Frequently asked questions

Direct answers about Darkian Studio — what it is, how to install it, extension compatibility, remote runtimes, and support.

What is Darkian Studio?

Darkian Studio (DS) is a real, mobile-first IDE that runs on Android and Linux.

It brings a code editor, integrated terminal, Language Server Protocol (LSP) support, debugging, and git into a single app, powered by a Termux or system runtime reached over a bridge.

Is Darkian Studio free?

Yes — Darkian Studio is free during its beta.

It is distributed as an Android APK through GitHub Releases, with no accounts, payments, or Play Store listing.

Do I need Termux to use it?

On Android, yes — DS drives a Termux runtime on the device.

Install Termux from F-Droid (the Play Store build is outdated and breaks DS), then run the setup command DS shows during onboarding. On Linux or macOS, DS can use a system runtime or a remote host instead.

Can it use my existing VS Code extensions?

Partly — DS runs VS Code-compatible extensions from the Open VS X marketplace against a subset of the vscode API.

Availability in Open VS X does not guarantee compatibility: extensions that contribute diagnostics, commands, configuration, or file-system access work well, while extensions that depend on custom editor UI, an integrated terminal, or the debug/SCM views have unimplemented surface area. Microsoft-exclusive extensions are blocked.

Is Darkian Studio on the Play Store?

No — there is no Play Store build.

Official APKs ship only via GitHub Releases. If you obtained a DS APK from anywhere else, do not trust it.

Does dsterm work on Windows?

Connecting a DS workspace to a Windows-hosted dsterm endpoint is not supported in this beta.

Use Termux or a Linux/macOS host for remote runtimes instead.

How is Darkian Studio different from VS Code?

VS Code is a desktop-first editor running directly on a full OS with the complete vscode API; DS is mobile-first and routes the editor, terminal, LSP, debugger, git, and extensions through one runtime reached over a bridge.

See the full DS vs VS Code comparison.

How is Darkian Studio different from Acode?

Acode is a lightweight Android editor with a focused PTY/LSP backend; DS uses one shared runtime for the editor, LSP, DAP debugging, git, and extensions.

DS adds a built-in LSP client and structured (DAP) debugging where Acode offers LSP via plugins and a JavaScript console. See the full DS vs Acode comparison.

Can I run it against a remote Linux or macOS machine instead of the phone?

Yes — DS's bridge can connect to a Linux or macOS host so the editor, terminal, language servers, debugger, and extensions all run against that remote runtime.

Windows-hosted remote runtimes are unsupported in this beta. DS also supports SFTP/FTP/FTPS/WebDAV as file-level remotes.

What can Darkian Studio do?

DS provides a code editor, integrated terminal, built-in LSP client, DAP debugging, git, and an extension host — all against one runtime.

Because they share the runtime, they share the same PATH, filesystem, and installed SDKs, so a package you install in the terminal is immediately available to the language server and debugger.

How do I install Darkian Studio?

Install Termux from F-Droid, download the latest DS APK from GitHub Releases, run the one setup command in Termux, then tap Verify setup.

The setup script is runtime-aware for Termux, Linux, and macOS. See the full install guide.

How do I report a bug or get support?

Copy your Diagnostics logs (and any crash report) from Settings → Diagnostics, then file a bug using the GitHub bug-report template.

You don't need ADB or Flutter. See Troubleshooting for the exact steps, or ask in Discussions.

What are the known limitations of the beta?

This is the first public beta: Windows-hosted remote runtimes are unsupported, the setup script provisions the local host only, the extension host is opt-in and may be limited on low-end devices, and beta releases may ship breaking changes.

The current list is kept in Troubleshooting.