Disabling apps vs deleting

[rlugo29]

I just got this phone on Metro PCS. My old phone was ancient and didn't. have the option of disabling apps. So, I rooted it to delete most of the pre-installed apps. However, this phone has the option of disabling apps. What's the difference?

 

[Hadron]

Disable stops the app running, removes it from app drawer and desktop, but does not remove the app or delete its data, and can be completely reversed by re-enabling. Deleting the app, well, deletes it.

Note that pre-installed apps live in the system partition, while user apps and app data live in /data. So deleting a system app doesn't give you more space (though clearing it's data might). So for most purposes disabling pre-installed apps is sufficient.

 

[rlugo29]

So there's really no need for me to root?

 

[Planterz]

So there's really no need for me to root?

There's plenty of other reasons to root. Ad blocking, proper app back-ups, Xposed framework and modules, Tasker, Greenify, etc.