If you’re involved in the world of custom ROMs, there’s little chance you haven’t heard of the Open GApps Project. As of late, Open GApps has been the go-to site for downloading Google Apps packages. It’s not hard to understand why; the site is pretty and easy to use, and the packages, which come in nine sizes and variations, are always up to date. Now, the guys behind Open GApps have taken the stuff that makes their site so great and infused it into a new Android app.
As soon as you open the app for the first time, you can tell that it’s well-designed. The setup process is intuitive and requests only one necessary permission – storage. If you’re rooted, you can also choose to grant root access to the app so that it can seamlessly install any packages you download. In addition, the app automatically detects the CPU architecture and Android version of your device to ensure that you don’t accidentally flash the wrong packages.
The ‘Install’ page is where you’ll be spending the most time. Here, you can see all the details of the package you’re set to download. Want to change any aspects of your download? Just hit ‘Change Selection’ and toggle away. It’s all very straightforward. After you initiate the download, a full-screen video ad will pop up, but considering that the download has already begun, it’s not too intrusive.
The rest of the app is ad-free, and equally easy to use. Under ‘Settings,’ you can choose to only download over WiFi, where the downloads go, to automatically delete old packages when newer ones are downloaded, and more; these options are simple, yet useful. The ‘Support’ page contains everything you’ll ever need or want to know about Open GApps and an option to donate to the team, and the ‘About’ page shows if you’ve found the hidden Easter egg; unfortunately, I haven’t.
If you’re a flashaholic, the new Open GApps app is definitely worth checking out; it’ll make your life so much easier for you. And even if you’re not the type to constantly flash different ROMs on your device, download it to hunt for the Easter egg. I can’t make any guarantees, but it might be worth it.
About The Open GApps Project
Open GApps is a Google Apps package completely developed by writing buildscripts which allow for the automated creation of new up-to-date packages automatically.
The development process is completely open-source (GPLv3) and the goal is to have multiple contributors involved, to secure and reinforce the sustainability of Open GApps development.
Builds are generated every (European) night automatically (if there are any changes) and uploaded to GitHub.
Open GApps is a Google Apps package completely developed by writing buildscripts which allow for the automated creation of new up-to-date packages automatically.
The development process is completely open-source (GPLv3) and the goal is to have multiple contributors involved, to secure and reinforce the sustainability of Open GApps development.
Builds are generated every (European) night automatically (if there are any changes) and uploaded to GitHub.
Official AROMA Open GApps package is developed in collaboration with long-time LP-AROMA-developer @raulx222 and has a dedicated XDA thread
For any questions about the AROMA installer development, please refer to that thread. Of course, general support questions can also be asked in our own Q&A thread.
For any questions about the AROMA installer development, please refer to that thread. Of course, general support questions can also be asked in our own Q&A thread.
Official Open GApps For Stock support is developed in collaboration with @Rapper_skulland has a dedicated XDA thread
For any questions about the GApps for Stock development, please refer to that thread. Of course, general support questions can also be asked in our own Q&A thread.
For any questions about the GApps for Stock development, please refer to that thread. Of course, general support questions can also be asked in our own Q&A thread.
The x86 package branch of the package is focused on Zenfone support and is maintained by @deadman96385 of the famous Zenfone GApps packages and has its own topic for x86 related questions
For those that cook their own ROM, an AOSP-build mechanism for Open GApps has been developed by @blystad and can be found at GitHub, remember that you should not bundle any pre-packaged Google Apps with any ROMs you want to distribute further though.
To gather all the various APKs that are necessary for the packages our master of the APK Universe @MNBooZe has written a tool called APKCrawler that scrape these from the internet, e.g. from APKMirror, it can be found at GitHub too.
Characteristic of Open GApps:
- Some highlights about the characteristics of the Open GApps packages:
- All platforms and and all Android versions are supported
- DPI-optimized support for all Google packages (unlike other GApps)
- Frequently updated Google Apps: The pre-built OpenGApps.org packages are updated every (European) night (if there are any updated Google Apps available)
- Strong compression, allowing for relatively small downloads of even the most complete packages
- Automatic backup: It is not necessary to re-flash Google Apps when you flash a ROM update. Most ROMs support this (addon.d) function
- The installer checks your device’s capabilities, like the system partition size. It will notify you, before making any changes, if it finds any problems
- Several package variations, from a Google Super Package (includes all applications that ever shipped on a Google device), to a Stock package that equals the set of applications found on the most current and complete Nexus, to smaller, minimalist packages and an AROMA package that allows graphically selection of what to install
- A special ‘for Stock ROM’ installation mode that allows to update the Google Apps on Stock ROMs that conform to the original GoogleNexus filesystem structure
- All package installations can be customized to your individual preferences using our Advanced Features and Options
The idea behind this project:
I believe a big source of the problem for many GApps packages to stay up-to-date (or not be forfeited) is the lack of time for developers to do labour-intensive repetive every time a new google-app apk is released.
That is why I have taken it upto myself to write some Linux shell scripts to automate the packaging and to share these efforts with the world with the goal to create a team to continue this package together under the name Open GApps.
I believe a big source of the problem for many GApps packages to stay up-to-date (or not be forfeited) is the lack of time for developers to do labour-intensive repetive every time a new google-app apk is released.
That is why I have taken it upto myself to write some Linux shell scripts to automate the packaging and to share these efforts with the world with the goal to create a team to continue this package together under the name Open GApps.
This project should not be managed by a person, but by a team, so volunteers willing to help are more than welcome!
- Team management and projectleader: @MastahF
- Writing of the scripts: @MastahF & @Rapper_skull or check the team on GitHub and many other contributors
- Updating GApp sources: @MNBooZe & @DJAlik & @bgiesing & @mc1100 & @deadman96385 or check the team on GitHub
- AROMA installer: @raulx222 using LibAroma
- Custom compiled commandline tools: @YashdSaraf
- Website: @raulx222 & @MastahF & signalv hosted by GitHub and created with Material Design Lite and JQuery
- Artwork: @Yeti12: Yeti-Designs website
- Documentation: @Trafalgar-Square and @MastahF and many other contributors.
Open GApps installer uses open source third-party tools, like busybox and xzdec, compiled by @YashdSaraf; See his busybox thread for more info.
Open GApps is originally based on the now discontinued PA GApps package of @TKruzze and @osm0sis
Open GApps is originally based on the now discontinued PA GApps package of @TKruzze and @osm0sis
No comments:
Post a Comment