I am on GrapheneOS, but this concerns Android as a whole. From the options of Fdroid and GitHub (Obtainium) which is the safest way to install and app?

From the GrapheneOS forums, I see many people recommending GitHub over Fdroid as it is straight from the source. I know its true, but if a developer adds a ‘not-so-safe’ piece of code or introduces tracking, Obtainium would automatically update my app without letting me know about the changes. But from what I have seen from Fdroid they usually pause or cancel the update or app if these changes were to take place (Example, Simple Gallery or Mull for Android).

So I am confused. Whom should I trust more, Fdroid with their own app builds or the Developers on GitHub?

Also I have seen that Obtainium when used with a VPN to fetch app updates, will get rated limited by GitHub. Also I don’t really like GitHub as a code repository, with their tracking and rate limiting. I don’t know if Fdroid tracks user.

  • pricklypearbear@lemmy.world
    0·
    2 months ago

    Whatever the app developer recommends. Obtainium directly from the developer repo or F-Droid when they officially support it. Depends if you want the latest version sooner, then the former.

    You can turn off auto-update from both.

    If you are questioning if the developer is malicious, why are you using their app?

    Obtainium is more so if you don’t want any middle man and know the app you are downloading. If you want more checks, I suppose F-droid will provide some.

    • artyom@piefed.socialEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      If you are questioning if the developer is malicious, why are you using their app?

      Why would you blindly trust any developer?

        • artyom@piefed.socialEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          Because if I only used apps from trusted developers, I wouldn’t use any apps at all. What reason do you have to trust them? Are they all made by your personal friends?

          • pricklypearbear@lemmy.world
            0·
            2 months ago

            So then you trust the app enough that it provides the function you need from it? Trust doesn’t have to be an all or nothing ordeal.

    • arox@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyzOP
      0·
      2 months ago

      When it comes to the developer recommendations, usually they would have a github page where they hosts their code. So most of the time they would recommend either fdroid or github releases equally.

      Also, we cannot be sure of what happens in the future. The thing that is we cannot predict an enshitification.