NanoDroid

NanoDroid is a installer for various OpenSource related things, most noticably microG and F-Droid. It supports direct /system installation, both devices with or without A/B partition scheme are supported, aswell as Magisk Mode (module) installation. It also includes several tools (eg. GNU Bash, GNU Nano, more), scripts, fonts, sounds and additional features (system debloating, init scripts, automatic logcat creation), aswell as a companion F-Droid Repository.

Furthermore it allows the user to do fine-graded installations using configuration files, which allow to choose what to install, or if several alternatives are available, which of them.

In order for full microG experience NanoDroid contains a modified Play Store which allows (in-)app-purchases with microG, which would normally not be possible. It also tries to remove all previously installed GApps on it's own. For ROMs without builtin signature spoofing support NanoDroid includes an on-device Patcher which tries to patch your ROM from TWRP.

Versions until 15.1 were called NanoMod, starting with 16.0 they're called NanoDroid.

Table of Contents

• NanoDroid
  • Current Release
  • Downloads
    • Primary Mirror
    • Secondary Mirror
    • Snapshots
  • Supported Android Versions
  • Support
  • ChangeLog
  • Summary
  • Packages
    • Modules
      • Installation Logfiles
      • Parallel Installations
    • Extras
    • F-Droid Repository
    • Scripts
  • Details
    • NanoDroid
      • NanoDroid-Overlay
      • NanoDroid-Prop
      • NanoDroid-Perm
      • NanoDroid-Util
      • NanoDroid-Font
      • init scripts
      • Shell Utilities
      • GNU Bash and GNU Nano
    • microG
    • F-Droid and Applications
    • The Legend of Zelda ringtones and sounds
    • Nintendo Fonts
  • Installation
    • Alter Installation
    • Installation Process
      • NanoDroid
        • Installing from scratch
        • Upgrade / Installing on a clean ROM
      • microG
        • Signature Spoofing Support
        • microG Setup
  • License & Credits
  • Issues
  • TODO
  • FAQ

Created by gh-md-toc

Current Release

• Stable: 18.3.1.20180921
• Beta: --- (---)

Downloads

Primary Mirror

On AndroidFileHost all stable and beta releases are available.

• Stable Downloads > Androidfilehost
• Beta Downloads > Androidfilehost

Secondary Mirror

On Nanolx the latest stable and beta releases are available, no previous releases.

• Stable Downloads > Nanolx
• Beta Downloads > Nanolx

Snapshots

You can create snapshots from this repository.

• on GNU/Linux, MacOS or *BSD clone this repository and use the provided build-package script like
  • first step:
    • build-package pull to download all required apks for Full, microG and F-Droid package
  • second step:
    • build-package full to create the full package
    • build-package microg to create the microG only package
    • build-package fdroid to create the F-Droid only package
    • build-package patcher to create the on-device framework-patcher package
    • build-package uninstaller to create the uninstaller package
    • build-package setupwizard to create the Setup Wizard package
    • build-package all to create all packages at once
  • third step:
    • build-package u-microg to update microG
    • build-package u-fdroid to update F-Droid
    • build-package u-apps to update (most) applications
    • build-package u-swipe to update swipe libraries
    • build-package u-gsync to update Google Sync Adapters
    • build-package pull to update/re-download everything

for apks downloaded from F-Droid repositories or from APK Mirror, build-package checks the SHA256 hash.

The build-package script additionally supports the following parameters:

• check check if all files were properly downloaded
• clean remove any untracked files from the repo (e. g. from build-package pull)
• dalvik [.jar] prepare a jar file for use with DalvikVM
• ver [version] [date] change project version
• bump increment Magisk module version by 1

The following applications are custom builds (see F-Droid Repository below):

• Play Store (reason: re-signed and modified to support (in-)app-purchases with microG GmsCore)
• microG GmsCore (reason: built with additions)
• microG DroidGuard Helper (reason: built with fix for non 32bit arm devices failing SafetyNet attestation)
• MPV (reason: infrequent updates)
• OpenLauncher (reason: infrequent updates)

Also build-package looks if the configuration files

• .nanodroid-setup
• .nanodroid-apps
• .nanodroid-overlay

exist in the data directory of the repository, if so, those files are used when creating packages instead of the default ones from the doc directory.

See the documentation below for more information on those files and what they do.

Supported Android Versions

NanoDroid officially supports the following Android versions:

• 4.4 / SDK 19 (KitKat)
  • System Mode only (Magisk does not support KitKat)
• 5.0 / SDK 21 (Lollipop)
• 5.1 / SDK 22 (Lollipop)
• 6.0 / SDK 23 (Marshmallow)
• 7.0 / SDK 24 (Nougat)
• 7.1 / SDK 25 (Nougat)
• 8.0 / SDK 26 (Oreo)
• 8.1 / SDK 27 (Oreo)
• 9.0 / SDK 28 (Pie)
  • Patchers works if your ROM's services.jar already contains classes.dex
    • > Deodex Instructions

earlier versions will never officially be supported (you may still report bugs, though).

