The Google Play Store has been at the heart of every Android device, whether it is a tablet, an Android TV, a smartphone, but you would also know that Android apps can be installed, completely bypassing the Play Store. We have all installed apps using APKs at some point of time or the other. It may not be recommended method but there are app developers who choose not to position their apps on the Play Store, instead on their personal web sites. Downloading apps from a developer’s web site can be cumbersome. There is no straightforward way to discover these unlisted apps either, besides word of mouth, or some blog posts or videos. F-Droid is a Play Store alternative, that houses a collection of apps you may or may not find on the Play Store. It is a treasure that is waiting to be explored, and we will show you how to go about it.
A lot of developers that include Android app developers host their code on services like GitHub. Some of them even host compiled APK files that you can download and install on your Android device. The downsides to this are you may not be able to get updates, something the Play Store very conveniently does for you.
You need to check the web site and download it yourself. F-Droid is a service where you can search and browse apps that might interest you. F-Droid lets you download apps from one place, but there is more to it. F-Droid is very particular about data privacy and security, so most apps are particularly clean, in that sense. The ones that depend on third-party services are clearly marked as that, and if they might have any kind of data collection or privacy concerns. F-Droid puts up labels that let you know that the source code for the app is not entirely free or if the app depends on a non-free network service. There are some other benefits. Some paid apps published on the Google Play Store maybe available as free on the F-Droid, by the developer. The F-Droid site clearly links to all the source code, the developer’s home page, and provides all the recent versions of that app that you can choose to downgrade to. This offers more flexibility to the user, and you are in control of the apps being used or updated. You do not even need to login to use the F-Droid app store.
There are plenty of interesting apps on F-Droid to check out. Simple Gallery Pro for example, is a paid app on the Google Play Store but it’s entirely free on the F-Droid store. It is free of ads or any promotional material. Termux is a terminal emulator that lets you run commands and apps on your phone, like you would on any Linux powered laptop or PC. As of the time of writing this feature, the app has ceased updates on the Play Store, but you can get the latest versions over at F-Droid. DNS66 is another interesting app, that is geared towards privacy, ad, and host blocking. It helps reduce ads and preserve bandwidth. AntennaPod is a podcast manager that rivals the best in the market. These are just a few examples of nifty little apps on the F-Droid store. There really are hundreds of apps to choose from, ones you might never have discovered elsewhere. It is fun trying each of them out.
Installing apps from F-Droid is like installing apps from a web site that provides the APK installer. F-Droid has a Store app though, that you can download at https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fdroid.fdroid/. It gives you access to the F-Droid catalog directly on your phone, and once you allow it permissions to install apps, it is like using any other app store.
The official F-Droid app is good enough, but it might appear dated. If you are looking for something a little fresh and modern in appearance, consider Foxy Droid. It too is available on the F-Droid store. It makes updating and maintaining your F-Droid apps easy. You can find it using the F-Droid store app or by clicking here on your Android phone.
F-Droid also has a repositories feature. Repositories are libraries of software, which is where all the apps you see on F-Droid are. There are also third-party repositories you can add to Foxy Droid, in addition and get access to more, newer software. These could be cutting-edge builds of apps you might not find anywhere.
F-Droid is not the only third-party app store around, but it is one of the most secure, and privacy-conscious ones. F-Droid is just one of those rarely spoken of services, but if you want to learn more about technology and other interesting happenings, keep checking out RelianceDigital.in.
