AOSP
Every Android phone in the world starts here: the Android Open Source Project is the open-source core of the operating system, published by Google.
What is AOSP?
The Android Open Source Project is the open-source project, led by Google, that publishes the Android operating system stack — the layers shown above: apps, the Android framework, native libraries, the Android runtime, the hardware abstraction layer, and the Linux kernel. Device makers and ROM developers download this code, adapt it to their hardware, and ship it.
What AOSP is not
Google's proprietary pieces — the Play Store, Google Play services, Gmail, and friends — are not part of AOSP. What ships on a retail phone is AOSP plus the manufacturer's and Google's additions. That gap is exactly what custom ROMs exploit: they are built from AOSP source with their own choices on top.
Why it matters for rooting and ROMs
Every custom ROM begins as AOSP source code — LineageOS,GrapheneOS, and the rest all build on it. When you're weighing a ROM for your device, the AOSP version it tracks tells you a lot about what you're getting. See our ROM catalog for what's out there, or scan your device to find out what it runs today.
Official links
- source.android.com— official documentation and source
This page is an independent, unofficial overview of the Android Open Source Project, which is developed byGoogle. Root My Android is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google. Android is a trademark of Google LLC. All other product names, logos, and brands mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are referenced here for identification and informational purposes only.
