Keyboards are probably one of the most sensitive apps on our phones, having access and handling practically everything we type. I’ve stopped using keyboards that require network access and started using only opensource apps a few years ago. What are your favorite, privacy-respecting android keyboards?
So far, I’ve found these alternatives:
These are the alternatives I’ve been considering. If you know about other opensource keyboards to extend this list, pleas let me know
Pros/cons of each one of the keyboards I’ve used, based on my usage and preferences:
AFK
OpenBoard
FlorisBoard
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
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[Matrix/Element]Dead
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Used gboard for the longest time and juat recently managed to move on to florisboard. It lacks some features but has enough other niceities on its own that are just enough to justify the move based on functionality
You can use my setup as a starting point if you want, it is a proper oled theme with no colors or bright surfaces, behavior very gboard-like. I use sayboard for stt (dictating). https://cloud.redjard.com/s/redjards-florisboard-setup_zip
Is the swipe good? Are the autocorrections good? Can you have a number line and keys have symbols on long press? Is the audio dictation quick and easy tonuse and doesn’t go to a second screen?
Essentially I’d love a glkeyboaes just like gboaes but open source and off network.
I think no autocorrections (for now). I never used them so idk.
Swipe is different to gboard, but imo better. gboard tried some things with snapping to certain parts, but I always found it unintuitive, it mostly got in my way. Florisboards swipes are more “plain” as in that I find them very predictable.
You can add a permanent number line. It also won’t vanish on random inputs like gboards does. Clipboard has arbitrary history size, and is also available everywhere (It annoyed me to no end to not have it for password fields in gboard).
Dictation is quick, it will switch the keyboard, but not the screen. To continue typing you need to press one button to return the keys.
With the symbols and layouts you have far more choices. I could have 1-1 recreated my gboard, but I found an even better layout (still need to readjust to it tho).
Thank you!