What is this?
Apktool is a command-line tool for reverse engineering third-party, closed, binary Android apps. It decodes an APK's resources to nearly original form and rebuilds the app after you make changes.
Apktool is a command-line tool for reverse engineering third-party, closed, binary Android apps. It decodes an APK's resources to nearly original form and rebuilds the app after you make changes.Is this a GUI app or a command-line tool, and how is it different from just unzipping an APK?A command-line tool. Unlike plain unzipping, it decodes compiled resources to nearly original, editable form and rebuilds a working APK, with a project-like folder structure and automated rebuild steps.
A command-line tool. Unlike plain unzipping, it decodes compiled resources to nearly original, editable form and rebuilds a working APK, with a project-like folder structure and automated rebuild steps.How do I get it running?Grab a prebuilt release from the Downloads link on apktool.org and run it from your terminal. You can also compile it yourself using the repo's 'How to Build' guide (CI builds with Gradle).
Grab a prebuilt release from the Downloads link on apktool.org and run it from your terminal. You can also compile it yourself using the repo's 'How to Build' guide (CI builds with Gradle).Does it need Java installed to run?Yes — Apktool is written in Java and built with Gradle, so a Java runtime is required. As a JVM tool it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux alike.
Yes — Apktool is written in Java and built with Gradle, so a Java runtime is required. As a JVM tool it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux alike.Is it okay to use it on any app I download?The author says it is NOT intended for piracy or other non-legal uses. Good purposes are localizing apps, adding features or custom-platform support — and staying fair to the app's original authors.
The author says it is NOT intended for piracy or other non-legal uses. Good purposes are localizing apps, adding features or custom-platform support — and staying fair to the app's original authors.Can I debug an app's code once it's decoded?Yes — Apktool makes it possible to debug smali code step-by-step, so you can trace what a closed-source app actually does at the bytecode level.
Yes — Apktool makes it possible to debug smali code step-by-step, so you can trace what a closed-source app actually does at the bytecode level.What does it do with resources like images and strings?It decodes them back to nearly original, human-editable form — the repo even tracks 9-patch images and Android's compiled arsc resource tables — so you can tweak them and rebuild the APK.
It decodes them back to nearly original, human-editable form — the repo even tracks 9-patch images and Android's compiled arsc resource tables — so you can tweak them and rebuild the APK.Is it free, and can I use it in my own projects?Yes. Apktool is open source under the Apache-2.0 license (per the repo metadata), so it is free to run, modify and redistribute.
Yes. Apktool is open source under the Apache-2.0 license (per the repo metadata), so it is free to run, modify and redistribute.What are similar projects?jadx, ASC, radare2, ida-pro-mcp, rea, ghidra, rea, bytecode-viewer
jadx, ASC, radare2, ida-pro-mcp, rea, ghidra, rea, bytecode-viewerWhich topics is it in?disassembler, gradle, decompiler, apk, binary-analysis, jvm, debugging, reverse-engineering, command-line, java, mobile, command-line-tool
disassembler, gradle, decompiler, apk, binary-analysis, jvm, debugging, reverse-engineering, command-line, java, mobile, command-line-tool