android-cli

name	android-cli
description	Use this when: android create project, android sdk install packages, android sdk list targets, android emulator create AVD, android emulator start, android run APK on device, android build tools, adb commands, Android project scaffolding from template, AVD management, deploy Android app from CLI, android environment info. Orchestrates Android development tasks including project creation, deployment, SDK management, and environment diagnostics using the android command-line tool.
license	Complete terms in LICENSE.txt
metadata	{"author":"Google LLC","keywords":["sdk","emulator","skills","docs","knowledge base","project creation","screenshots"]}

Android CLI Specialist

This skill provides instructions for using the android CLI tool. The tool includes various commands for creating projects, running applications, interacting with devices, and managing the CLI environment.

SDK management

To manage the installation of Android SDKs and tools, use the sdk command. For example:

• android sdk install <package>[@<version>]...: Install specific packages. Multiple packages can be specified, separated by spaces. <version> defaults to latest. For example: android sdk install platforms/android-30@2 platforms/android-34
• android sdk update [<pkg-name>]: Update a specific package or all packages to the latest version.
• android sdk remove <pkg-name>: Remove a package from the local SDK.
• android sdk list --all: List installed and available SDK packages.

Project creation

Create projects from templates using the create command.

For example: android create empty-activity --name="My App" --output=./my-app

Interacting with devices

For more information on interacting with running devices, see here

Running journey tests

For more information on running journeys, see here

Doc searching

The docs command searches authoritative, high-quality Android developer documentation in the Android Knowledge Base. By providing a few keywords, this tool will return high quality articles that contain examples or guidance on how to use Android APIs or libraries. Use this tool to obtain additional information on how to achieve Android-specific tasks or to know more about Android APIs, surfaces, libraries, or devices.

Always use this tool to get the most up-to-date information about Android concepts. Typical good use cases are:

• Finding migration guides for APIs.
• Finding examples for APIs.
• Finding up-to-date information about Android APIs.
• Finding best practices for Android concepts.

Running APKs

Use the run command to run Android apps.

Managing emulators

Manage Android Virtual Devices (AVDs) using the android emulator command

Capturing screenshots

Capture an image of the current screen of a connected Android device and output it to a file using the android screenshot command.

Managing skills

Manage antigravity agent skills for Android using the android skills command.

Inspecting UI Layouts

Use the android layout command to inspect the UI layout of an Android application. It returns the layout tree of an Android application in JSON format. When debugging UI errors, this is often a much faster approach than taking a screenshot.

Updating the CLI

Update the Android CLI using the android update command.

android help output

Usage: android [-hV] [--sdk=PARAM] [COMMAND] -h, --help Show this help message and exit. --sdk=PARAM Path to the Android SDK -V, --version Print version information and exit. Commands: create Create a new Android project describe Analyzes an Android project to generate descriptive metadata. docs Android documentation commands emulator Emulator commands help Shows the help of all commands info Print environment information (SDK Location, etc.) init Initializes the environment (eg. skills) for Android CLI. layout Returns the layout tree of an application run Deploy an Android Application screen Commands to view the device sdk Download and list SDK packages skills Manage skills update Update the Android CLI

create Usage: android create [-h] [--verbose] [--list] [--minSdk=api] --name=applicationName [-o=dest-path] [template-name] Create a new Android project [template-name] The template name -h, --help Show this help message and exit. --minSdk=api The 'minSdk' supported by the application (default is defined in the template) --name=applicationName The name of the application (e.g. 'My Application') -o, --output=dest-path The destination project directory path (default is '.') --verbose Enables verbose output --list List all available templates

describe Usage: android describe [-hV] [--project_dir=PARAM] Analyzes an Android project to generate descriptive metadata. This command identifies and outputs the paths to JSON files that detail the project's structure, including build targets and their corresponding output artifact locations (e.g., APKs). This information enables other tools and commands to locate build artifacts efficiently. -h, --help Show this help message and exit. --project_dir=PARAM The project directory to describe -V, --version Print version information and exit.

docs Usage: android docs [-h] [COMMAND] Android documentation commands -h, --help Show this help message and exit. Commands: search Search Android documentation fetch Fetch Android documentation

emulator Usage: android emulator [-h] [COMMAND] Emulator commands -h, --help Show this help message and exit. Commands: create Creates a virtual device start Launches the specified virtual device. This command will return when the emulator is fully started and ready to use. stop Stops the specified virtual device list Lists available virtual devices remove Delete a virtual device

help Usage: android help [COMMAND] Shows the help of all commands [COMMAND] The command to show help for

info Usage: android info Print environment information (SDK Location, etc.) The specific field to print the value of. If omitted print all.

init Usage: android init Initializes the environment (eg. skills) for Android CLI.

layout Usage: android layout [-dhp] [--device=PARAM] [-o=PARAM] Returns the layout tree of an application -d, --diff Returns a flat list of the layout elements that have changed since the last invocation of ui-dump --device=PARAM The device serial number -h, --help Show this help message and exit. -o, --output=PARAM Writes the layout tree to the specified file or directory. If omitted, prints the tree to standard output -p, --pretty Pretty-prints the returned JSON

run Usage: android run [-h] [--debug] [--activity=PARAM] [--device=PARAM] [--type=PARAM] [--apks=PARAM[,PARAM...]]... Deploy an Android Application --activity=PARAM The activity name --apks=PARAM[,PARAM...] The paths to the APKs --debug Run in debug mode --device=PARAM The device serial number -h, --help Show this help message and exit. --type=PARAM The component type (ACTIVITY, SERVICE, etc.)

screen Usage: android screen [-h] [COMMAND] Commands to view the device -h, --help Show this help message and exit. Commands: capture Outputs the device screen to a PNG resolve Target UI elements visually

sdk Usage: android sdk [COMMAND] Download and list SDK packages Commands: install Install SDK packages update Update one or all packages to the latest version remove Remove a package from the SDK list List installed and available SDK packages

skills Usage: android skills [COMMAND] Manage skills Commands: add Install a skill remove Remove a skill list List available skills find Find skills by keyword

update Usage: android update [--url=PARAM] Update the Android CLI --url=PARAM The URL to download the update from

Automated / AI-Assisted Testing Tooling (local baseline)

Use the currently available local toolchain for automation-first Android validation:

• Primary tools available: adb, emulator, repo ./gradlew / ./gradlew.bat, java, python3, node, npm, bun, aapt, aapt2, gh
• Commonly referenced but currently unavailable in PATH: android CLI binary, sdkmanager, avdmanager, maestro, apkanalyzer, bundletool

Recommended unattended validation loop:

1. Run deterministic gates each iteration:
   • :core:test, :app:test, :app:assembleDebug, :app:lint
2. If a device is present (adb devices), run connected instrumentation:
   • :app:connectedDebugAndroidTest
3. Persist per-iteration logs and summaries under .sisyphus/evidence/.
4. Bucket failures by signature (for flaky analysis), especially:
   • ComposeTimeoutException
   • No compose hierarchies found
   • device transport errors (No connected devices, device ... not found)

For managed devices where keep-awake cannot be enabled, use a sleep-tolerant loop:

• continue non-device gates every cycle
• classify connected runs as PASS / FAIL / SKIP(no-device)
• avoid treating temporary device sleep as total run failure.