this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2024
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Google is preparing to let you run Linux apps on Android, just like Chrome OS (www.androidauthority.com)
submitted 1 day ago by pnutzh4x0r@lemmy.ndlug.org to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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Google is developing a Terminal app for Android that'll let you run Linux apps. It'll download and run Debian in a VM for you.

...

Engineers at Google started work on a new Terminal app for Android a couple of weeks ago. This Terminal app is part of the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF) and contains a WebView that connects to a Linux virtual machine via a local IP address, allowing you to run Linux commands from the Android host. Initially, you had to manually enable this Terminal app using a shell command and then configure the Linux VM yourself. However, in recent days, Google began work on integrating the Terminal app into Android as well as turning it into an all-in-one app for running a Linux distro in a VM.

...

Google is still working on improving the Terminal app as well as AVF before shipping this feature. AVF already supports graphics and some input options, but it’s preparing to add support for backing up and restoring snapshots, nested virtualization, and devices with an x86_64 architecture. It’s also preparing to add some settings pages to the Terminal app, which is pretty barebones right now apart from a menu to copy the IP address and stop the existing VM instance. The settings pages will let you resize the disk, configure port forwarding, and potentially recover partitions.

...

If you’re wondering why you’d want to run Linux apps on Android, then this feature is probably not for you. Google added Linux support to Chrome OS so developers with Chromebooks can run Linux apps that are useful for development. For example, Linux support on Chrome OS allows developers to run the Linux version of Android Studio, the recommended IDE for Android app development, on Chromebooks. It also lets them run Linux command line tools safely and securely in a container.

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[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 14 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Google is still working on improving the Terminal app as well as AVF before shipping this feature. AVF already supports graphics and some input options, but it’s preparing to add support for backing up and restoring snapshots, nested virtualization, and devices with an x86_64 architecture.

This is the part I cared about. Can it run x86_64 programs, or is it just an ARM-compatible version of Debian?

If it can actually run x86_64 programs on ARM devices, then that's kinda fucking sick and would likely help the world transition to ARM. Like, fuck Google, but this sounds like a good thing, maybe?

[–] Quackdoc@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

It will be ${NATIVE_ARCH} debian or whatever distro, use box86 on top of it.

[–] woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Can it run x86_64 programs

The article sound like it will work for x86 devices running Android as well. I don't think this is about emulation.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

devices with an x86_64 architecture

Sounds like the opposite of what you want; you would want x86_64 code on devices with an ARM architecture.

But I didn't actually read the article, so maybe that line is poorly worded

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago

That just sounds painfully inefficient (though we've been doing stuff like this for decades).

Arm isn't as efficient at higher cpu states as x86, and running a VM you're definitely going to up the cpu usage.

Still interesting to watch. And every use-case is unique. For the typical short-run process this is for, it'll probably be fine.

[–] solrize@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does termux not already do this?

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

~~No, Termux uses proot~~

Only distro environments use proot. Termux runs as a normal app and just has binaries stored locally.

[–] AI_toothbrush@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Which is better no?

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[–] Quackdoc@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Very exciting stuff, Really hope wayland gets hooked up. if not, well, we can make it work somehow

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[–] savvywolf@pawb.social 5 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Chromebooks have the advantage of being mostly a laptop with a keyboard, mouse-analog and largish screen... Phones don't really have that, so it seems an odd choice to me. Especially for a platform which is hostile to giving users permissions to install software on their own devices.

[–] art@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I've been using Termux for years and there are a lot of nice things you can do. Also, a lot of nice tablets have good keyboards.

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Yeah but to do that one thing that you really want to do, you need root and daddy says no.

[–] GravitySpoiled@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I'm on GrapheneOS and step-daddy says no as well

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[–] art@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If it's anything like Chrome OS, you have full root in the VM.

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Giving full admin privileges over device? Doubt it.

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[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Honestly you don't need root. You can enable root (assuming you are already running a custom ROM) but that should not be needed.

[–] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago (8 children)

But who decides what I need? For instance, I want to toggle airplane mode. Without root: not allowed.

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[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

If you dock your phone it will run with display keyboard and mouse. Not all phones support it though

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[–] Quackdoc@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Android runs on a LOT more then just phones, BlissOS/Android x86, Arcades, casinos, cars etc.

[–] woelkchen@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Phones don’t really have that

But Android tablets to.

[–] humblebun@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I just wish I had vim with a tiny keyboard that I hit with one finger

[–] RisingSwell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Need a bigger phone so you can hit it with 2 fingers instead of one :D

[–] humblebun@sh.itjust.works 2 points 23 hours ago

I need to drink water and have at least one meal a day. Big screen phone is a luxury that I can't afford

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I don't really see the need. It would be nice to have KVM but other than that I don't see much point.

[–] Quackdoc@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

I personally really like runing full chroot on my device, this will fit a similar role with more security and convenience.

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