PRoot-Distro is a utility for managing rootless Linux containers in Termux and on regular Linux hosts.
The tool solves the problem of running full Linux distributions on Android devices or non-root Linux environments without requiring root access, a kernel module, or a Docker daemon. It uses proot to provide a chroot-like environment and assembles container filesystems by pulling Docker and OCI images directly from registries like Docker Hub or extracting local tarballs. The tool can also build OCI images from Dockerfiles and push them to registries, all without needing a Docker daemon.
PRoot-Distro suits developers and users who want to run desktop-class Linux distributions on phones or tablets, cross-compile for different CPU architectures using QEMU user-mode, deploy server software like Nginx or PostgreSQL on Android using standard OCI images, or build and push custom images on-device. It is particularly valuable for non-destructive experimentation with distributions since containers can be easily removed after use. The tool exposes its CLI as both proot-distro and the shorter pd alias.
The project maintains active engagement with its user base through regular issue responses and pull request reviews. Development includes consistent refinement of core functionality and expansion of supported use cases. The codebase receives ongoing updates to handle edge cases and improve reliability across different environments and container types.
