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Google has not stopped using Git tags for all Android code. Its official Android build reference still lists release tags, including Android 17 tags. The narrower reported change concerns Pixel kernel sources distributed as tarballs instead of Git tags in a specific context; the available sources do not establish Google’s reason for that change.
Did Google stop using Git tags for Android?
No. Google’s Android build reference describes its table as the exact list of source tags and builds, and includes the Android 17 tags android-security-17.0.0_r1 and android-17.0.0_r1. The reference also explains that build IDs convey release, branch, and source-branch or sync-date information.
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That official list contradicts the broad claim that Android release tags ended. It does not, however, mean that every Android component or repository has a familiar release tag for every source release.
What change was reported?
GrapheneOS release notes describe a specific Pixel kernel-source case: kernel sources were being released as tarballs rather than Git tags, prompting a change to a monolithic Pixel kernel repository setup. The notes say Git metadata for the kernel image and modules would be added back in a later release. This describes a component-specific distribution and reference change, not an announced policy ending tags across AOSP. GrapheneOS release notes
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A report published on August 20, 2026, also said GrapheneOS had reported tag replacements in certain AOSP repositories. It does not provide an official Google explanation for the change. Android Authority’s August 20, 2026 report
Why does the difference between a tag and a tarball matter?
A Git tag is a human-readable reference to a particular source revision. A tagged revision is convenient to identify and retrieve using its release label. A tarball is an archive of source files; distributing one does not itself provide a Git tag for that revision.
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So “the source was published” and “a familiar Git tag was published for each component” are different claims. If a component is supplied as a tarball rather than through a tagged Git reference, identifying its release trail by that label is less convenient. The sources establish the Pixel kernel example, but do not give a complete list of affected repositories or document every downstream team’s workaround.
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The available sources do not establish Google’s reason for the specific tag-to-tarball change. Google’s AOSP FAQ provides general context about development and release timing, but not an explanation for this change.
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The FAQ says some next-version platform work happens privately so developers and OEMs can focus on the current stable version. It also says source is released when the version is stable and the development process permits. Those statements describe Google’s broader approach to platform development; they should not be presented as Google’s motive for distributing particular Pixel kernel sources as tarballs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you still get Android source, and how do you identify a build?
Google’s official build reference continues to list source tags, so the evidence does not support saying Android source disappeared or that all AOSP tags ended. For a specific release, use Google’s build reference to find the relevant listed tag or build identifier. Where a component is distributed as a tarball, the existence of that archive does not imply a matching Git tag.
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Google’s FAQ currently directs contributors to propose changes to android-latest-release. Google reviews proposals and, if accepted, cherrypicks them into internal Gerrit and later release branches. That contribution guidance is separate from whether each component has a public release tag.
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