Comparison of OS emulation or virtualization apps on Android

There are many Android apps that can run other operating systems, for example with virtualization, terminal emulation, or sometimes installing Linux packages directly in the app. Some remote terminal access apps also have the ability to access Android's internally implemented Toybox, via device loopback support. Some VM/emulator apps have a fixed set of OS's or applications that are supported.

Since Android 8 (Oreo), some of these apps have been reporting issues as Google has been making big platform changes to Android, for example the implementation of SAF has been making it more difficult to use these apps and may even make them require root. Some apps have difficulties accessing SD cards. It is also been reported that some of the apps have trouble utilizing packages like udisks2, Open vSwitch, Snort (software), and Mininet, due to new hardware or Android API restrictions on apps that have been put into place in the recent years.

OS emulators or VM Android apps The following is a list of OS emulators and OS virtualization Android apps. +App NameTypeDevice architecture & OS version requirementGuest OS architectureRequires rooted deviceConnection technologiesReferencesTermuxEnhanced Terminal EmulatorAndroid 7.0 and newersame as hostNoRuns as a terminal but has a Debian based package manager allowing server apps like Apache, nginx, sshd. An X11 extension allows even running GUI Linux.UserLAnd TechnologiesCompatibility layer/Android 5.0 +same as host (sometimes emulates Aarch packages for ARM devices if "arm64" package is not available, but "aarch32" or "aarch64" package is available.)NoSSH, VNC, XSDL (supports access from another app on the phone that links to these technologies.) GNURoot DebianCompatibility layer?/Android versions below 5.0same as hostNoAnLinuxCompatibility layer (utilizes Termux)ARMv7, ARM64, x86, x86-64/Android 5.0 +same as hostNoSSH, VNC (similar support statement like in UserLAnd.) VMOS (software)platform virtualization app?/Android 5.0+same as hostNoEmulation inside app (none)Virtual Master — Android Clonevirtualization app?/Android 5.1+same as hostNoEmulation inside app (none)VPhoneGaGavirtualization app?/Android ?.?same as host (support 32-bit programs)NoEmulation inside app (none)AndroNIXCompatibility layer (utilizes Termux)ARMv7, ARM64, x86-64/Android 5.1 +same as hostNoproot-distroCompatibility layer (utilizes Termux)Android 7+same as hostNoUses user-space proot, somewhat slower because of ptrace overhead, but can run many Linux distributions. The 'root' user insie proot is just a fake root which is only available within the proot environment and cannot mess up Android even when Android itself is rooted. Can be used as VNC server as well.chroot-distroCompatibility layer (utilizes Termux)Android 7+same as hostYesSame a proot, but it utilizes real Android root which has the benefit it runs at native speed (no ptrace overhead) but there is a risk in can break out of the 'chroot jail' which can mess up Android host as it shares its root user with Android root. Can be used as VNC server as well.LinuxDeployCompatibility layerARM, ARM64, X86, x86-64, emulation mode (ARM ~ 86)/Android 4.0.3 +YesVectras VMplatform virtualization appAndroid 6.0 and newerx86, x86_64, ARM64, ARMv7NoEmulation inside app (none)Limbo PC emulatorplatform virtualization appNoEmulation inside app (none)Android Virtualization Frameworkplatform virtualization appAndroid 16 and newersame as hostYesFully virtualized (KVM) which allow running any VM on native speed, fully independent of Android. The root user of the VM is not shared from Android root.https://source.android.com/docs/core/virtualization https://www.androidauthority.com/android-linux-terminal-app-3489887 https://github.com/nix-community/nixos-avf-image-app

Terminal emulation apps utilizing internal OS +App NameNotesRefJuiceSSHOther than just local loopback, the app can do SSH, telnet, and Mosh. ConnectBotOther than just local loopback, the app can do telnet and SSH. TermiusOther than just local loopback, the app can do telnet, SSH, and SFTP.

Comparison of OS emulation or virtualization apps on Android

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