I've been using Kvaesisto as my daily, which is a nice hybrid of the drawer-style launchers and search-based launchers. It's coded from the ground up, has an impressive number of integrations, themed widgets that slide out of sight, etc.

KISS launcher is the original and still the best of the search based launchers. Okay, I have no idea if it is really the original, but it's been around for over a decade now, and still has an active development community. It's been forked hundreds of times into similar projects which add some additional features, but if you want a minimal launcher that gets out of your way, then this is what you're looking for.

A similar, minimal style launcher is OLauncher, which has also been around for a few years and has been forked like crazy.

One of the best traditional drawer-style launchers is Lawnchair, which has sprung back to life after a hiatus from updating. It's built on the Android launcher, with lots of additional customizations.

I don't know of any current project that approaches the maximal customization philosophy of Nova Launcher. It was really one of a kind. All of the above are FOSS, but even in the closed software space, I don't think there is anything like Nova.

Doesn't sound like it. They said about the whole open source thing to get weary eyes off of branch for acquiring Nova Launcher....the owner called their public bluff

I second this, have been using it for years and can never go back

I tested a few launchers that were not to my liking, and then I settled on Lawnchair.

I might change at some stage, but so far it's working for me.

Not FOSS though.

I used it for a while and really liked it, but the not-FOSS aspect didn't sit well, especially since I'm starting to migrate off of proprietary services - including Play services.

I use Total too - I wouldn't say it's quite 1:1 as it's not as intuitive, but in terms of customisability, it's amazing.

This one is great

@not_that_guy05 @candyman337 FOSS?

Last release 2022. There are a few bugs that I endured for more than a year, then I moved.

Lawnchair now is my best friend.

well you can have the icon pack with any launcher and the time/calender widget too

Bruh this is gorgeous

GrapheneOS.

So, yes, you're right. But I don't fuck around with stock shit.

I'm using firewall features from RethinkDNS to block internet connections per app. Still using Nova Launcher v7.0.58 with auto update disabled.

You could use netguard, tracker control or rethinkdns for this. Surely there are other apps as well.

I didn't even know google gave this option, been using netguard since 2017.

You can deny network permission in any Android builds, without root it can be done via a mock VPN client so that all traffic is directed through an app who can block or control traffic per app. And on devices with root this can be done via iptable configurations.

There are multiple apps for doing both approaches.

Especially why wouldn't you have root anyway, in this day and age if you don't have root, well may Google has mercy on you LMAO (hint: they won't lol)

I don't think you even can deny apps network permission on most Android builds anymore. Didn't Google kill that option years ago for the sake of ads?

The solution to this is rooting your phone. Root allows you to get around those arbitrary blocks.

You can also force-deny network access via root; you don't necessairly need GrapheneOS and a Pixel.

(Why is everyone using GOS? You can achieve the same amount of privacy with rooting and using apps that respect your privacy, and contain the ones that don't. Also, you can do cool stuff with a rooted device.)

Incorrect. I have been running it this way for years. GrapheneOS.

I hate Lawnchair for some reason. I will try again.

Most launchers have an adjustment period, so it's not just you. Some are more customizable than others and some are build around a more rigid design philosophy.

You might also want to have a look at Lawnchair, which is designed to be a more "stock" experience, but with some additional customizations.