Google is building a Linux terminal app for native Android development - here's why that's huge

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A close up of the Linux terminal app running on a Pixel 9 Pro.

ZDNET's key takeaways

Google is developing another Linux terminal app.
The app runs a full Debian environment.
Developers will be able to build Android apps on device.

For some time, Android has had access to a terminal app that ran a full-blown, text-only Linux environment. This app is enabled via Android's developer options feature and makes it possible for users to run Linux commands (even SSH).

From Google's perspective, that wasn't enough.

Also: 5 Linux terminal apps better than your default

But it seemed a bit odd when they went mum on the Linux Terminal app at the annual I/O developer conference. Even with that silence, a bit of new news has surfaced that points to Google releasing a new take on the Linux terminal app, one that targets developers.

Build directly on Android devices

This new Linux terminal app will allow developers to build Android apps directly on Android devices. That's a huge change from having to build on emulators running on top of a desktop OS.

Also: 5 surprisingly productive things you can do with the Linux terminal

The new Linux terminal app uses the Android Virtualization Framework to boot into a Debian image running on a virtual machine. This new terminal app provides a full-blown Linux development environment that allows developers to leverage the tools they need to build native apps.

That includes Android Studio.

There's one hiccup in the plan

Even with native support added for on-device Android app development, Android Studio isn't available for ARM-based CPUs, which means it cannot run in the Linux development environment on an Android device. To resolve that issue, Google will have to add support for ARM in the Linux version of the Android Studio IDE.

Also: How to connect Linux and Android - and why you should

Along with the development environment in this new terminal, there's a big bonus for the ride. It's been reported by Android Authority that the current Android Canary build (released at the end of July) includes support for Linux GUI apps. The report states they were able to run several GUI apps, including Chromium, GIMP, and LibreOffice (on a Pixel 8 Pro).

So not only is Google preparing to make it even easier for developers to create and build apps directly on Android devices, but it is also making it possible to run full-blown Linux graphical apps (even games). Imagine the possibilities, especially when docking an Android device to a desktop monitor, mouse, and keyboard.

Also: The first 5 Linux commands every new user should learn

This could also be a key component in Google's merging of Android and ChromeOS, which could allow developers to build apps for the combined platform that would appeal to traditional desktop users, power users, and gamers.