1 page.title=Philosophy and Goals 2 doc.type=about 3 doc.hidenav=true 4 @jd:body 5 <p>Android is an open-source software stack for mobile phones and other 6 devices.</p> 7 <h2>Origin and Goal</h2> 8 <p>Android was originated by a group of companies known as the Open Handset 9 Alliance, led by Google. Today, many companies -- both original members of the 10 OHA and others -- have invested heavily in Android, typically in the form of 11 allocating significant engineering resources to improve Android and bring 12 Android devices to Market.</p> 13 <p>We created Android in response to our own experiences launching mobile 14 apps. We wanted to make sure that there would always be an open platform 15 available for carriers, OEMs, and developers to use to make their innovative 16 ideas a reality. We wanted to make sure that there was no central point of 17 failure, where one industry player could restrict or control the innovations 18 of any other. The solution we chose was an open and open-source platform.</p> 19 <p>The goal of the Android Open Source Project is to create a successful 20 real-world product that improves the mobile experience for end users.</p> 21 <h2>Governance Philosophy</h2> 22 <p>The companies that have invested in Android have done so on its merits, 23 because we believe that an open platform is necessary. Android is 24 intentionally and explicitly an open-source -- as opposed to free software -- 25 effort: a group of organizations with shared needs has pooled 26 resources to collaborate on a single implementation of a shared product. 27 The Android philosophy is pragmatic, first and foremost. The objective is 28 a shared product that each contributor can tailor and customize.</p> 29 <p>Uncontrolled customization can, of course, lead to incompatible 30 implementations. To prevent this, the AOSP also maintains the Android 31 Compatibility Program, which spells out what it means to be "Android 32 compatible", and what is required of device builders to achieve that status. 33 Anyone can (and will!) use the Android source code for any purpose, and we 34 welcome all such uses. However, in order to take part in the shared 35 ecosystem of applications that we are building around Android, device builders 36 must participate in the Compatibility Program.</p> 37 <p>Though Android consists of multiple sub-projects, this is strictly a 38 project-management technique. We view and manage Android as a single, 39 holistic software product, not a "distribution", specification, or collection 40 of replaceable parts. Our intent is that device builders port 41 Android to a device; they don't implement a specification or curate a 42 distribution.</p> 43 <h2>How We Work</h2> 44 <p>We know that quality does not come without hard work. Along with many 45 partners, Google has contributed full-time engineers, product managers, UI 46 designers, Quality Assurance, and all the other roles required to bring 47 modern devices to market. We roll the open source administration and 48 maintenance into the larger product development cycle.</p> 49 <ul> 50 <li>At any given moment, there is a current latest release of the Android 51 platform. This typically takes the form of a branch in the tree.</li> 52 <li>Device builders and Contributors work with the current 53 latest release, fixing bugs, launching new devices, experimenting with new 54 features, and so on.</li> 55 <li>In parallel, Google works internally on the next version of the 56 Android platform and framework, working according to the product's needs and 57 goals. We develop the next version of Android by working with a device partner 58 on a flagship device whose specifications are chosen to push Android 59 in the direction we believe it should go.</li> 60 <li>When the "n+1"th version is ready, it will be published to the public 61 source tree, and become the new latest release.</li> 62 </ul> 63
