Pixel 8 AOSP Full Workflow: Build ID, Version Selection, Compilation, and Flashing

This is a complete developer guide. Unlike "restoring a Pixel to stock," this guide covers:

How to decide which version to build — the phone's build ID, AOSP tag, and vendor driver must all be aligned.
The full pipeline from repo init → repo sync → vendor driver download → m compile → fastboot flashall.

The core concepts are explained with diagrams to avoid blindly copying commands.

:::info Supported Devices

Pixel 8 (codename shiba)
Pixel 8 Pro (codename husky) — same steps, just replace shiba with husky
Other Pixel devices follow the same process; only the codename and driver tarball name differ :::

Part 0: Understand Three Core Concepts

Concept 1: Stock AOSP ≠ A Working Pixel ROM

Stock AOSP is Google's open-source portion. For a Pixel to work properly, it also needs a layer of vendor proprietary blobs (modem firmware, camera HAL, ISP/GPU drivers, Tensor-specific modules). These blobs are closed-source and are not included in the AOSP tree.

You can build and flash a pure AOSP image, but it will be missing camera, modem, fingerprint, 5G, and other blob-dependent features. Vendor blobs are therefore required.

Concept 2: Three Versions Must Be Aligned

This is the most common pitfall. The phone's build ID, AOSP source tag, and vendor driver must all correspond to each other. Mismatches cause:

AOSP newer than vendor → missing modules/APIs at compile time
AOSP older than vendor → vendor blobs reference framework interfaces not yet available
Bootloader/radio version mismatch → device won't boot after flashing

Both sides must point to the same build ID before you proceed. The alignment steps are covered in Part 2.

Concept 3: The build → flash Pipeline

Part 1: Environment Setup (One-time)

System Packages

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y \
  git-core gnupg flex bison build-essential zip curl \
  zlib1g-dev gcc-multilib g++-multilib libc6-dev-i386 \
  libncurses5 lib32ncurses5-dev x11proto-core-dev libx11-dev \
  lib32z1-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libxml2-utils xsltproc unzip fontconfig

ADB / fastboot

sudo apt install -y android-tools-adb android-tools-fastboot
adb version          # 1.0.41 / 34.x
fastboot --version   # 34.x

`repo`

mkdir -p ~/bin
curl https://storage.googleapis.com/git-repo-downloads/repo > ~/bin/repo
chmod a+x ~/bin/repo
echo 'export PATH=~/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
export PATH=~/bin:$PATH

Phone Setup

Settings → About phone → tap "Build number" 7 times to enable Developer Options
Developer Options → Enable "USB debugging"
Developer Options → Enable "OEM unlocking" (required for first-time AOSP flash)
Connect via USB and tap "Always allow" on the phone dialog

adb devices
# 38011FDJH00C9F   device   ← "device" means you're good

Part 2: Choosing the Right Build ID (Three-Step Alignment)

2.1 Read the Phone's Current Build ID

adb shell getprop ro.build.id
# e.g.: BP4A.251205.006

adb shell getprop ro.build.fingerprint
# e.g.: google/shiba/shiba:16/BP4A.251205.006/.../user/release-keys

You can also find it under Settings → About phone → Build number.

Note this value down (referred to as <BUILD_ID> below).

How to Read a Build ID

B  P    4A      .  251205      .  006
│  │    │          │              │
│  │    │          │              └── patch sequence number
│  │    │          └─────────────── branch date (2025-12-05)
│  │    └────────────────────────── branch code (also the release config name)
│  └─────────────────────────────── support vertical
└────────────────────────────────── major version (B = Baklava = Android 16)

The branch code in lowercase is the lunch release config: BP4A → bp4a, BP1A → bp1a.

2.2 Look Up the AOSP Source Tag from the Build ID

Open https://source.android.com/docs/setup/reference/build-numbers

Press Ctrl+F to search for <BUILD_ID> and find the corresponding tag, e.g.:

Build              Branch                   Tag
BP4A.251205.006    android16-qpr2-release   android-16.0.0_rXX

Note the tag down (referred to as <AOSP_TAG> below).

If the build ID hasn't been pushed to AOSP yet (freshly released builds are typically delayed by a few weeks), use the closest earlier tag instead.

2.3 Look Up the Vendor Driver from the Build ID

Open https://developers.google.com/android/drivers

Ctrl+F for shiba, find the row matching your <BUILD_ID>, and copy the download URL and SHA-256.

If no matching vendor exists: use the previous build ID, or pick the latest available one that has a vendor tarball.

2.4 Alignment Checklist

At this point you should have:

Item	Example value	Source
`<BUILD_ID>`	`BP1A.250505.005.B1`	`adb shell getprop`
`<AOSP_TAG>`	`android-15.0.0_r34`	source.android.com lookup
Vendor URL	`https://dl.google.com/.../google_devices-shiba-bp1a.250505.005.b1-ef15dd6d.tgz`	developers.google.com/android/drivers

All three must point to the same <BUILD_ID> before proceeding.

