The Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update source code is now available as Samsung releases the official kernel source code early in the past weekend. This should be great news for developers who are eager to create apps for the smartphone running the latest Android software version. It allows them to build custom ROMs for the device. You can download the source code here

Owners who are unfamiliar with ROMs and app builds are advised to steer clear from this source code as they could potentially damage their devices. The Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat update is already available to Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile in the form of a new ROM.

CyanogenMod 11 is also available for all the aforementioned carrier versions. Users can access the software update by downloading the CM11 nightly build. The AT&T and GSM versions have not received the ROMs yet, though. The build is based on the latest iteration of KitKat which is the Android 4.4.2. The software should be installed with caution because it could wipe out data and void the smartphone's warranty.

CyanogenMod released the source code for the Galaxy Note 3 in the latter part of December 2013 and indicated that the official CM release would follow soon. The release took an estimate of three weeks but in the meantime, developers had fun with this source code, releasing the unofficial CM 11-based ROMs for the Galaxy Note 3. The CyanogenMod 11 M2 Snapshot was also available early in January 2014 but did not include support for the Galaxy Note 3. The Galaxy Note 3 should have support in future updates, though.

A lot of users prefer custom ROMs like CyanogenMod because they remove the user interfaces added by manufacturers and add exclusive features which cannot be found on stock OEM firmware or Android.

Meanwhile, Samsung has begun rolling out the official Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4 KitKat in other regions of the world. However, it may still take a long time before it hits the United States. In the week of Jan. 13, Polish owners of the Galaxy Note 3 started receiving Android 4.4.2 while French carrier SFR announced that its Samsung Galaxy Note 3 update would arrive in late January.