[General]: Publish in FDroid

[HKalbasi]

Issue description
FDroid is an app store for open source android applications. It has some really nice properties, for example it ensures that the app is open source by building it from source. AFAIK there is no ai app in it, so it would be great to have pocketpal-al in it.

[a-ghorbani]

I don't have any experience with F-Droid. I'll need to look into it. But, if anyone is interested in working on this, I am open to it. In the meantime we are going to publish the apk here too.

[I-I-IT]

Thanks you for the Github Releases.
I can ask inclusion of the app, but first, do you use any proprietary components, like Google Services, or does building the app from source requires proprietary tools?

[a-ghorbani]

The app doesn't use any proprietary components and is built using Gradle. For the details about the build process refer to the ci configs here: Job for Android build.

[pepijndevos]

Seems like you just make a PR against the F-Droid repo https://f-droid.org/docs/Submitting_to_F-Droid_Quick_Start_Guide/

[I-I-IT]

I am the one who made the request. @a-ghorbani if you want automatic buidling, they ask you use fastlane- which automatically signs releases, take screenshots, etc.

It might be fine if you don't but there will be a longer delay as the F-Droid team will need to do this themselves, at least for the first time.

[a-ghorbani]

@I-I-IT
The project uses Fastlane. I'm not sure how F-Droid scans the source code but for the release ci, please take a look at this file: https://github.com/a-ghorbani/pocketpal-ai/blob/main/.github/workflows/release.yml
This file uses Fastlane for release builds, signing, etc.

Related fastfiles:

• Versin bump: https://github.com/a-ghorbani/pocketpal-ai/blob/main/fastlane/Fastfile
• Android fastfile: https://github.com/a-ghorbani/pocketpal-ai/blob/main/android/fastlane/Fastfile

1. this will create a apk release
2. bundle release (for play store)
3. uploads to play store

Perhaps that is the place needed change for fdroid.

[I-I-IT]

I am told you need to put Fastlane files like described in this link https://gitlab.com/-/snippets/1895688

[bi4key]

For now alternative is use this method:
Vali-98/ChatterUI#49 (comment)

[PrasannaVenkadesh]

Hi @a-ghorbani I have experience publishing to f-droid. I am willing to take it up and make the app available in f-droid.

[a-ghorbani]

@PrasannaVenkadesh that would be awesome.

[PrasannaVenkadesh]

In order to submit and publish on the F-Droid, the following list of items has to be completed.

• Fastlane folder should be in the format that F-droid accepts.
• A MR must be raised against F-droid Data repo containing a metadata spec file in YAML format.

Fastlane structure is required before raising MR in F-Droid repo.

[I-I-IT]

Please note that I already made a request here. If you want I could close it and you make a new one.

[PrasannaVenkadesh]

@I-I-IT that's great. I took a look at the issue. We have to use the build-react-native template instead of the regular one as PocketPal is built using react-native.

Take a look here https://f-droid.org/2020/10/14/adding-react-native-app-to-f-droid.html

Did you Request for Packaging or have you created spec file already? I guess you only have filed an issue requesting help for packaging. Which means existing maintainers of the fdroid repo or any volunteers have to pitch in to create a spec file.

Instead we can create a spec file and raise an MR.

[I-I-IT]

I used the standard advanced template I think. I don't know anything about React though. Would you want to handle it?

[I-I-IT]

@a-ghorbani Thank you for the fastlane files! However checksums (Sha-256 checksums) are missing. Checksums which are important for secuirty and to avoid Man-in-the-Middle attacks.

You should have the following in your graddle properties:

distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
distributionPath=wrapper/dists
distributionUrl=https://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.10.2-all.zip
networkTimeout=10000
validateDistributionUrl=true
zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
zipStorePath=wrapper/dists
distributionSha256Sum=2ab88d6de2c23e6adae7363ae6e29cbdd2a709e992929b48b6530fd0c7133bd6

Also: let's not close this thread until it is included in F-Droid

[a-ghorbani]

@I-I-IT @PrasannaVenkadesh just added sha-256 checksum.

[I-I-IT]

Nice 🎆