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https://github.com/ajinasokan/apkc
apkc is a bare-bones Android app build system that lets you build simple native Android apps without entire Android IDE
https://github.com/ajinasokan/apkc
Last synced: 5 days ago
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apkc is a bare-bones Android app build system that lets you build simple native Android apps without entire Android IDE
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/ajinasokan/apkc
- Owner: ajinasokan
- License: mit
- Created: 2022-07-08T03:16:17.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2023-03-11T06:19:53.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-08-03T09:04:08.431Z (4 months ago)
- Language: Go
- Size: 28.3 KB
- Stars: 68
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 1
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
**apkc** is a bare-bones Android app build system. It lets you build simple native Android apps in APK or AAB format without entire Android IDE. It does a subset of what Android Gradle plugin does. This makes it quick and runs with low resources. apkc is mostly suitable for learning purposes.
## Features
- Base project has zero dependencies. APK is <20 KB.
- Builds base project in <3 seconds.
- Can use external JAR libraries.
- Can use external native shared libs built with C/Go/Rust etc.
- Code completion can be setup in VSCode or other editors.
## Getting started
1. Install JDK and Android SDK and make sure to have `ANDROID_HOME` and `JAVA_HOME` env variables setup.
2. Download `apkc` from Github releases for your OS/ARCH.
3. Use `doctor` command to verify all the paths are correct.
```shell
$ apkc doctor
[doctor] java /usr/local/opt/openjdk@11/
[doctor] javac /usr/local/opt/openjdk@11/bin/javac
[doctor] jarsigner /usr/local/opt/openjdk@11/bin/jarsigner
[doctor] sdk /Users/ajinasokan/Library/Android/sdk
[doctor] aapt /Users/ajinasokan/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/30.0.3/aapt
[doctor] aapt2 /Users/ajinasokan/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/30.0.3/aapt2
[doctor] d8 /Users/ajinasokan/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/30.0.3/d8
[doctor] zipalign /Users/ajinasokan/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/30.0.3/zipalign
[doctor] android jar /Users/ajinasokan/Library/Android/sdk/platforms/android-30/android.jar
```
4. Create a hello world project.
```shell
$ apkc create myapp
Package name (com.myapp): com.ajinasokan.myapp
App name (My App): Hello World
```
5. Build APK and run in connected device. Logs from app will be streamed after successful run.
```shell
$ cd myapp
$ apkc build
[build] compiling res/layout/main.xml
[build] compiling res/values/styles.xml
[build] bundling resources
[build] compiling java files
[build] bundling classes and jars
[build] bundling native libs
[build] no native libs
[build] signing apk
[build] running zipalign
[apkc] finished in 1.580135483s
$ apkc run
[run] installing in device(serialabcxyz)
[run] launching main activity
07-06 11:23:29.894 22390 22390 I libc : SetHeapTaggingLevel: tag level set to 0
07-06 11:23:29.933 22390 22390 E jinasokan.myap: Not starting debugger since process cannot load the jdwp agent.
....
....
```
To build APK with custom key store run `apkc build --keystore "/path/to/keystore.jks" --storepass "password" --keyalias "alias"`.
To build AAB run `apkc build --aab`. Output file will be at `build/app.{apk/aab}`.
You can add external jar dependencies to `myapp/jar` directory and native libs to `myapp/lib` in appropriate architecture sub directories.
You can add [raw assets](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/providing-resources#OriginalFiles) to `myapp/assets` directory.
## Code completion in VSCode
1. Install [Java extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=redhat.java)
2. Add `android.jar` path from `doctor` command output to `referencedLibraries` list of your workspace VSCode settings file. `myapp/.vscode/settings.json`
```json
{
"java.project.referencedLibraries": [
"/platforms/android-30/android.jar"
]
}
```
3. You could also add other external jar file dependencies
## Backstory
apkc was born in 2016 as a bash script for some of [my experiments](https://ajinasokan.com/posts/smallest-app/). It then evolved into a Makefile and was used for production builds of one of [my apps](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.innoventionist.artham). Since the Play Store started enforcing AAB files for publishing I had to move away from apkc. This project is a rewrite of the Makefile, without the incremental compilation. Incremental compilation is in the todo list.