The best 4 free and open source Android keyboard apps

At the end of 2016, Google selected Gboard as the default keyboard, combining many fancy features from other keyboard applications. Although this is one of the best Android keyboards, it has the potential to leak personal information. If you do not want this personal information to fall into Google or third parties, you can install open source keyboard applications.

In 2014, Apple adopted Android's best feature - the ability to replace default apps - to open up opportunities for keyboard developers and allow iOS users to choose to install keyboards. they like. Android users can also choose to install one of the Swiftkey, Swype, or Minuum keyboards.

GBoard - Keyboard for "addicted" Gmail

You can draw your own Emoji on Gboard right now

If you do not want this personal information to fall into Google or third parties, you can install open source keyboard applications.

1. AnySoftKeyboard keyboard application

Choosing an open source application does not mean giving up some of the best features from proprietary software. AnySoftKeyboard is an example. It is one of the full-featured keyboards of the Android keyboard. With the ability to support more than 30 languages, AnySoftKeyboard includes all the suggested word features, as well as custom dictionaries and voice recognition.

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There are many themes to choose from and most of the interfaces are customizable for you to design your own keyboard.

AnySoftKeyboard also requires " Read Contacts " and " Read / Write to External Storage " permissions. However, they are used to personalize the keyboard but are not required. AnySoftKeyboard does not require Internet access, so your data will be secure on the device.

Download: F-Droid | Google Play

2. Android Hacker's Keyboard typing application

Most users are still familiar with the traditional QWERTY keyboard layout with its shortcuts and function keys. Hacker's Keyboard will bring this familiar computer keyboard layout to your Android device, complete with multilingual layout. It even supports AnySoftKeyboard language packs for additional dictionaries.

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Built on AOSP keyboard from Gingerbread (Android 2.3, released in 2010), Hacker's Keyboard is not the most modern keyboard. However, it is regularly updated, adding new features. In addition, you can develop Hacker's Keyboard yourself.

Download: F-Droid | Google Play

3. BeHe Keyboard

BeHe Keyboard was also developed in order to bring the computer keyboard experience to your Android device, but it focuses on programming.

Like the Hacker keyboard, Behe has a QWERTY layout, except for two keys: arrow keys and programming keys. This layout adds the usual character keys you need when writing code. This is especially useful if you use the app to teach your child about code.

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BeHe is a modern keyboard, with full Material design, many tweaks. It has many themes to choose from, including dark themes to make your eyes more comfortable. BeHe Keyboard requires only one control 'control vibration' - controlling vibration.

Download: F-Droid | Google Play

4. CompassKeyboard

CompassKeyboard takes a different approach to on-screen keyboards. Instead of having multiple pages for different character types, each character type is available in a menu. The action of wiping and clawing allows switching between special and accented characters. For example, swipe from the top left to the right to switch between Latin, Greek and Cyrillic keyboards. The capacity of the application is only 242KB - extremely saving storage space.

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Using CompassKeyboard is quite different and takes time to get used to. However, the unique layout makes it easy to access special characters - very useful if you often use multiple languages. Currently, the app on Google Play is version 1.5, last updated in 2013. However, the application on F-Droid was updated in 2016 to version 1.6.

Download: F-Droid | Google Play

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