chainguard-dev / apko

Deployment - chainguard-dev/apko

Apko is an open-source Android application packaging kit developed by Chainguard-Dev. It simplifies the process of building, signing, and deploying Android applications, making it an essential tool for Android developers. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of deploying and installing apko on various platforms.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the deployment process, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

  1. Android Studio: Apko relies on Android Studio for building and packaging Android applications. Make sure you have the latest stable version installed. Download Android Studio

  2. Git: Apko is an open-source project, and you’ll need Git to clone the repository and fetch updates. Install Git

  3. JDK: Apko requires a Java Development Kit (JDK) to run. Make sure you have the latest JDK installed. Download JDK

  4. Apko: Clone the apko repository using Git. Open a terminal and run the following command:

git clone https://github.com/chainguard-dev/apko.git

Building Apko

Before you can deploy apko, you need to build it. Navigate to the apko directory in your terminal and run the following command to build the project:

./gradlew assemble

This command will build the apko binary and place it in the apko/build/outputs/apk/ directory.

Creating an Apko Configuration File

Apko uses a configuration file to define the build settings for your application. Create a new file named myapp.yml in the apko/configs/ directory. This file will contain the settings specific to your application.

Here’s an example of a basic myapp.yml configuration file:

app:
name: MyApp
package: com.example.myapp
source: ../myapp
signing:
key: myapp.jks
store: myapp.keystore
alias: myapp
build:
versionCode: 1
versionName: 1.0.0

Replace MyApp, com.example.myapp, ../myapp, myapp.jks, myapp.keystore, and myapp with the appropriate values for your application.

Building the Application with Apko

Now that you have the configuration file in place, you can build your application using apko. Navigate to the apko/ directory in your terminal and run the following command:

./gradlew apkoBuild

This command will build your application using the settings defined in the myapp.yml configuration file. The output APK file will be placed in the apko/build/outputs/apk/ directory.

Installing Apko on Linux

To install apko on Linux, you need to build it from source. Navigate to the apko/ directory in your terminal and run the following commands:

./gradlew install
sudo make install

These commands will build and install apko on your system. Once installed, you can use apko to build and deploy your applications.

Installing Apko on macOS

Installing apko on macOS is similar to the Linux installation process. However, you’ll need to use Homebrew to install the required dependencies.

First, install Homebrew by running the following command in your terminal:

/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"

Next, install the required dependencies:

brew install openjdk11 gradle

Now, clone the apko repository and build it:

git clone https://github.com/chainguard-dev/apko.git
cd apko
./gradlew assemble
sudo make install

Once installed, you can use apko to build and deploy your applications.

Installing Apko on Windows

Installing apko on Windows involves downloading and installing the required dependencies manually.

  1. Download and install the Java Development Kit (JDK).
  2. Download and install Gradle.
  3. Clone the apko repository:
git clone https://github.com/chainguard-dev/apko.git
  1. Navigate to the apko/ directory in your terminal and run the following command to build apko:
./gradlew assemble
  1. Add the apko/build/outputs/apk/apko.exe file to your system PATH.

Now that apko is installed, you can use it to build and deploy your applications.

Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we walked you through the process of deploying and installing apko on various platforms. We covered the prerequisites, building apko, creating a configuration file, and installing apko on Linux, macOS, and Windows. With apko installed, you can simplify the process of building, signing, and deploying Android applications.

For more information about apko and its features, visit the official documentation.