HeliBoard
TAS Score: S3/3 — D5/5 — A3 / T2
Brief Description
Open-source keyboard for Android. No internet permission — your keystrokes never leave your device. Successor to OpenBoard with active development. Supports multilingual typing, themes, gesture typing (with library), and clipboard history.
Architectural Role
Client-side input layer — keyboard. Zero network access. Your keyboard sees everything you type — this one keeps it local.
Technical Autonomy
- Works without internet (no network permission at all)
- Stores data locally (dictionary, clipboard on-device)
- Does not require external accounts
- Allows data export (settings backup)
- Provides offline updates (F-Droid)
Philosophical Assessment (whose.world criteria)
| Criterion | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Pause | ✅ | Switch keyboard anytime. |
| Exit | ✅ | Standard Android keyboard. No lock-in. |
| Recoverability | ✅ | Settings export/import. |
| Visibility | ✅ | Fully open-source. No hidden network calls. |
| External Dependencies | ✅ | Zero. No network permission. |
Rating key: ✅ fully meets · ⚠️ partially meets or requires configuration · ❌ does not meet
Configuration (Minimal)
Install from F-Droid. Go to Settings → System → Keyboard → select HeliBoard. Download offline dictionaries for your languages.
Related Recipes
Alternatives
| Alternative | Autonomy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OpenBoard | A3 / T2 | Predecessor. Less actively maintained. |
Trajectory
Direction: opening Active development. Growing feature set. Maintained fork of OpenBoard with many improvements. Community contributions welcomed. Signal assessment: | Signal | Status | Evidence | |——–|——–|———-| | License | ✅ | Apache-2.0. | | Feature gating | ✅ | All features free. | | Self-hosting | ✅ | Client app. | | Governance | ✅ | Community-maintained. Active contributor base. | Signal key: ✅ opening · ➖ neutral · ⚠️ closing —
Sources
- Website: https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard
- Documentation: https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard/wiki
- Repository: https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard
- Docker image: —
- Community: https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard/discussions