Obtaining applications from sources other than the official Google Play Store describes the process of acquiring software for Android devices from alternative app marketplaces, developer websites, or file repositories. An example of this is downloading a game directly from a developer’s site or utilizing a third-party app store like APKMirror.
This practice offers users access to applications that may not be available on the Play Store due to regional restrictions, policy violations (perceived or actual), or experimental features. Historically, sideloading (the common term for this) has been a key method for developers to test and distribute their software before wider release, and for users to access specialized or niche applications not found on the mainstream marketplace. It also circumvents potential censorship and allows access to older versions of applications.