![Kodi Logo](resources/banner_slim.png)

# Android build guide
This guide has been tested with Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial) x86_64. It is meant to cross-compile Kodi for Android using **[Kodi's unified depends build system](../tools/depends/README.md)**. Please read it in full before you proceed to familiarize yourself with the build procedure.

It should work if you're using macOS. If that is the case, read **[macOS specific prerequisites](#34-macos-specific-prerequisites)** first.

## Table of Contents
1. **[Document conventions](#1-document-conventions)**
2. **[Install the required packages](#2-install-the-required-packages)**
3. **[Prerequisites](#3-prerequisites)**  
  3.1. **[Extract Android SDK](#31-extract-android-sdk)**  
  3.2. **[Configure Android SDK](#32-configure-android-sdk)**   
  3.3. **[Create a key to sign debug APKs](#33-create-a-key-to-sign-debug-apks)**
4. **[Get the source code](#4-get-the-source-code)**
5. **[Build tools and dependencies](#5-build-tools-and-dependencies)**  
  5.1. **[Advanced Configure Options](#51-advanced-configure-options)**  
6. **[Build binary add-ons](#6-build-binary-add-ons)**
7. **[Build Kodi](#7-build-kodi)**
8. **[Package](#8-package)**
9. **[Install](#9-install)**
10. **[Debugging Kodi](#10-debugging-kodi)**

## 1. Document conventions
This guide assumes you are using `terminal`, also known as `console`, `command-line` or simply `cli`. Commands need to be run at the terminal, one at a time and in the provided order.

This is a comment that provides context:
```
this is a command
this is another command
and yet another one
```

**Example:** Clone Kodi's current master branch:
```
git clone https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc kodi
```

Commands that contain strings enclosed in angle brackets denote something you need to change to suit your needs.
```
git clone -b <branch-name> https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc kodi
```

**Example:** Clone Kodi's current Krypton branch:
```
git clone -b Krypton https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc kodi
```

Several different strategies are used to draw your attention to certain pieces of information. In order of how critical the information is, these items are marked as a note, tip, or warning. For example:
 
> [!NOTE]  
> Linux is user friendly... It's just very particular about who its friends are.

> [!TIP]
> Algorithm is what developers call code they do not want to explain.

> [!WARNING]  
> Developers don't change light bulbs. It's a hardware problem.

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)** | **[back to section top](#1-document-conventions)**

## 2. Install the required packages
Install build dependencies needed to cross-compile Kodi for Android:
```
sudo apt install autoconf bison build-essential curl default-jdk flex gawk git gperf lib32stdc++6 lib32z1 lib32z1-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev unzip zip zlib1g-dev
```
> [!NOTE]  
> If you're running a 32bit Debian/Ubuntu distribution,  remove `lib32stdc++6 lib32z1 lib32z1-dev` from the command.

> [!NOTE]  
> Gradle 8.0+ requires JDK 17+. Check java version by running `java --version`. If version is < 17, set `JAVA_HOME` environment variable to java 17+ home directory.

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)**

## 3. Prerequisites
Building Kodi for Android requires Android NDK revision 26c. For the SDK just use the latest available.
Kodi CI/CD platforms currently use r26c for build testing and releases, so we recommend using r26c for the most tested build experience

* **[Android SDK](https://developer.android.com/studio/index.html)** (Look for `Get just the command line tools`)

### 3.1. Extract Android SDK
Create needed directories:
```
mkdir -p $HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux
```

Extract Android SDK Command line tools:
```
unzip $HOME/Downloads/commandlinetools-linux-6200805_latest.zip -d $HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux/
```

> [!NOTE]  
> Since we're using the latest SDK Command line tools available, filename can change over time. Adapt the `unzip` command accordingly.

