Android programming: advanced tips and tricks

How to build an Android APK from the command line, without using an IDE. This can be useful to create your own app builder, to learn how the SDK works under the hood or to customize the building process.

This simple project shows how to build an Android App Bundle (AAB) using the command line tools only, without any IDE. The AAB bundle is the preferred format for Google Play.

This article presents various methods to generate a unique Android device identifier: android_id, Bluetooth MAC, timestamp. A combination of such methods should cover most of the cases.

The SIMcard can be used as a security module in Android applications. It is possible to store keys inside the SIM, encrypt sensitive information, among other uses. The SIMcards are devices designed to resist any hacking attempt. These devices include automatic locking mechanisms to protect sensitive information.

About the balance between security and usability in Android applications, alternative authentication technologies, web-app interfaces. One of the greatest app development problems is the balance between ease of use and functional load.

If the app is updated frequently and its cost is low, this app would be less attractive to the pirates. However, even free apps are distributed illegally. The pirates can inject different kinds of malware into the app to steal the users' personal information, passwords, ...

The evolution of the Android permissions control; install-time permissions vs. runtime permissions; carrier privileges. If you're developing for mass use, it's important to reduce the use of permissions, especially sensitive permissions.

Security concerns in Android, as an open platform. The balance between security and permissiveness in different Android versions. Keeping Android open, while counteracting the security threats, is one of the greatest challenges for Google.