Since Android's inception, the kernels it has used have diverged significantly from the mainline. While many of those differences have been resolved over time, and the move to the generic kernel image has helped to bring Android closer, current devices still carry a lot of out-of-tree changes. The preferred form for such changes is by way of vendor hooks. At the 2026 Linux Plumbers Conference, Todd Kjos ran a fast-paced session in the Android track to discuss vendor hooks and how they are used.

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