Lessons from Building a Community Android ROM (DerpFest 16)

This lightning talk shares my first-hand experience building a community Android ROM (DerpFest 16) for the Redmi Note 10 Pro.

Rather than a deep technical walkthrough, the session focuses on practical lessons learned while working with Android source code, device trees, vendor blobs, and the Soong build system. I will briefly touch on common build failures, memory constraints, and the challenges of moving to a newer Android version.

The goal is to give attendees a realistic picture of what Android ROM development involves and to encourage beginners to explore Android-related FOSS projects without being intimidated by the scale.

• What Android ROM development actually involves

• Common mistakes and build issues beginners face

• Why community ROM maintenance matters

• How newcomers can start contributing safely