android-cli

name	android-cli
description	Provides instructions for installing and using the `android` CLI. The `android` command-line tool is a critical tool for Android development and helps you create new Android projects, run Android apps on devices, manage and interact with Android virtual devices (including screenshots and UI inspection), manage Android SDK components, look up official Android documentation, and discover and install official Android skills.
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.

Installation

If the android tool is not in the path, install it. To install run the following command: Linux: curl -fsSL https://dl.google.com/android/cli/latest/linux_x86_64/install.sh | bash Mac Arm: curl -fsSL https://dl.google.com/android/cli/latest/darwin_arm64/install.sh | bash Mac Intel: curl -fsSL https://dl.google.com/android/cli/latest/darwin_x86_64/install.sh | bash Windows: curl -fsSL https://dl.google.com/android/cli/latest/windows_x86_64/install.cmd -o "%TEMP%\i.cmd" && "%TEMP%\i.cmd"

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 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 [-hvV] [--sdk=PARAM] [COMMAND] -h, --help Show this help message and exit. --sdk=PARAM Path to the Android SDK -v, --verbose Enable verbose output for troubleshooting -V, --version Print version information and exit. Commands: create Create a new Android project from available templates. Allows specifying project name, output directory, minSdk, and dry-run execution. describe Analyzes an Android project to generate descriptive metadata. docs Android documentation commands for searching and fetching developer documentation from the official knowledge base. emulator Manage Android Virtual Devices (AVDs). Includes commands to start, stop, list, and view details about emulators. help Shows the help of all commands info Print environment information including SDK location, connected devices, and configuration variables. Use specific fields to narrow the output. init Initializes the environment for the Android CLI. Sets up required configurations, directories, and default skills. install Install an Android Application (one or more APKs) to a connected device or emulator without activating any components using incremental optimizations for faster deployment than adb. layout Returns the layout tree of an application run Build, deploy, and launch an Android application on a connected device or emulator. screen Commands to view the device sdk Manage the Android SDK installation. Includes commands to install, update, remove, and list available and installed SDK packages. skills Manage Android CLI skills. Includes commands to install, remove, list, and search for skills by keyword. studio Android Studio commands update Update the Android CLI to the latest version.

create Usage: android create [-h] [--verbose] [--list] [--minSdk=api] --name=applicationName [-o=dest-path] [template-name] Create a new Android project from available templates. Allows specifying project name, output directory, minSdk, and dry-run execution. [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 for searching and fetching developer documentation from the official knowledge base. -h, --help Show this help message and exit. Commands: search Search Android documentation. Enclose keywords in quotes. fetch Fetch an Android documentation article from a URL (kb://...)

emulator Usage: android emulator [-h] [COMMAND] Manage Android Virtual Devices (AVDs). Includes commands to start, stop, list, and view details about emulators. -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 including SDK location, connected devices, and configuration variables. Use specific fields to narrow the output. The specific field to print the value of. If omitted print all.

init Usage: android init Initializes the environment for the Android CLI. Sets up required configurations, directories, and default skills.

install Usage: android install [-hv] [--use-delta-install] [--device=PARAM] [--apks=PARAM[,PARAM...]]... [--install-options=PARAM[, PARAM...]]... Install an Android Application (one or more APKs) to a connected device or emulator without activating any components using incremental optimizations for faster deployment than adb. --apks=PARAM[,PARAM...] The paths to the APKs --device=PARAM The device serial number -h, --help Show this help message and exit. --install-options=PARAM[,PARAM...] Additional options/flags to pass to package manager install (e.g. -g,-d) --use-delta-install Use fast delta install (speeds up incremental updates by transferring only modified code and resources; default: true) -v, --verbose Enable verbose logging

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 [-hv] [--debug] [--use-delta-install] [--activity=PARAM] [--device=PARAM] [--type=PARAM] [--apks=PARAM[,PARAM...]]... [--install-options=PARAM[,PARAM...]]... Build, deploy, and launch an Android application on a connected device or emulator. --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. --install-options=PARAM[,PARAM...] Additional options/flags to pass to package manager install (e.g. -g,-d) --type=PARAM The component type (ACTIVITY, WATCH_FACE, TILE, COMPLICATION, DECLARATIVE_WATCH_FACE, WEAR_WIDGET) --use-delta-install Use fast delta install (speeds up incremental updates by transferring only modified code and resources; default: false) -v, --verbose Enable verbose logging

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] Manage the Android SDK installation. Includes commands to install, update, remove, and list available and installed SDK packages. Commands: install Install SDK packages update Update one or all packages to the latest version remove Remove packages from the SDK list List installed and available SDK packages

skills Usage: android skills [-h] [COMMAND] Manage Android CLI skills. Includes commands to install, remove, list, and search for skills by keyword. -h, --help Show this help message and exit. Commands: add [id] Install a specific skill by its ID to your environment remove [id] Remove an installed skill by its ID list List installed and available skills find [keyword] Search for available skills in the repository matching a keyword

studio Usage: android studio [-h] [COMMAND] Android Studio commands -h, --help Show this help message and exit. Commands: find-declaration Find declaration of a symbol find-usages Find usages of a symbol open-file Open a file in Android Studio check Check the status of running Studio instances analyze-file Analyze a file in Android Studio render-compose-preview Render a Compose preview in Android Studio version-lookup Looks up the latest available versions on the internet of maven artifacts, Android versions, and more.

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