### 3.2. Configure Android SDK
Before Android SDK can be used, you need to accept the licenses and configure it:
```
cd $HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux/cmdline-tools/bin
./sdkmanager --sdk_root=$(pwd)/../.. --licenses
./sdkmanager --sdk_root=$(pwd)/../.. platform-tools
./sdkmanager --sdk_root=$(pwd)/../.. "platforms;android-34"
./sdkmanager --sdk_root=$(pwd)/../.. "build-tools;33.0.1"
./sdkmanager --sdk_root=$(pwd)/../.. "ndk;26.2.11394342"
```

### 3.3. Create a key to sign debug APKs
All packages must be signed. The following command will generate a self-signed debug key. If the result is a cryptic error, it probably just means a debug key already existed.

```
keytool -genkey -keystore ~/.android/debug.keystore -v -alias androiddebugkey -dname "CN=Android Debug,O=Android,C=US" -keypass android -storepass android -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000
```
  
**[back to top](#table-of-contents)** | **[back to section top](#3-prerequisites)**

## 4. Get the source code
Change to your `home` directory:
```
cd $HOME
```

Clone Kodi's current master branch:
```
git clone https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc kodi
```

## 5. Build tools and dependencies
Prepare to configure build:
```
cd $HOME/kodi/tools/depends
./bootstrap
```

> [!TIP]
> Look for comments starting with `Or ...` and only execute the command(s) you need.

Configure build for aarch64:
```
./configure --with-tarballs=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-tarballs --host=aarch64-linux-android --with-sdk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux --with-ndk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux/ndk/26.2.11394342 --prefix=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-depends
```

Or configure build for arm:
```
./configure --with-tarballs=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-tarballs --host=arm-linux-androideabi --with-sdk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux --with-ndk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux/ndk/26.2.11394342 --prefix=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-depends
```

Or configure build for x86:
```
./configure --with-tarballs=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-tarballs --host=i686-linux-android --with-sdk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux --with-ndk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux/ndk/26.2.11394342 --prefix=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-depends
```

Or configure build for x86_64:
```
./configure --with-tarballs=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-tarballs --host=x86_64-linux-android --with-sdk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux --with-ndk-path=$HOME/android-tools/android-sdk-linux/ndk/26.2.11394342 --prefix=$HOME/android-tools/xbmc-depends
```

> [!NOTE]  
> Android x86 and x86_64 are not maintained and are not 100% sure that everything works correctly!

Build tools and dependencies:
```
make -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN)
```

> [!TIP]
> By adding `-j<number>` to the make command, you can choose how many concurrent jobs will be used and expedite the build process. It is recommended to use `-j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN)` to compile on all available processor cores. The build machine can also be configured to do this automatically by adding `export MAKEFLAGS="-j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN)"` to your shell config (e.g. `~/.bashrc`).

> [!WARNING]  
> Look for the `Dependencies built successfully.` success message. If in doubt run a single threaded `make` command until the message appears. If the single make fails, clean the specific library by issuing `make -C target/<name_of_failed_lib> distclean` and run `make`again.

### 5.1. Advanced Configure Options


**All platforms:**

```
--with-toolchain=<path>
```
  specify path to toolchain. Auto set for android. Defaults to xcode root for darwin, /usr for linux

```
--enable-debug=<yes:no>
```
  enable debugging information (default is yes)

```
--disable-ccache
```
  disable ccache

```
--with-tarballs=<path>
```
  path where tarballs will be saved [prefix/xbmc-tarballs]

```
--with-cpu=<cpu>
```
  optional. specify target cpu. guessed if not specified

```
--with-linker=<linker>
```
  specify linker to use. (default is ld)

```
--with-platform=<platform>
```
  target platform

```
--enable-gplv3=<yes:no>
```
  enable gplv3 components. (default is yes)

```
--with-target-cflags=<cflags>
```
  C compiler flags (target)

```
--with-target-cxxflags=<cxxflags>
```
  C++ compiler flags (target)

```
--with-target-ldflags=<ldflags>
```
  linker flags. Use e.g. for -l<lib> (target)

```
--with-ffmpeg-options
```
  FFmpeg configure options, e.g. --enable-vaapi (target)


**Android Specific:**

```
--with-ndk-api=<ndk number>
```
  specify ndk level (optional for android), default is 24.]

```
--with-ndk-path=<path>
```
  specify path to ndk (required for android only)

```
--with-sdk-path=<path>
```
  specify path to sdk (required for android only)


**[back to top](#table-of-contents)** | **[back to section top](#5-build-tools-and-dependencies)**

## 6. Build binary add-ons
You can find a complete list of available binary add-ons **[here](https://github.com/xbmc/repo-binary-addons)**.

