Android in an LXC container
Well Packed
© Lead Image ©bekas007, 123RF.com
Need Android apps in a separate window on the Linux desktop? Anbox is the answer. Unlike common Android emulators, the software relies on LXC containers and kernel namespaces. We tested the pre-alpha version.
In April 2017, developer Simon Fels introduced an early development version of his Android in a Box (Anbox) program [1]. Released under a GPLv3 and Apache license, Anbox brings favorite apps from the Android smartphone or tablet to the Linux desktop. The software uses a different approach than emulators like Shashlik [2] and Genymotion [3] or the development environment Android Studio [4]. To bring the apps natively to the desktop, Anbox encapsulates the Android system and the apps in a LXC container, to isolate them from the Linux system.
According to statements by the developer, the project is the result of a technical incentive and not aimed at a particular target group. The idea behind the packaged Android is good: The Anbox run time essentially comprises the session manager and the container manager, which is responsible for setting up the LXC container and exchanges data with the session manager.
In turn, the session manager communicates with the Android container via multiple sockets and ensures the integration of apps on your desktop when logged in.
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