal branches starting next week. Going forward, Google will conduct all development in private, and only publish the source code for Android updates once the changes are finalized and a new internal branch is made available. The source code will still be publicly released, and Android will continue to be an open-source project. This means that, even though development will now be centralized within Google, developers and the open-source community will still have access to the finished product.
Impact on Developers and the Open Source Community
One of the main reasons behind this shift is to create a more efficient development process by avoiding the delays caused by the dual-branch system. The AOSP branch will no longer be a development platform but will instead be a place for stable release tags and finished features. This change is expected to make it easier to implement new features without the additional overhead of syncing with the public code base.
For developers, particularly those working on custom ROMs like LineageOS, the impact will be minimal. Google confirmed that it will continue to publish the source code for Android after each release, allowing custom ROM developers to work with the stable tags. As a result, these developers will still have access to the code they need, albeit with potentially less insight into ongoing developments before official updates are released.
Google Mobile Services (GMS)-licensed developers, however, will need to collaborate on the internal branch, which means that those who wish to continue contributing to the Android OS will need access to the private development code. For the general consumer, this change will not have a noticeable effect, as the Android OS updates and features will still be available once the public source code is released.
What This Means for the Broader Android Ecosystem
For app developers, the change is unlikely to create any immediate issues, as Android apps are built on the stable, publicly available version of the operating system. Likewise, consumers will continue to enjoy Android updates as they are made available through the public source code and official channels.
However, the shift to an internal development process could affect how certain Android features are discovered before their official release. Publications and other news outlets often track new features by analyzing updates made to the AOSP branch. With this new structure, the source of those feature discoveries will be less transparent, and features will be kept under wraps until the new internal branches are published.
Furthermore, Bluetooth components and other functionalities that were once developed in the public AOSP branch will now be handled privately, which could change the way the Android community interacts with certain features in real-time.
Google’s Commitment to Open Source
Despite the move to internal development, Google has reiterated that Android will remain an open-source operating system. The company has committed to continuing to publish the source code for Android releases, ensuring that the ecosystem remains open for collaboration. This also includes the release of the Android kernel, which is a crucial part of the system and is forked from the Linux kernel.
Google’s commitment to open-source means that, even with the internal development changes, developers and enthusiasts will continue to have the tools and access they need to modify, contribute to, and innovate with Android. It’s also worth noting that this shift is part of a broader trend in the tech industry where companies are working to refine their internal development processes to maintain a competitive edge while still upholding their open-source ethos.