Change to Kodi's source code directory:
```
cd $HOME/kodi
```

Build all add-ons:
```
make -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN) -C tools/depends/target/binary-addons
```

Build specific add-ons:
```
make -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN) -C tools/depends/target/binary-addons ADDONS="audioencoder.flac pvr.vdr.vnsi audiodecoder.snesapu"
```

Build a specific group of add-ons:
```
make -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN) -C tools/depends/target/binary-addons ADDONS="pvr.*"
```

Clean-up binary add-ons:
```
make -C tools/depends/target/binary-addons clean
```

For additional information on regular expression usage for ADDONS_TO_BUILD, view ADDONS_TO_BUILD section located at [Kodi add-ons CMake based buildsystem](../cmake/addons/README.md)

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)**

## 7. Build Kodi
Configure CMake build:
```
cd $HOME/kodi
make -C tools/depends/target/cmakebuildsys
```

> [!TIP]
> BUILD_DIR can be provided as an argument to cmakebuildsys. This allows you to provide an alternate build location. Change all paths onwards as required if BUILD_DIR option used.

```
mkdir $HOME/kodi-build
make -C tools/depends/target/cmakebuildsys BUILD_DIR=$HOME/kodi-build
```

Build Kodi:
```
cd $HOME/kodi-build
make -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN)
```

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)**

## 8. Package
CMake generates a target called `apk` which will package Kodi ready for distribution.

Create package:
```
make apk
```

Generated `apk` file will be inside `$HOME/kodi`.

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)**

## 9. Install
Connect your Android device to your computer through USB and enable the `Unknown sources` option in your device settings.

Make sure `adb` is installed:
```
sudo apt install adb
```

Install Kodi:
```
cd $HOME/kodi-android
adb devices
adb -s <device-id> install -r <generated-apk-name-here>.apk
```

The *device-id* can be retrieved from the list returned by the `adb devices` command and is the first value in the row representing your device.

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)**

## 10. Debugging Kodi
To be able to see what is happening while running Kodi you need to enable `USB debugging` in your device settings (already enabled in the Android Emulator).

Access the log output of your Android device:
```
adb -s <device-id> logcat
```

Install a new build over the existing one:
```
adb -e install -r images/xbmcapp-debug.apk
```

Launch Kodi on Android Emulator without the GUI:
```
adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.xbmc.xbmc/android.app.NativeActivity
```

Kill a misbehaving Kodi:
```
adb shell ps | grep org.xbmc | awk '{print $2}' | xargs adb shell kill
```

Filter logcat messages by a specific tag (e.g. `Kodi`):
```
adb logcat -s Kodi:V
```

Enable CheckJNI (**before** starting the Kodi):
```
adb shell setprop debug.checkjni 1
```

> [!NOTE]  
> These commands assume that current directory is `$HOME/kodi-build/tools/android/packaging` and that the proper SDK/NDK paths are set.

GDB can be used to debug, though the support is rather primitive. Rather than using `gdb` directly, you will need to use `ndk-gdb` which wraps it. You can use the `-p/--project` switches or instead you will need to `cd` to `$HOME/kodi-build/tools/android/packaging/xbmc` and execute it from there.
```
 ndk-gdb --verbose
```

This will open the installed version of Kodi and break. The warnings can be ignored as we have the appropriate paths already setup.

**[back to top](#table-of-contents)** | **[back to section top](#10-debugging-kodi)**