Element Android is an Android Matrix Client provided by [Element](https://element.io/). The app can be run on every Android devices with Android OS Lollipop and more (API 21).
Element is based on a new Android SDK fully written in Kotlin (like Element). In order to make the early development as fast as possible, Element and the new SDK currently share the same git repository.
At each Element release, the SDK module is copied to a dedicated repository: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-android-sdk2. That way, third party apps can add a regular gradle dependency to use it. So more details on how to do that here: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-android-sdk2.
There is some delay between when a release is created and when it appears in the app stores (Google Play Store and F-Droid). Here are some of the reasons:
* Not all versioned releases that appear on GitHub are considered stable. Each release is first considered beta: this continues for at least two days. If the release is stable (no serious issues or crashes are reported), then it is released as a production release in Google Play Store, and a request is sent to F-Droid too.
* Each release on the Google Play Store undergoes review by Google before it comes out. This can take an unpredictable amount of time. In some cases it has taken several weeks.
* In order for F-Droid to guarantee that the app you receive exactly matches the public source code, they build releases themselves. When a release is considered stable, Element staff inform the F-Droid maintainers and it is added to the build queue. Depending on the load on F-Droid's infrastructure, it can take some time for releases to be built. This always takes at least 24 hours, and can take several days.
If you would like to receive releases more quickly (bearing in mind that they may not be stable) you have a number of options:
1. [Sign up to receive beta releases](https://play.google.com/apps/testing/im.vector.app) via the Google Play Store.
2. Install a [release APK](https://github.com/vector-im/element-android/releases) directly - download the relevant .apk file and allow installing from untrusted sources in your device settings. Note: these releases are the Google Play version, which depend on some Google services. If you prefer to avoid that, try the latest dev builds, and choose the F-Droid version.
3. If you're really brave, install the [very latest dev build](https://buildkite.com/matrix-dot-org/element-android/builds/latest?branch=develop&state=passed) - click on *Assemble (GPlay or FDroid) Debug version* then on *Artifacts*.
Issues are triaged by community members and the Android App Team, following the [triage process](https://github.com/vector-im/element-meta/wiki/Triage-process).