Future versions will be officially supported, eventually.

Support

> XDA Support Thread

ChangeLog

Full, user-readible > ChangeLog

Summary

NanoDroid can be installed as a Magisk Module or directly to /system, most functionality is available, in System Mode, too.

More information about Magisk > XDA

NanoDroid includes

• microG and it's companions
  • on-device framework-patcher for microG support (signature spoofing)
    • with automatic de-odexing up to Android 8.1
  • GApps are auto-removed during installation
    • using > NanoDroid-Overlay
    • the Uninstaller will restore them in System Mode (or re-flash the ROM)
    • see the > GApps Removal List
  • location packages conflicting with unified Nlp will be auto-removed during installation
    • using > NanoDroid-Overlay
    • the Uninstaller will restore them (or re-flash the ROM)
    • see the > GApps Removal List
• F-Droid and it's privileged extension
• modified Play Store to allow (in-)app-purchases with microG
  • this required the Play Store to be modified, see the > patch
  • alternatively Yalp Store can be installed instead
• custom init scripts
• pseudo-debloat feature (Magisk Mode)
  • disables applications systemless-ly
  • pre-configured > default settings
• force-debloat feature (Sytem Mode)
  • moves applications out of the way to /sdcard/nanodroid_backup/
  • pre-configured > default settings
• several Open Source applications
  • include replacements for the pseudo-debloated applications
  • full list of > included applications
• additional components
  • GNU Bash shell
  • GNU Nano terminal editor
  • several utilities from util-linux, bsdmainutils and more
  • Addon.d support for System Mode installation
    • restores NanoDroid after ROM update
    • re-debloates GApps, if required
    • restored NanoDroid-Font setup, if required
• The Legend of Zelda ringtones and sounds
• System UI fonts from several Nintendo games

Packages

Modules

Module packages, flashing through TWRP recommended, though flashing through Magisk Manager works aswell.

• NanoDroid: includes
  • everything mentioned in the Summary
• NanoDroid-microG: includes (only)
  • microG and it's companions
  • pseudo/force-debloat feature
  • app store(s)
  • GApps and location packages auto-removal
• NanoDroid-fdroid: includes (only)
  • F-Droid and it's privileged extension

Installation Logfiles

The recovery log and installation configuration is stored after installation, regardless with it succeeded or failed.

You'll find the files in

• /data/adb/MODID_log_INSTALLDATE
• /data/adb/MODID_twrp_INSTALLDATE

where MODID is either NanoDroid, NanoDroid_microG or NanoDroid_FDroid. INSTALLDATE is the date of installation in %Y%m%D_%H.%M.%S format (eg: 20180709_20.34.14), Note: when installing through Magisk Manager INSTALLDATE might be in UTC +0000, instead of your local time offset!

In case of installation errors, issues or questions provide theese files in your report for easier debugging.

Parallel Installations

Since the microG and F-Droid packages are subsets of the Full NanoDroid package, they can't be installed alongside.

The microG and F-Droid packages however can be installed in parallel, as they complement each other.

Extras

Extra packages, always flash through TWRP.

• NanoDroid-patcher: includes
  • on-device framework-patcher for signature spoofing support
    • requires an deodexed ROM
      • > Deodex Instructions
  • creates the file /data/adb/NanoDroid_Patched after successful patching
  • installs an addon.d script for automatic re-patching after ROM update
    • addon.d support files reside in /data/adb/nanodroid-patcher/
• NanoDroid-setupwizard: includes
  • AROMA based Setup Wizard to create the configuration files
  • user can choose where to store the configuration files
    • /sdcard (fallback)
    • /external_sd
    • /data
  • NOTE: AROMA only works on arm and arm64, if your device is x86 or x86_64, it won't work
• NanoDroid-uninstaller: includes
  • uninstalls all NanoDroid Magisk Modules
    • also old NanoMod Magisk Modules
  • uninstalls NanoDroid installed in System Mode
  • uninstalls NanoDroid configuration files
  • uninstalls NanoDroid-Patcher addon.d environment
  • restores GApps and location services auto-removed during installation (System Mode)
  • restores services.jar patched by NanoDroid-Patcher (System Mode)

F-Droid Repository

In order to ease updating NanoDroid's custom application builds you can use it's companion F-Droid Repository

Scripts

Misc. Scripts for use from PC/Notebook, while device is in TWRP, they are found in this repository:

• mount-magisk
  • script to mount or unmount Magisk in TWRP
  • script toggles mount-state (read: will mount Magisk if unmounted and unmount Magisk if mounted)

Details

NanoDroid

This lists features unique to NanoDroid.

