Android Development on FydeOS

Last Update: 2023-07-18

Introduction

In 2016, Google expanded the Android ecosystem by integrating the Android operating environment into Chrome OS. This move opened the door for desktop Android apps designed for large screens and keyboard and mouse operations. Over the years, Google has made significant enhancements to the Android environment on Chrome OS, encouraging more manufacturers and developers to get involved. In May, Google’s open-source project, Project Crostini, brought a native Linux experience to Chrome OS, enabling daily development and debugging work on Chrome OS.

During the annual Google Developers Conference (Google IO), we witnessed the installation of Chrome on a Google Pixelbook during a presentation on “What’s new in Android apps for Chrome OS”. This Pixelbook supports large Linux apps like Android Studio and allows direct debugging and compiling of Android apps via ADB and the onboard Android environment, marking a significant milestone in the promotion of the Android desktop ecosystem.

FydeOS is a desktop operating system based on Chromium OS. It decouples the originally tightly bound Google services and adds self-developed modules and optimizations, making it more accessible to users in mainland China.

This guide will walk you through enabling the Linux subsystem in FydeOS, installing and running Linux apps, and working with the onboard Android environment to achieve high efficiency on Chrome OS + Pixelbook, as demonstrated at Google IO.

System Requirements

Hardware Prerequisites

Hardware Requirements

Due to the high system performance requirements of large IDEs like Android Studio, we recommend installing FydeOS on devices with superior hardware than entry-level devices.

Compatibility Notes

System Compatibility

1. The Android environment of FydeOS (public beta version) is currently only compatible with Intel series graphics cards
2. The architecture design of Project Crostini requires the CPU to support hardware virtualization (VT-x)
3. Most mid- to high-end Intel CPUs, excluding the BayTrail family, carry this feature

Setup Process

Phase 1: Installing FydeOS

1. Download FydeOS from the official website
2. Flash FydeOS to a portable storage device following the setup guide
3. Install FydeOS on your PC

Installation Method

For best performance, we recommend installing FydeOS as the sole system. If you need dual-boot setup, please refer to our dual-boot guide.

Phase 2: Enabling Android Debug Bridge

1. Open “Android” from the application launcher
2. Navigate to “System” -> “Developer options”
3. Enable the “ADB debugging” option

Android Apps Installation

FydeOS does not include Google’s service framework and Play Store. To install Android apps, download a third-party Android Market or install them directly from the .apk file. Installed Android apps will automatically appear in the “application launcher”.

Phase 3: Setting up Linux Environment

1. Open “Settings”
2. Locate and click on “Linux” settings
3. Click “Turn On” and follow the installation prompts
4. Wait for the Terminal app to appear in your launcher

Phase 4: Installing Android Studio

1. Download Android Studio for ChromeOS from developer.android.com
2. Double-click the downloaded file to begin installation
3. Follow the initialization wizard
4. Download required SDK and toolsets when prompted

Phase 5: Configuring ADB Connection

1. Open a new Terminal window
2. Install ADB by running:

   sudo apt-get install adb

3. Connect to the Android subsystem:

   adb connect 100.115.92.2:5555

Network ADB Connection

1. Ensure ADB debugging is enabled on your device
2. Locate your FydeOS device’s IP address
3. Connect using: adb connect <device-ip>:5555

Support Resources

Need help? Here are some useful resources:

• Check the FydeOS FAQ & Knowledge Base
• Visit the FydeOS Community for technical support

References

• Chromium OS Containers and VMs Documentation
• Android Studio on Chrome OS