# Android Open Source Project 28 Hacker News commenters recommended Android Open Source Project and 18 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 9 of 13 months. **Verdict:** Recommended as the most private and secure open Android base, and a foundation for other systems; critics say Google's control and infrequent source releases limit it. ## Why people recommend it - Stronger privacy and security than desktop Linux (11 comments): "AOSP even without the GrapheneOS improvements has drastically better privacy and security than a traditional desktop distribution" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49368668)) "AOSP is a Linux distribution with drastically improved privacy and security compared to a traditional desktop Linux" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48766480)) "AOSP on a Pixel without the improvements made by GrapheneOS is far more private and secure than desktop Linux" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49368549)) - Open source, buildable and modifiable (4 comments): "I can read the sources of AOSP, I can modify it, build it and install it on my device." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48684629)) "AOSP is open source and can be built without Google Play running at the background" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48563527)) "a fully open-source build of AOSP is significantly more complete and useful" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48688238)) - Solid base for other systems (4 comments): "The only approach that has worked better is to base things on AOSP." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47032328)) "Which can be done with a small team by building on top of AOSP" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47959477)) "AOSP allows alternative systems to hit the ground running" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50052002)) - Mature and usable for years (4 comments): "I've been using it for about 15 years on many different devices and it works just fine." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49189435)) "AOSP is still the best Linux-based environment for consumer use case from many aspects" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48575172)) "AOSP, which is a fine open source OS for most people's use cases" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49190468)) ## What people warn about - Google controls development, releases infrequent (6 comments): "Google chose to come up with a archaic way of distributing the sources involving someone manually going through a list" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49369163)) "I do not believe that AOSP developed by Google will provide the necessary freedom in the future, at all." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49951856)) "AOSP made it increasingly difficult to contribute without being an Android partner" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48762497)) - Missing basic features, feels undercooked (3 comments): "AOSP is basically dead (it doesn't even include a functional keyboard nor a functional call manager nowadays" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49521078)) "AOSP just feels extremely rough and undercooked in a lot of places" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49804748)) "AOSP requires a rooted device or adb in order to use many commands" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50295756)) - Forks may include spyware (2 comments): "Granted most of those AOSP forks in China also often have spyware of sorts, but at least there are multiple active forks" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47222781)) "Chromium and AOSP immediately come to mind - into vendor lock-in and spyware" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46318851)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Android](https://hackerapproved.com/p/android.md): 372 recommend - [Apple iOS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ios.md): 308 recommend - [LineageOS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lineageos.md): 186 recommend - [/e/OS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/e-os.md): 89 recommend - [Sailfish OS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sailfish-os.md): 80 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Android Open Source Project", https://hackerapproved.com/p/aosp/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).