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Google will move Android AOSP development behind closed doors

Google has made aosp-main read-only and moved public contributions to android-latest-release, with accepted changes subject to Google's review. AOSP remains open source, and Google continues to publish source code for stable releases.
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Google has reduced public visibility into development of upcoming Android versions and changed how outside developers submit AOSP contributions. AOSP remains open source: Google still publishes source code, and contributors can propose changes through the current release branch, though Google controls review and merging.

The practical change is that aosp-main is read-only, and accepted public submissions may be cherry-picked into Google’s internal Gerrit before appearing in a future public release branch. Google says it develops some next-version work privately while keeping some components, including the kernel, developed in the open.

What changed in AOSP development?

Google’s AOSP FAQ says aosp-main became read-only on March 27, 2025. The former public development flow has changed: contributors should use android-latest-release or the default revision branch specified in that manifest.

Google says it reviews proposed changes and may cherry-pick accepted submissions into internal Gerrit. Contributors can check future public release branches to see whether their work appears; Google’s FAQ says there is no notification system for acceptance or rejection.

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Is Android becoming closed source?

No. Google continues to describe AOSP as open source and says anyone may modify and distribute its code. The change is about how much in-progress development is public and how contributions are handled—not the disappearance of Android source.

Google says some next-version platform APIs are developed in a private branch so app developers and device manufacturers can focus on a stable version while the next release is prepared. It also says some Android components, including the kernel, are developed in the open. The FAQ describes source publication as dependent on the version being stable and the release process being ready.

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Public release work and private next-version work

Aspect Public release-branch work Private next-version work
Visibility Public branch changes can be viewed; contributions are subject to Google’s review. Unfinished changes in the private branch are not publicly visible until published.
Where contributions go Use android-latest-release or its manifest’s default revision branch. Google says some next-version work takes place in a private branch.
Review and integration Google reviews submissions and may cherry-pick accepted changes into internal Gerrit. Work is handled in Google’s private development process.
When code becomes public Accepted work can appear in a future public release branch. Source is published when the version is stable and the release process permits.

How to contribute to AOSP now

  1. Do not submit new work to aosp-main; Google says it is read-only.
  2. Use Repo to submit to android-latest-release, or, if working directly with Git, use the default revision branch named in that manifest.
  3. Wait for Google’s review. If accepted, the change may be cherry-picked into internal Gerrit.
  4. Check later public release branches to see whether the change appears; Google’s FAQ says it does not send acceptance or rejection notifications.

When does Google publish Android source?

Google says source is released when a version is stable and the development process allows it; it does not promise that every in-progress change will be public. Its FAQ describes release preparation as involving steps such as certification, operator testing, documentation and SDK preparation, and legal clearance.

As a recent example, Google’s Android Developers Blog announced Android 17 on June 16, 2026, and said its source code was then available in AOSP. Matthew McCullough, Google’s VP of Product Management, Android Developer, wrote: “To that end, this moment marks the availability of the source code at the Android Open Source Project (AOSP).”

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What AOSP’s open-source status means for forks

Google says most Android source code is under the Apache License 2.0 and that anyone may modify and distribute AOSP. But using AOSP does not by itself make a device compatible with the wider Android ecosystem or guarantee Google Play eligibility.

Google says AOSP can be used to build devices that are not compatible with other Android devices. Devices seeking compatibility with the wider ecosystem must meet the applicable Android compatibility requirements.

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FAQ

What happened to aosp-main?

Google’s AOSP FAQ says aosp-main became read-only on March 27, 2025. New contributions should use android-latest-release or the default revision branch in its manifest.

Can developers still contribute to AOSP?

Yes. Google says developers can submit changes through the current release branch workflow. Google reviews submissions and may cherry-pick accepted changes into internal Gerrit; accepted work may appear in a future public release branch.

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Does Google publish Android source code?

Yes. Google says it publishes source when a version is stable and the release process permits. It announced that Android 17 source was available in AOSP on June 16, 2026.

Is every part of Android developed privately?

No. Google’s FAQ says some next-version work is developed in a private branch, while some components, including the kernel, are developed in the open.

Does AOSP access guarantee Google Play access?

No. AOSP can be modified and distributed, but compatibility with the wider Android ecosystem, including Google Play eligibility, is governed separately by Android compatibility requirements.

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