PostmarketOS

Oliver Smith started developing postmarketOS in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Vervloesem |first=Koen |date=July 3, 2024 |title=PostmarketOS: Linux for phones and more |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/979522/ |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=LWN.net}}

Unlike many other projects porting conventional Linux distributions to Android phones, postmarketOS does not use the Android build system or userspace.{{Cite web |title=PostmarketOS: Linux for phones and more [LWN.net] |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/979522/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=lwn.net}} Each phone has only one unique package, and flashable installation images are generated using the pmbootstrap tool. The project intends to support the mainline Linux kernel on all phones in the future, instead of the often outdated Android-specific fork, to reduce the potential for security exploits. A few devices can boot into the mainline kernel already.{{cite web|url=https://postmarketos.org/blog/2017/12/31/219-days-of-postmarketOS/|title=219 days of postmarketOS|website=postmarketos.org}}{{cite web|url=http://linuxgizmos.com/new-mobile-linux-contenders-keeps-the-dream-alive/|title=New mobile Linux contenders keep the dream alive|date=29 September 2017|first=Eric|last=Brown}} The project aims to support Android apps, originally through the use of Anbox, which was replaced by Waydroid since postmarketOS v21.12.{{Cite web|url=https://postmarketos.org/blog/2020/02/17/postmarketos-in-2020-02/|title=postmarketOS // in 2020-02|website=postmarketos.org|access-date=2020-04-07}}{{cite web|url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Anbox|title=Anbox - postmarketOS}}

Alpine Linux was chosen as the base distribution due to its low storage requirements, making it more suitable for older devices. Excluding the kernel, a base installation takes up approximately 6 MB.{{cite web|url=https://www.linux.com/blog/2017/9/librem-5-leads-new-wave-open-source-mobile-linux-contenders |title=Librem 5 Leads New Wave of Open Source Mobile Linux Contenders | Linux.com | The source for Linux information |publisher=Linux.com |date=2017-09-29 |access-date=2018-01-29}}{{cite web|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/postmarketos-touch-optimized-linux-distro/ |title=postmarketOS is a Touch-Optimized Linux Distro for Portable Devices |publisher=Xda-developers.com |date=2017-09-05 |access-date=2018-01-29}} In March 2024, the maintainers announced that postmarketOS would migrate from OpenRC to systemd as its init system for select user interfaces.{{Cite web |title=Linux for older phones postmarketOS changes its init system |url=https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/11/postmarketos_goes_systemd/ |first=Liam |last=Proven |date=11 March 2024 |access-date=24 June 2024 |website=The Register}}

As of 2025, it is work-in-progress software intended for power users.{{cite web |title=postmarketOS // State of postmarketOS |url=https://postmarketos.org/state/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306143037/https://postmarketos.org/state/ |archive-date=6 March 2025 |access-date=24 March 2025 |website=postmarketOS |language=en}}

Different tools have been published by the project, including:

• pmbootstrap,{{cite web |last=Chapman |first=Christian |url=http://www.public.asu.edu/~cdchapm2/postmarket-xt897/index.html |title=Porting PostmarketOS to the Motorola Photon Q |publisher=Public.asu.edu |date=2017-08-17 |access-date=2018-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028131014/http://www.public.asu.edu/~cdchapm2/postmarket-xt897/index.html |archive-date=2017-10-28 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://gitlab.com/postmarketOS/pmbootstrap|title=pmbootstrap: Sophisticated chroot/build/flash tool to develop and install postmarketOS|publisher=postmarketOS|date=2018-01-27|access-date=2018-01-27}} a utility to help the process of development with cross compilation;
• osk-sdl,{{cite web|url=https://wiki.debian.org/Mobile |title=Mobile - Debian Wiki |publisher=Wiki.debian.org |date=2017-12-31 |access-date=2018-01-29}}{{cite web|url=https://gitlab.com/postmarketOS/osk-sdl|title=SDL2 On-screen Keyboard|publisher=postmarketOS|date=2017-12-31|access-date=2018-01-27}} a virtual keyboard to allow decryption of a password during startup (on a device with full disk encryption);
• charging-sdl,{{cite web|url=https://gitlab.com/postmarketOS/charging-sdl|title=SDL2 charging application for the initramfs|publisher=postmarketOS|date=2017-12-23|access-date=2018-01-27}} an application contained in the initramfs to display an animation when the phone is charging while off.

