Split Android APKs

[aburdiss]

https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/-/merge_requests/18939 Since I need to patch the libs to make it fully FOSS reproducible build is impossible.

The universal apk is pretty large so I'd like to build split apks. I need to add set the version codes for different abis, see https://github.com/streetwriters/notesnook/blob/master/apps/mobile/native/android/app/build.gradle#L175 for example. Could you please add it?

Originally posted by @linsui in #32

[IzzySoft]

Any progress on this, @aburdiss? Similar issue at IzzyOnDroid: we have a per-app size limit of 30 MB, but your APK is already beyond 60 MB. A single ABI APK, by dropping native libraries of 3 others, would already be 30..40 MB smaller, bringing the APK back into the 30 MB range.

As a "quick work-around", it would help enabling legacy compression (currently, native libraries are stored uncompressed), which would also bring the size down by about 20 MB.

While on it: would you consider dropping the install referrer library? Not only is that not FOSS, it also drags in GMS (which again is not FOSS either).

Thanks in advance!

[aburdiss]

Hey @IzzySoft! Life for me recently has left little room for software, especially these app projects. That coupled with the extremely small user base I have on Android, I'm probably not going to get to this any time soon, if at all. I've been debating dropping android support for these apps for a long time since I've never received a return on investment with android users. If this is something you value, pull requests are welcome!

[IzzySoft]

Thanks for your reply, @aburdiss! Unfortunately I can not offer you a PR for this: I'm not an Android dev, I just happen to maintain the second largest F-Droid repo (for FOSS Android apps) – which btw has not seen any "return of investment" either (could I charge just 50 bucks per hour invested, I could now go to luxury retirement with a villa in a nice place).

So I fully understand your point. Maybe a step in a direction we can meet is adding a "help-wanted" label to the issue, and pin it? With some luck, someone might come up with a PR then, given some time…

[IzzySoft]

I've just placed a call for help establishing a FOSS flavor with per-ABI splits 🤞