F-Droid 2.0 rolls out with redesigned interface and simpler app installation
publishers 5articles 5first reported 24 Sep, 19:30 UTCdeveloping since 25 Sep · 2 editions
F-Droid has begun rolling out version 2.0 of its Android app-store client, delivering its first major update in about a decade. The community-run store, which distributes free and open-source apps, rebuilt the client from scratch using Kotlin Compose and added optional support for Android’s Material theming.
The update reorganizes the interface to make core functions easier to reach, while moving less-used controls into overflow menus. It also expands app discovery with more categories, including specialized groups for firewalls, password managers and VPNs. Search can now match terms in app descriptions rather than relying only on app names.
F-Droid 2.0 also streamlines installation through Google’s pre-approval API. Instead of downloading an APK, opening it and responding to a separate sideloading warning, users can initiate an installation in F-Droid and confirm it in an Android system prompt before the download proceeds. The process still requires one more confirmation than installing through Google Play, according to Ars Technica, but removes several steps from the previous workflow.
Neowin also reported that the release includes automatic updates. The rollout follows a multiyear development effort and updates a store that now offers thousands of open-source Android applications.
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