Part 3: Download AOSP Source

3.1 Create the Working Directory

mkdir -p ~/aosp && cd ~/aosp

3.2 repo init (using the tag from Part 2.2)

repo init \
  --partial-clone \
  --no-use-superproject \
  -b <AOSP_TAG> \
  -u https://android.googlesource.com/platform/manifest

3.3 repo sync

repo sync -c -j8 2>&1 | tee -a repo_sync.log

-c: sync only the current branch (saves ~50% disk space)
-j8: 8 parallel jobs (avoid $(nproc) at full throttle — it hits 503s)
If interrupted, re-run the same command to resume

Expect 30–90 minutes depending on your connection.

Part 4: Download the Vendor Driver

4.1 Download

cd ~/aosp
wget '<URL from Part 2.3>'

4.2 Verify SHA-256

sha256sum google_devices-shiba-*.tgz
# Compare against the SHA-256 shown on the website in Part 2.3

Never proceed if the hash doesn't match.

4.3 Extract

cd ~/aosp
tar -xzf google_devices-shiba-*.tgz
ls extract-*.sh
# extract-google_devices-shiba.sh

4.4 Run the Extract Script (Accept License)

cd ~/aosp
./extract-google_devices-shiba.sh

The script prints the license agreement. Press Enter to scroll through it, then type:

I ACCEPT

For automation (scripts or AI agents):
printf '\nI ACCEPT\n' | bash extract-google_devices-shiba.sh
Two inputs are required: the first newline scrolls through the agreement, the second sends I ACCEPT. Sending only one will silently fail.

4.5 Verify Vendor Structure

ls vendor/google_devices/shiba/proprietary/device-vendor.mk

This file must exist before continuing. If it's missing, the extract failed — re-run step 4.4.

Without this file, m will compile successfully, but the phone will boot-loop after flashing because super.img is missing vendor libraries. This is very hard to diagnose.

~/aosp/
└── vendor/google_devices/shiba/
    └── proprietary/
        ├── bootloader.img        ← third-party bootloader
        ├── radio.img             ← modem firmware
        ├── vendor.img            ← vendor partition contents
        ├── vendor_dlkm.img
        ├── vbmeta_vendor.img
        ├── device-vendor.mk      ← integrated into the build system
        └── ... (other .so / .apk)

Part 5: Lunch and Compile

5.1 Set the Lunch Target

cd ~/aosp
source build/envsetup.sh
lunch aosp_shiba-bp1a-userdebug

:::caution Android 14+ lunch format change Starting with Android 14, the lunch format changed from two segments to three, adding a release config:

# Old format (Android 13 and earlier) — now errors out
lunch aosp_shiba-userdebug

# New format (Android 14+)
lunch aosp_shiba-bp1a-userdebug
#              ^^^^
#              release config = build ID prefix in lowercase
#              BP1A → bp1a, BP4A → bp4a

Valid release config names can be found in build/release/release_configs/. :::

Expected output:

TARGET_PRODUCT=aosp_shiba
TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT=userdebug
TARGET_ARCH=arm64

Pixel 8 Pro: lunch aosp_husky-bp1a-userdebug (or the corresponding release config)

5.2 Compile

First-time compilation takes roughly 1–3 hours. Success indicator:

#### build completed successfully (XX:XX:XX (hh:mm:ss)) ####

5.3 Verify Build Artifacts

ls $PRODUCT_OUT/*.img | head

Part 6: Flash to the Phone

6.1 Enter Fastboot Mode

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot devices
fastboot getvar product   # product: shiba
fastboot getvar unlocked  # unlocked: yes  ← must be yes

6.2 (First Time Only) Unlock the Bootloader

fastboot flashing unlock

Use the volume keys to select "Unlock the bootloader" and confirm with the power button. This erases userdata.

6.3 Flash

cd ~/aosp/out/target/product/shiba
ANDROID_PRODUCT_OUT=$(pwd) fastboot flashall -w

Or via the build environment:

cd ~/aosp
source build/envsetup.sh
lunch aosp_shiba-bp1a-userdebug
cd "$(get_build_var PRODUCT_OUT)"
fastboot flashall -w

-w wipes userdata (factory reset). For iterative development, omit -w to keep your data.

:::caution Do not add --disable-verity Do not pass --disable-verity --disable-verification to fastboot flashall.

m already writes the correct AVB flags into vbmeta.img for userdebug builds — no patching is needed. On fastboot 37+ / Pixel 8+, adding these flags actually causes an error:

fastboot: error: Failed to find AVB_MAGIC at offset: 0

This happens because fastboot tries to patch vbmeta_vendor_kernel_boot, which is not present in the image directory. :::

Expected Output (~70 seconds)

Setting current slot to 'b'                        OKAY
Sending 'boot_b' (65536 KB)                        OKAY
Writing 'boot_b'                                   OKAY
...
Sending sparse 'super' 1/10 ...                    OKAY
...
Erasing 'userdata'                                 OKAY
Erase successful, but not automatically formatting.
File system type raw not supported.
wipe task partition not found: cache
Finished. Total time: ~70s

Three Messages That Look Like Errors but Aren't

Message	Why it's normal
`Erase successful, but not automatically formatting. File system type raw not supported.`	Android formats /data automatically on first boot.
`wipe task partition not found: cache`	Pixel 8 uses A/B + dynamic partitions — there is no dedicated cache partition.
`Setting current slot to 'b'`	A/B mechanism — slots alternate. The next flash will switch back to `a`.

