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Welcome to FlorisBoard Documentation

Introduction​

FlorisBoard is a free and open-source keyboard for Android 8.0+ devices. It aims at being modern, user-friendly, and customizable while fully respecting your privacy. This comprehensive documentation serves as both a user guide and a technical reference for developers who want to understand, contribute to, or build their own Android IME (Input Method Editor) keyboard.

What You'll Learn​

This documentation is structured to take you from understanding the basics of FlorisBoard to mastering the intricate details of building a fully-featured Android keyboard from scratch. Whether you're a contributor, a curious developer, or someone looking to build their own IME, you'll find:

🏗️ Architecture & Design​

  • Project Structure: Deep dive into how FlorisBoard is organized
  • Design Patterns: MVVM, state management, and architectural decisions
  • Performance Optimizations: Touch handling, rendering, and latency reduction
  • Extension System: How themes, layouts, and plugins work

🔧 Technical Implementation​

  • Input Processing Pipeline: From touch events to text output
  • Custom UI Components: Building keyboard views with Jetpack Compose
  • Layout System: How keyboard layouts are defined, loaded, and switched
  • Text Prediction: NLP engines, suggestions, and autocorrect
  • Internationalization: Multi-language support and locale handling

🔌 Android Integration​

  • IME APIs: Understanding Android's InputMethodService
  • System Integration: Registration, settings, and lifecycle
  • Native Components: JNI integration and native libraries
  • Testing Strategies: Unit, integration, and UI testing

🔍 Reverse Engineering Guide​

  • Methodology: How to analyze and understand complex IME codebases
  • Key Questions: What to look for when studying keyboard implementations
  • Case Studies: FlorisBoard compared to other IMEs

📚 Practical Guides​

  • Building From Scratch: Step-by-step guide to creating your own keyboard
  • Common Pitfalls: Lessons learned and how to avoid them
  • Security & Privacy: Best practices for handling user input

Why FlorisBoard?​

FlorisBoard serves as an excellent real-world example for learning Android IME development because:

  1. Modern Architecture: Built with Kotlin, Jetpack Compose, and modern Android practices
  2. Comprehensive Features: Includes text input, emoji, clipboard, themes, and more
  3. Well-Structured: Clear separation of concerns and modular design
  4. Active Development: Continuously evolving with new features and improvements
  5. Open Source: Full access to source code for learning and contribution

Key Features​

  • ✨ Advanced Theming: Snygg styling engine with extensive customization
  • 📋 Clipboard Manager: Integrated clipboard history and management
  • 🎨 Extension Support: Themes, layouts, and language packs
  • 😊 Emoji Support: Emoji keyboard with history and suggestions
  • 🌍 Multi-language: Support for 100+ languages and layouts
  • 🎯 Glide Typing: Gesture-based typing support
  • 🔒 Privacy-Focused: No data collection, fully offline

Project Statistics​

  • Language: Kotlin (primary), Java (minimal)
  • UI Framework: Jetpack Compose
  • Min SDK: Android 8.0 (API 26)
  • Target SDK: Android 14+ (API 34+)
  • Architecture: MVVM with reactive state management
  • Build System: Gradle with Kotlin DSL

Getting Started​

For Users​

If you're looking to use FlorisBoard, check out the installation guide and explore the features.

For Contributors​

Start with the Getting Started section to set up your development environment and understand the contribution workflow.

For Learners​

Begin with Architecture Overview to understand the high-level design, then dive into specific technical areas based on your interests.

For IME Developers​

Jump to Building a Keyboard From Scratch for a comprehensive guide on creating your own Android keyboard, using FlorisBoard as a reference implementation.

Documentation Structure​

docs/
├── architecture/          # High-level design and patterns
│   ├── overview.md
│   ├── project-structure.md
│   ├── design-patterns.md
│   ├── state-management.md
│   ├── performance.md
│   └── extensions.md
├── technical/            # Implementation details
│   ├── input-pipeline.md
│   ├── custom-ui.md
│   ├── layout-system.md
│   ├── touch-gestures.md
│   ├── prediction-engine.md
│   ├── i18n.md
│   └── accessibility.md
├── integration/          # Android system integration
│   ├── apis.md
│   ├── native-code.md
│   ├── testing.md
│   ├── build-system.md
│   ├── system-settings.md
│   └── deployment.md
├── reverse-engineering/  # Analysis methodology
│   ├── questions.md
│   └── methodology.md
├── case-study/          # Real-world examples
│   ├── florisboard.md
│   └── comparison.md
├── how-to/              # Practical guides
│   └── build-from-scratch.md
└── faq/                 # Common questions
    ├── common-pitfalls.md
    └── security-privacy.md

Contributing to Documentation​

Found an error or want to improve the documentation? Contributions are welcome! Please see the contribution guidelines for more information.

Resources​

License​

FlorisBoard is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. See the LICENSE file for details.

Ready to dive in? Start with the Architecture Overview to understand how FlorisBoard is built!