Pocket-Sized Productivity: Running a Full Linux Desktop on Your Phone

For a recent two-week trip, the author built a complete Linux desktop environment using a Pixel 8 Pro, Xreal Air 2 Pro AR glasses, and a folding keyboard. Running arm64 binaries in a chroot on Android, they were able to use development tools like Neovim and Flutter, working from coffee shops, parks, and even airplanes. While the setup involved some complexities—rooting the phone and choosing the right Linux distro (Void Linux was the winner)—this ultra-portable workstation offers unparalleled freedom and flexibility, unshackling developers from their desks.