The F-Droid application store has released version 2.0, marking its most significant architectural overhaul in a decade. The update introduces a redesigned interface based on Material Design principles, consolidating navigation into three main modules: Discover, Search, and My Apps. Settings and the Nearby Swap feature have been relocated to the top bar to optimize screen space.
The Discover section now highlights new and recently updated applications, alongside a list of the most downloaded software. The platform has expanded its categorization system to include 17 game types and introduced meta-categories to improve navigation. Search capabilities have been enhanced to support descriptions, categories, and multilingual content, with specific optimizations for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages.
F-Droid 2.0 leverages new Android APIs compliant with the EU Digital Markets Act to implement a unified installer. This feature allows for a pre-approval process, enabling automatic installation once the user confirms, without requiring the user to wait for the download to finish. The codebase has been rewritten using Kotlin and Jetpack Compose to simplify contributions.
The minimum system requirement for the application has been raised to Android 7, ending support for Android 6. Users on older devices can continue to use the previous version of the store. The search function now includes a history log and advanced filtering options, allowing users to sort applications by device compatibility and anti-feature tags.