As of May 2020, over two hundred devices are able to boot the operating system, including 92 with WiFi support.{{cite web|url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices|title=Supported devices|date=16 May 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://tuxphones.com/postmarketos-boots-200-linux-phones-tablets-sbcs/|title=postmarketOS now boots on over 200 phones and tablets|date=16 May 2020}} This includes many smartphones and tablets that originally ran Android,{{cite web|url=https://www.datamation.com/open-source/why-mobile-linux-fails.html|title=Why Mobile Linux Fails - Datamation|website=www.datamation.com|date=11 September 2017 }}{{Cite web |url=http://lunduke.com/2018/01/02/weekly-linux-news-jan-2nd-2018/ |title=Weekly Linux News – January 2, 2018 Lunduke.com |access-date=January 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420101238/http://lunduke.com/2018/01/02/weekly-linux-news-jan-2nd-2018/ |archive-date=April 20, 2018 |url-status=dead }} as well as some Linux-based Nokia smartphones, such as the N900{{cite web|url=https://www.superlectures.com/openalt2017/telefonni-revoluce-se-blizi |title=Telefonni revoluce se blizi | OpenAlt 2017 - video zц║znamy a slajdy |publisher=Superlectures.com |date=2017-11-05 |access-date=2018-01-29}} and N9.{{cite web|url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices|title=Devices - postmarketOS|website=wiki.postmarketos.org}} After Corellium's Project Sandcastle ported the Linux kernel to some iPhone versions, postmarketOS was also seen to boot on it, although no persistent flashing is supported at the moment.{{Cite web|url=https://blog.project-insanity.org/2020/04/16/running-postmarketos-on-iphone-7/|title=Running postmarketOS on iPhone 7 – project-insanity.org|date=16 April 2020 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-18}} As of May 2021, support for wearable devices (including Google Glass and smartwatches like the LG G Watch) has been improved through integration with the AsteroidOS user interface and work on mainline kernel for the LG G Watch R.{{cite web |title=postmarketOS is finally coming to wearables |url=https://tuxphones.com/postmarketos-linux-targets-smartwatches-wearables-watch-friendly-asteroid-os-ui/ |website=TuxPhones |date=3 May 2021 |access-date=7 May 2021}}

In 2018, no devices were yet able to make phone calls with postmarketOS,{{cite web|url=https://androidcommunity.com/postmarketos-can-run-on-older-gadgets-but-with-limited-features-20180105/|title=PostmarketOS can run on older gadgets but with limited features|date=5 January 2018}} although significant efforts were being made in this regard. By 2020, a number of devices were fully or mostly supported, including for phone calls, SMS messages and mobile data. These included the BQ Aquaris X5, Librem 5, Nokia N900, Motorola Moto G4 Play, Samsung Galaxy A3 (2015), Samsung Galaxy A5 (2015), and Wileyfox Swift.{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices|title=Devices - postmarketOS}}

Furthermore, the PinePhone launched in 2020, with postmarketOS Community Edition as a first-party operating system.{{Cite web|url=https://fossbytes.com/postmarketos-community-edition-pinephone/|title=Linux PinePhone 'Community Edition' with postmarketOS: All You Need to Know|date=16 June 2020}}

The development process to make a new device compatible with the operating system consists of creating a phone-specific package using the pmbootstrap tool. For that, the use of the Linux kernel from the device's original manufacturer is often necessary. The source code of the original kernel is often made available by compliance with the requirements of the GPLv2 license, but some drivers necessary for the operation of the device may not be available, and must, therefore, be recreated.{{cite web|title=Porting to a new device - postmarketOS|url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Porting_to_a_new_device|website=wiki.postmarketos.org|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27}} Examples include GPU drivers such as Lima, which has a proprietary equivalent in userspace on Android that is not subject to the GPLv2 requirements.

Only the PinePhone{{Cite web |title=PINE64 PinePhone (pine64-pinephone) - postmarketOS Wiki |url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/PINE64_PinePhone_(pine64-pinephone) |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=wiki.postmarketos.org}} and few others devices seems to have the camera working. It's in WIP for the Fairphone.

OnePlus6 is WIP for Volte support.{{Cite web |title=VoLTE support for the OnePlus 6 (#1878) · Issues · postmarketOS / pmaports · GitLab |url=https://gitlab.com/postmarketOS/pmaports/-/issues/1878 |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=GitLab |language=en}}

File:Pinephone-plasma-mobile-edition - homescreen.png|Plasma Mobile running on PinePhone

File:Asus-z010d-postmarketOS.jpg|Phosh running on the Asus ZenFone Max

File:Plasma-mobile-hammerhead 01.jpg|Plasma Mobile on the Nexus 5

File:Asus flo hildon.jpg|Hildon on the Nexus 7 (2013)

File:N9 xfce4.jpg|XFCE on the Nokia N9

File:PostmarketOS and Weston compositor running on Motorola Moto G.jpg|Weston (Wayland compositor demo) on the Moto G

File:LuneOS Browser.png|LuneOS UI running on a generic x86 tablet

File:Sxmo-bq-paella.jpg|Sxmo on the BQ Aquaris X5

File:Plasma_Mobile_on_Xiaomi_POCO_X3_NFC.jpg|Plasma Mobile on the Xiaomi POCO X3 NFC

File:Xiaomi wt88047 plamo (cropped, enhanced).png|Plasma Mobile running on the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime

postmarketOS is supported by various Devices. {{Cite web |title=Devices - postmarketOS Wiki |url=https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Devices |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=wiki.postmarketos.org}}

{{Portal|Linux|Free and open-source software}}

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• List of open-source mobile phones
• Linux for mobile devices
• Librem 5
• PinePhone
• Alpine Linux
• Android rooting
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• Ubuntu Touch
• Sailfish OS
• LuneOS
• Maemo
• Plasma Mobile
• Mobian

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