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
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[Matrix/Element]Dead
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Florisboard, but switching to Samsung Keyboard in messaging apps.
I’m triyng florisboard, but I hate the lack of suggestions.
AnySoftKeyboard. cause i write in 3 languages and it’s the most flexible and capable among the noninvasive alternatives
Same here! Only thing i miss in ASK is cursor move on space swipe
I use OpenBoard works fine for me. I tried FlorisBoard while ago, but my phone got heat up idk why.
I’m using florisboard, though I think the project is dead, there hasn’t been any activity in the github since last year
I’m using Typewise for the form of letters, gesture to capitalize/delete. Would be tempted to use an alternative, as I don’t really know how friendly to data it is…
I rely on swipe, sadly this makes Gboard still the only real option for me.
Anysoft swipe is really bad in comparison. Also I’m not sure if the app is still maintained.
I had my hopes up for floris and still have. Their swipe actually works great but only in English and not much happens there for months now.
The lineage fork of AOSP Keyboard has swipe and while it works pretty good, the bad autocorrection destroys all the other good points of it.
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!
I use Florisboard with a custom M3-like theme. I believe I picked it as I liked it more at the time and haven’t tried any others since.
FlorisBoard
I use an OpenBoard fork which includes Google swipe typing.
The changes couldn’t be upstreamed due to the relevant code coming from an unlicensed repository right?
I believe so. Very few Foss keyboards have swipe gestures because it needs to be created from scratch.
Same, I love it. Here is a link to it if anyone wants it.
I use Unexpected Keyboard, although it does not have autocorrect.
FlorisBoard. love it, coming from gboard
Hey OP, how to use drag to delete feature for openboard?
This is a 3 year old post
Lemmy’s sorting algorithm does that quite often
Openboard