this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2024

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Google is preparing to let you run Linux apps on Android, just like Chrome OS (www.androidauthority.com)

submitted 1 week ago by pnutzh4x0r@lemmy.ndlug.org to c/linux@lemmy.ml

178 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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 week 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?

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 week 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

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

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

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 1 points 1 week 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.

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[–] humblebun@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week 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 week ago (1 children)

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

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

Does termux not already do this?

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

~~No, Termux uses proot~~

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

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[–] savvywolf@pawb.social 5 points 1 week ago (6 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 6 points 1 week 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 5 points 1 week ago (5 children)

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

[–] GravitySpoiled@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

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

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[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 week ago (9 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.

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

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

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[–] Quackdoc@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (8 children)

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

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