NanoDroid-Overlay

The nanodroid-overlay script handles the debloat feature

• pseudo-debloat applications in Magisk Mode

• force-debloat applications in System Mode

• show the list of debloated apps

• show the lits of non-debloated apps

• add or remove apps from the list of debloated apps

• Full details on the NanoDroid-Overlay Script > Details

NanoDroid-Prop

The nanodroid-prop script utilizes Magisk's resetprop to alter system properties

• add system properties (Magisk-only)
  • both on-the-fly and permanently
• properties set by this script survive NanoDroid updates

Full details on the NanoDroid-Prop Script > Details

NanoDroid-Perm

The nanodroid-perm script grants microG and Co. required permissions, if lacking

Full details on the NanoDroid-Perm Script > Details

NanoDroid-Util

The nanodroid-util script contains the following features

• show boot count
• fix OTA update issues (like non-working navbar)
• handle Audio Focus permission
  • prevent apps from stealing audio output, for example listen to Music while playing Pokémon Go
• handle Read Clipboard permission
• modify Airplane Mode settings
  • choose which radios are on or off in Airplane mode

Full details on the NanoDroid-Util Script > Details

NanoDroid-Font

The nanodroid-font script changes the Sytem UI font

Full details on the NanoDroid-Font Script > Details

init scripts

The following init scripts are bundled with NanoDroid

• external_sd
  • symlink SD Card mount point to /external_sd
  • SD Card needs to be inserted upon boot
• fstrim
  • trim file systems (may increase speed)
• logcat
  • store logcat in /data/adb
    • logs older than 7 days are deleted on every reboot
• logscleaner
  • clean up log files
• sqlite
  • clean up sqlite databases

When in Magisk Mode the init scripts create their log files in

/magisk/NanoDroid/.logs/${script}.log.${date}

When installed to /system your ROM needs to support running scripts in

/system/etc/init.d

or you can use Kernel Adiutor's init.d emulation.

Shell Utilities

Several utilities from bsdmainutils and util-linux

• > bsdmainutils Launchpad
• > util-linux GitHub

are included:

• col
• colcrt
• colrm
• column
• findfs
• findmnt
• hexdump
• look
• lsblk
• lscpu
• lsipc
• lslocks
• lsns
• ncal
• setterm
• whereis

Other shell utilities

• less > Website
  • lessecho
  • lesskey
• unzip > Website

GNU Bash and GNU Nano

NanoDroid includes GNU Bash shell and the GNU Nano terminal editor.

• > GNU Bash Website
• > GNU Nano Website

microG

microG is an Open Source replacement for Google Services, full details can be found at the microG homepage > Website

NanoDroid includes microG as follows

• microG GmsCore > GitHub
• with Déjà Vu location provider backend > F-Droid
• with Mozilla location provider backend > F-Droid
• with Nominatim adress provider backend > F-Droid
• with microG GsfProxy > GitHub
• with microG DroidGuard Helper > GitHub
  • required for SafetyNet support
• support for Maps API version 1
• support for Google Calendar and Contacts Sync Adapter
  • disabled by default
• optional Swipe libraries
  • disabled by default
• choose between official Play Store > APK Mirror or unofficial Yalp Store > F-Droid
  • Yalp Store can use system permissions to install packages, so you don't need to enable Unknown Sources
    • go to Yalp Store > Settings > Installation Method > Using system permissions
  • Play Store is modified to allow (in-)app-purchases with microG
• GApps and several location services conflict with microG and unified Nlp. Thus they are removed during NanoDroid installation
  • using > NanoDroid-Overlay
  • see > GAppsRemoval for more details

F-Droid and Applications

F-Droid > Website is an app store for Open Source applications.

NanoDroid includes both F-Droid and it's Privileged Extension > F-Droid, so you don't need to enable Unknown Sources.

Additionally NanoDroid includes a variety of applications, check full details > GitHub

The Legend of Zelda ringtones and sounds

NanoDroid includes The Legend of Zelda > Nintendo ringtones and sounds, because it's dangerous to root alone.

Full > Details

Nintendo Fonts

NanoDroid includes Nintendo Fonts.

Full > Details

Installation

Alter Installation

NanoDroid supports altering the installation settings to a wide degree.

Full > Details on altering installation manually, or use the Setup Wizard (if you've got an arm/arm64 device).

Installation Process

NanoDroid

• Use Setup Wizard to create configuration files (if you've got an arm/arm64 device), or create manually (see above)
• Download pre-built zip or create one from this repository

Installing from scratch

This is the recommended way.

