How to Compile TWRP Touch Recovery

This guide will help you compile TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) touch recovery from source. It's intended for users familiar with basic Linux commands and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) build system. If you are new to these concepts, it might be challenging to follow this guide.

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of Linux commands.
• A Linux environment set up for Android development.
• Source code for a compatible ROM (OmniROM or LineageOS).

Recommended Sources

You can use the source code from the following:

• Omni 6.0, 7.1, 8.1, 9.0
• CyanogenMod (CM) 13.0, 14.1, 15.1
• LineageOS 16.0

For the best compatibility, Omni 9.0 is recommended unless your device uses a super partition.

Getting TWRP Source Code

OmniROM

OmniROM already includes TWRP source code by default. However, for older versions, pull the latest branch from the TWRP repository:

git clone https://github.com/TeamWin/android_bootable_recovery -b <latest-branch>

LineageOS

For CM/LineageOS, place TWRP in the LineageOS/bootable/recovery-twrp folder and set the following in your BoardConfig.mk:

RECOVERY_VARIANT := twrp

Minimal Manifest

For a smaller tree, you can use a minimal manifest:

git clone https://github.com/minimal-manifest-twrp

Note: Additional repositories might be needed for specific devices.

Preparation

Build Flags

Set or change build flags in your BoardConfig.mk file located in device/manufacturer/codename. Include architecture and platform settings. For all devices, specify the TWRP theme:

TW_THEME := portrait_hdpi

Additional flags:

• RECOVERY_SDCARD_ON_DATA := true
• BOARD_HAS_NO_REAL_SDCARD := true
• TW_NO_BATT_PERCENT := true
• TW_CUSTOM_POWER_BUTTON := 107
• TW_NO_REBOOT_BOOTLOADER := true
• TW_NO_REBOOT_RECOVERY := true
• RECOVERY_TOUCHSCREEN_SWAP_XY := true
• RECOVERY_TOUCHSCREEN_FLIP_Y := true
• RECOVERY_TOUCHSCREEN_FLIP_X := true
• TWRP_EVENT_LOGGING := true
• BOARD_HAS_FLIPPED_SCREEN := true

Recovery.fstab

TWRP supports new recovery.fstab features for backup/restore capabilities. Example for Galaxy S4:

/boot emmc /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/boot
/system ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system
/data ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata length=-16384
/cache ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/cache
/recovery emmc /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/recovery
/efs ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/efs flags=display="EFS";backup=1
/external_sd vfat /dev/block/mmcblk1p1 flags=display="Micro SDcard";storage;wipeingui;removable
/usb-otg vfat /dev/block/sda1 flags=display="USB-OTG";storage;wipeingui;removable
/preload ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/hidden flags=display="Preload";wipeingui;backup=1
/modem ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/apnhlos
/mdm emmc /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/mdm

Add your specific partitions and flags as necessary.

Building TWRP

1. Source the build environment:

source ./build/envsetup.sh

2. Select the device:

lunch omni_<device_codename>-eng

3. Compile the recovery image:

make clean && make -j$(nproc) recoveryimage

Replace $(nproc) with the number of CPU cores +1 (e.g., for a quad-core CPU, use -j5).

Samsung Devices

For most Samsung devices:

make -j$(nproc) bootimage

A/B Devices

For A/B devices (devices with duplicate partitions):

1. Set the following in BoardConfig.mk:

AB_OTA_UPDATER := true
BOARD_USES_RECOVERY_AS_BOOT := true
BOARD_BUILD_SYSTEM_ROOT_IMAGE := true

2. Update recovery.fstab for slot-select support:

/boot emmc /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/boot flags=slotselect
/system ext4 /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/system flags=slotselect
/vendor ext4 /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/vendor flags=slotselect;display="Vendor";backup=1

3. Compile the boot image:

make bootimage

Flashing TWRP on A/B Devices

Using Fastboot

1. Check the active slot:

adb shell getprop ro.boot.slot_suffix

2. Switch to the inactive slot:

fastboot --set-active=_a

3. Flash TWRP:

fastboot flash boot twrp.img && fastboot reboot

Additional Resources

• TWRP Source Code
• Minimal Manifest TWRP
• Old Guide

Community and Support

For questions, join #twrp on Freenode or visit the XDA forums. If you successfully port TWRP to a new device, please share your success stories with the community.

Happy building!

Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP)