I saw a post on reddit asking for open source android keyboards in recent years since a lot of the posts were older. One user recommended “Futo Keyboard”.

To be clear, I’m not affiliated with them but I’ve been trying them based on that reddit response and I just wanted to share here in case anyone else has been looking.

In short, this keyboard is about as close to awesome as you can get so far. Features I like:

  • Feels like GBOARD
  • Works fully offline
  • Gesture typing (about 75% as accurate as GBoard)
  • Built in offline speech to text (no third party engine needed to download

I’ve tried other options like heliboard and openboard and they are great too, but I think so far this has been the best I’ve tried and I wanted to recommend it on here in case anyone else is looking. Feel free to share any other setups or recommendations below!

EDIT: it was pointed out that it is source-available and not open source. Apologize for my initial assumption. The source and license can be viewed here: Futo Keyboard. It is fully open for non-commercial use. Anything commercial can have restrictions.

  • ElPussyKangaroo@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 years ago

    I’ve been dailying the keyboard for a solid 4mths at this point.

    As someone who types in more than one language, sometimes even using the English script to type, it’s mildly annoying in the autocorrect. But it’s actually really great for English typing atm. Other languages, I’m still looking forward to trying.

    I did switch to an S23 last week and the Samsung Keyboard is so good that I haven’t been able to switch back to FUTO as of yet.

  • Hubi@feddit.org
    0·
    2 years ago

    I used AnySoft Keyboard until someone recommended Futo here on Lemmy. It’s been my daily driver for a couple of months now and I have to agree: It’s the best Open Source keyboard around, even if it’s technically still in alpha. It’s ridiculously good, even with languages other than English. It will nail German 20-character compound words first try and I haven’t seen any other keyboard do it this well.

  • Nima@leminal.spaceEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    I’ve been using Heliboard for quite a bit now. its very nice and simple. I’m not sure how it would do multiple languages however, as I’ve not tried it.

    i absolutely recommend it though. great little keyboard.

    • june (she/her)@lemmy.ml
      1·
      2 years ago

      I love that Heliboard is so simple, it feels like a properly developed keyboard without poorly implemented gimmicks.

      Also regarding language, I have a great time being able to swap between English and (my very poor) Russian.

    • dustyData@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 years ago

      I’ve tried it. I like that they’re carrying the torch of OpenBoard, but I don’t like that swipe typing requires manually downloading a third party library.

    • Evkob (they/them)@lemmy.ca
      0·
      2 years ago

      I’m not sure how it would do multiple languages however, as I’ve not tried it.

      As someone who types the majority of my thoughts in Frenglish, Heliboard is the only FOSS keyboard I’ve found that would remotely accommodate that while still having useful autocorrect.