By Alvin Alexander. Last updated: March 7, 2019
As a brief note to self, this is how I compiled/built an Android application (APK) from the MacOS command line and then ran it in an emulator. I include both my application- and system-specific notes, as well as the more generic commands I found at this Android.com URL:
- build a “debug apk” - COMMAND: `gradlew assembleDebug` - This creates an APK named module_name-debug.apk in project_name/module_name/build/outputs/apk/ - MINE: ./app/build/outputs/apk/app-debug.apk - need to start an emulator - COMMAND: emulator -avd avd_name - MINE: emulator -avd Pixel_2_API_27_Oreo_8.1_ - HOW TO LIST EMULATORS: `emulator -list-avds` Nexus_5X_API_25_7.1.1_ Nexus_9_API_23_6.0_ Nexus_9_API_25 Pixel_2_API_27_Oreo_8.1_ Pixel_C_API_25_Android_7.1.1_ - emulator dir: ~/Library/Android/sdk/emulator - install onto the emulator: - COMMAND: adb install path/to/your_app.apk - MINE: adb install ./app/build/outputs/apk/app-debug.apk
Notes:
- In a dev environment you build a debug APK (that’s also signed)
- On a Mac/macOS system, the Android SDK is in the directory shown (~/Library/Android/sdk), assuming that it was installed with Android Studio
- The adb command won’t work if you have more than one emulator running
If you ever want/need to build an Android application from the command line, I hope these notes are helpful.