A/B Slot Mechanism

A broken slot can always be switched back to the other — this is the built-in fail-safe.

6.4 First Boot

The first boot runs dexopt and formats /data — expect 5–10 minutes before reaching the launcher.

adb shell getprop ro.build.fingerprint
# Android/aosp_shiba/shiba:15/.../userdebug/test-keys

Seeing aosp_shiba and userdebug confirms you're running your own build.

Part 7: Day-to-Day Iteration

After modifying code and wanting to reflash:

cd ~/aosp
source build/envsetup.sh
lunch aosp_shiba-bp1a-userdebug
m                                    # incremental build

adb reboot bootloader
cd "$(get_build_var PRODUCT_OUT)"
fastboot flashall                    # omit -w to keep userdata

Kernel-only change:

fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot reboot

Part 8: Cross-Machine Flashing (Flash from Mac or Another Linux Box)

Build on Linux, flash from another machine (e.g., Mac):

# On the build machine — pack the images (android-info.txt is not a .img, add it explicitly)
tar -czf shiba-images.tar.gz \
  -C ~/aosp/out/target/product/shiba \
  $(cd ~/aosp/out/target/product/shiba && ls *.img) \
  android-info.txt

# Transfer to the other machine
scp shiba-images.tar.gz user@other-machine:~/

# On the other machine — extract and flash
mkdir shiba-images && tar -xzf shiba-images.tar.gz -C shiba-images
cd shiba-images
ANDROID_PRODUCT_OUT=$(pwd) fastboot flashall -w

Install fastboot on Mac: brew install android-platform-tools

:::caution Don't forget android-info.txt The *.img glob does not include android-info.txt, but fastboot flashall needs it to verify the device model. Omitting it causes:

fastboot: error: could not read android-info.txt

:::

Part 9: Common Errors and Brick Recovery

`Invalid lunch combo: aosp_shiba-userdebug`

Android 14+ requires the three-segment format:

lunch aosp_shiba-bp1a-userdebug

Boot Loop After Flashing (Returns to Fastboot)

Usually caused by missing vendor blobs. Check first:

ls ~/aosp/vendor/google_devices/shiba/proprietary/device-vendor.mk

If it doesn't exist, re-extract and rebuild:

cd ~/aosp
printf '\nI ACCEPT\n' | bash extract-google_devices-shiba.sh
# Then rebuild incrementally (~3 minutes)
source build/envsetup.sh && lunch aosp_shiba-bp1a-userdebug && m

`image (bl1_a): rejected, anti-rollback`

The bootloader being flashed is older than the one currently on the device. Use a build ID ≥ the current version.

`Bootloader is locked`

fastboot flashing unlock

(This will wipe userdata.)

Bricked Device (Won't Boot)

Hold Power + Volume Down to force into fastboot, then recover using an official factory image:

# Download the matching zip from https://developers.google.com/android/images
unzip shiba-<build-id>-factory-*.zip
cd shiba-<build-id>
./flash-all.sh

Part 0: Understand Three Core Concepts​

Concept 1: Stock AOSP ≠ A Working Pixel ROM​

Concept 2: Three Versions Must Be Aligned​

Concept 3: The build → flash Pipeline​

Part 1: Environment Setup (One-time)​

System Packages​

ADB / fastboot​

repo​

Phone Setup​

Part 2: Choosing the Right Build ID (Three-Step Alignment)​

2.1 Read the Phone's Current Build ID​

How to Read a Build ID​

2.2 Look Up the AOSP Source Tag from the Build ID​

2.3 Look Up the Vendor Driver from the Build ID​

2.4 Alignment Checklist​

Part 3: Download AOSP Source​

3.1 Create the Working Directory​

3.2 repo init (using the tag from Part 2.2)​

3.3 repo sync​

Part 4: Download the Vendor Driver​

4.1 Download​

4.2 Verify SHA-256​

4.3 Extract​

4.4 Run the Extract Script (Accept License)​

4.5 Verify Vendor Structure​

Part 5: Lunch and Compile​

5.1 Set the Lunch Target​

5.2 Compile​

5.3 Verify Build Artifacts​

Part 6: Flash to the Phone​

6.1 Enter Fastboot Mode​

6.2 (First Time Only) Unlock the Bootloader​

6.3 Flash​

Expected Output (~70 seconds)​

Three Messages That Look Like Errors but Aren't​

A/B Slot Mechanism​

6.4 First Boot​

Part 7: Day-to-Day Iteration​

Part 8: Cross-Machine Flashing (Flash from Mac or Another Linux Box)​

Part 9: Common Errors and Brick Recovery​

Invalid lunch combo: aosp_shiba-userdebug​

Boot Loop After Flashing (Returns to Fastboot)​

image (bl1_a): rejected, anti-rollback​

Bootloader is locked​

Bricked Device (Won't Boot)​

References​