Important points
- Google is developing official support for running Debian Linux on Android devices through a new Terminal app using AVF.
- Developers can influence the Android ecosystem by allowing them to code and test Android apps directly on their phones and tablets.
- Future features for the Terminal app include disk resizing, port forwarding, partition recovery, and more on Chromebooks, tablets, and phones.
It’s only been 17 years, but developers will finally stop finding workarounds to run Linux on Android devices. Google is working on official support for Debian Linux on Android through a new Terminal app. Imagine running Android Studio directly. android tablet!
related
How to open a Linux terminal on your Chromebook
Give you more freedom to do what you want on your device
Work on the Terminal app was discovered hidden within the Android Open Source Project (via Android Authority). Google engineers appear to be actively developing a terminal app that leverages the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF) to run Debian virtual machines. This allows users to run Linux commands within a contained environment on an Android device.
This could be a game changer for developers
The idea of running Linux apps on an Android smartphone seems somewhat niche, but it opens up a lot of possibilities for developers. You can now code and test Android apps directly on your phone or tablet, impacting the entire Android ecosystem. Day One bugs will be a thing of the past.
The Terminal app is very basic, but still under development. Recent commitments to AOSP suggest that Google is working on integrating AOSP directly into Android settings. An option called “Linux Terminal” enables an app that you can use to download, configure, and run Debian virtual machines.
The same AOSP commit hints at the arrival of future features such as disk resizing, port forwarding, and partition recovery. The code suggests that all of this will be available on Chromebooks, Android tablets, and Android smartphones.
Here’s why Google uses virtual machines for its Terminal app
It makes sense for Google to rely on virtual machines to bring Linux to Android. The majority of Chromebooks use x86 processors and can run Linux natively, whereas Android devices use ARM silicon and cannot run many Linux distributions. Virtual machines avoid that. This is also another step towards integrating Chrome OS and Android.
Google hasn’t said anything about this new Terminal app. It’s unclear when it will be officially released, but it will probably arrive next year with Android 16. This is definitely something any Android developer will want to take note of.