• perform full wipe (/system, /data, /cache, Dalvik/ART cache)
  • recommended, but not required
• install desired ROM
  • make sure it does not include GApps if you want to use microG
    • NanoDroid tries to get rid of GApps on it's own, but it may not always work, try without any warranty
• install Magisk
  • recommended, but not required
  • if Magisk is installed, NanoDroid will be installed as Magisk-Module, else it will install into /system directly
  • if you want to use microG make sure the ROM is either pre-patched with signature spoofing support or deoxeded so you can patch yourself see here
    • you can use the Patcher package to de-odex (up to Android 8.1) and/or patch services.jar (up to Android 9.0)
• install desired Kernel (if any)
• install NanoDroid
• reboot into ROM
• optional, but recommended, setup the F-Droid repository

Upgrade / Installing on a clean ROM

When upgrading NanoDroid or installing on a known clean ROM (read: GApps free), you may also just

• install Magisk
  • recommended, but not required
  • if Magisk is installed, NanoDroid will be installed as Magisk-Module, else it will install into /system directly
• install NanoDroid
  • from either Magisk Manager or TWRP, doesn't matter
• reboot

microG

Signature Spoofing Support

For microG to work, your ROM needs to have signature spoofing enabled (or a deodexed ROM to patch yourself).

If your ROM does not have signature spoofing support, you can manually patch it either

• flashing the on-device Patcher zip
  • it also installs an addon.d script that auto re-patches the ROM upon update

If you ROM is odexed read this instructions on how to deodex services.jar manually

Both patchers support installing the patched services.jar into the following locations:

• NanoDroid Magisk Module
• NanoDroid-microG Magisk Module
• directly into /system

So you can use them regardless whether you're using NanoDroid or not.

microG Setup

Once your ROM supports signature spoofing, you need to setup microG like this

• go into microG settings and set up everything like:
  • check results in Self-Check, grant missing permissions (by tapping on them)
    • especially the Battery Optimization item
  • enable Google device registration
  • enable Google Cloud Messaging (only if you want to receive push messages from your applications)
  • enable Google SafetyNet (required for applications that utilize SafetyNet, for example Pokémon GO, ...)
    • '...' menu > set to use the Official Server
  • in UnifiedNlp Settings choose
    • Déjà Vu and/or Mozilla as Geolocation backend
    • Nominatim as Address lockup backend
  • after everything is done, reboot
  • go to Play Store, setup account and install your apps

License & Credits

My own work (NanoDroid itself) is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3 or newer > GNU

For more details (including authors and license) on every provided application or Software press the link next to it.

Additional credits go to

• Mar-V-In for microG
  • https://github.com/microg
• topjohnwu for Magisk
  • https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk
• Lanchon for dexpatcher and haystack
  • https://github.com/dexpatcher
• osm0sis for GNU Nano and Busybox
  • https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2239421
• shadow53 for automatic apk grabbing base code
  • https://shadow53.com/android/no-gapps/
• ale5000 for microG system permission files and GApps Removal list
  • https://github.com/micro5k
• PaperYoshi for Nintendo Fonts
  • http://downloads.paperyoshi.at/
• anestisb for vdexExtractor
  • https://github.com/anestisb/vdexExtractor
• JesusFreke for smali/baksmali
  • https://github.com/JesusFreke/smali

Special Thanks to the beta testers

• xenithorb
• ShapeShifter499

Issues

List of known issues

• Applications/SafetyNet check complain with Google Play Services are missing
  • you did not
    • setup microG (or did not reboot afterwards)
    • grant signature spoofing permission to Play Store
    • install either Fake Store or Play Store
• Battery Drain
  • microG fails to register applications to GCM (Google Cloud Messaging) if they were installed before microG, but the apps keep trying to register and that causes the battery drain, all apps installed after microG are properly registered, to fix the battery drain either
    • do a clean flash of your ROM (, Magisk) and NanoDroid and install your apps after microG setup
    • uninstall and re-install all your applications (backup application data if required)
• microG lacks features
  • if you use AppOps, PrivacyGuard or the like you have to grant microG GmsCore all permissions, if you prevent some permissions, some apps or features might not work as expected or not at all. Note: some APIs/features are stubs in microG GmsCore, meaning they exist that apps don't complain, but they do nothing - thus blocking microG GmsCore is pretty much of no benefit.

Additional helpful information in the microG > Wiki.

TODO

FAQ

Q: will there be a GApps version, instead of microG?
A: no. but you can choose not to populate microG.

Q: what devices is this tested on?
A: One Plus 3T, Nexus 6, Moto G (3rd Gen)

Q: what ROMs was this tested on?
A: OmniROM, AOSP Extended; should work on any LineageOS / AOSP based ROM that is working with Magisk.