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f-droid/fdroidclient

Android client for F-Droid, a repository of free and open-source software apps that you can browse and install on your phone.

Open-source alternative to:Google Play Store

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Last commit
3 days ago

What is it?

F-Droid Client is the Android app for F-Droid, a repository system that distributes Free Software apps. It lets users browse the catalog, install apps, and receive updates directly on their device, without needing a Google account or the Google Play Store.

Because a regular Android app cannot act as a package manager on its own, installing F-Droid requires enabling "Unknown Sources" by default. The project also supports a Privileged Extension that can be placed in the system partition, bundled with a ROM or installed via zip, to avoid that step.

The codebase is written in Kotlin and built with Gradle. Core functionality is split into reusable libraries that other projects can use to build on F-Droid technology, and the app is translated through Weblate.

Key features

  • 01Browse and install free and open-source Android apps from the F-Droid repository.
  • 02Receive app updates directly on the device.
  • 03Works without Google Play Services or a Google account.
  • 04Offers a Privileged Extension for installing without enabling Unknown Sources.
  • 05Core functionality is split into reusable libraries.

Use cases

  • Installing open-source apps on an Android phone without using Google Play.
  • Keeping installed open-source apps up to date from a single client.
  • Building on F-Droid's repository technology in your own Android projects via its libraries.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the F-Droid APK directly from the project site

  2. 2

    Build the release APK with Gradle

    ./gradlew assembleRelease

Things to know

  • Installing apps from F-Droid requires enabling "Unknown Sources" on Android by default.

In collections

Privacy & local-first toolsAndroid apps & phone tools

Topics

#android#app-store#package-manager#open-source#kotlin#privacy#installer#store

FAQ

What is fdroidclient?
Android client for F-Droid, a repository of free and open-source software apps that you can browse and install on your phone. F-Droid Client is the Android app for F-Droid, a repository system that distributes Free Software apps. It lets users browse the catalog, install apps, and receive updates directly on their device, without needing a Google account or the Google Play Store.
Is fdroidclient free to use? What license does it have?
fdroidclient is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is fdroidclient still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to fdroidclient was on Nov 4, 2026.
What can I use fdroidclient for?
Installing open-source apps on an Android phone without using Google Play. Keeping installed open-source apps up to date from a single client. Building on F-Droid's repository technology in your own Android projects via its libraries.
How do I install fdroidclient?
Download the F-Droid APK directly from the project site Build the release APK with Gradle: ./gradlew assembleRelease
Where can I get fdroidclient?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/f-droid/fdroidclient

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