Apps from Source

Skip the app store completely. Get it directly from the developer.

As Direct as it Gets

Applications don't need to be hosted in repositories. Much like a .exe file on Windows, a .dmg on Mac, or one of the many packaging formats on Linux, Android has its own packaging format for applications. These files are .apk files and work very similarly to the executable packages everyone is familiar with on their other computing devices. APKs can be downloaded from developer websites or often from source repositories. Some developers opt to make their applications self-updating like most applications on Windows are. Others simply build their packages for distribution but leave the retreaval of new versions up to the user.

To make downloading applications directly from a developer's website or source repository easier, users can use an application like Obtanium. Obtanium is not an app distribution center like the other solutions listed on this site. Instead, Obtanium is an application that automates watching for updates to their applications on the source repository or a developer's own website. The user defines a source to watch and rules for what versions and changes they are looking to downloaded through Obtainium with a easy to use configuration wizard or by use of regular expressions. Obtanium will download the files and run as an application installer. The user can also allow for Obtainium to perform unattended upgrades so applications are updated in the background without needing the user to actively approve updates.

Additional Resources

Check Out Obtainium

Head over to the developer's website to learn more.

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