APK Editing Toolkit

All scripts auto-detect the workspace by looking at their own location, so you can rename or move the base folder at any time without breaking anything.

Every script supports --help to list its options and defaults. All generated artifacts, caches, and backups live under work/, so nothing touches the rest of your Mac.

Setup

cd /path/to/your/workspace   # e.g. ~/Downloads/mywork
[ -f work/env.sh ] && source work/env.sh  # optional overrides; scripts auto-detect bundled JDKs

If you bundle tools (apktool, uber-apk-signer, platform-tools, etc.) place them inside the tools/ directory within the workspace. Apktool framework files are cached under work/apkfw, so nothing leaks outside the folder.

Bundle Tools

./scripts/tools_install.sh

• Downloads the latest releases of apktool, uber-apk-signer, JADX, Android platform-tools, and the Temurin LTS JDK straight into tools/.
• Updates work/env.sh automatically so JAVA_HOME points at the freshly installed JDK (kept relative to the workspace).
• Accepts --only NAME to install a specific tool, --force to refresh an existing bundle, and --list to show supported names.
• Set APKTOOL_VERSION, UBER_APK_SIGNER_VERSION, JADX_VERSION, JDK_VERSION, or JDK_FEATURE_VERSION to pin versions; leave them unset to track the current LTS releases.

Run Commands with Workspace Env

./scripts/with_env.sh java -version
./scripts/with_env.sh --shell          # open an interactive shell using the bundled JDK

• Wrap any command to inherit the workspace environment (useful for one-off tools).
• --shell drops you into an interactive shell with all variables set; exit to return to your original session.

Decode / Edit Resources

./scripts/decode.sh --apk /path/to/App.apk

• Decodes into work/decoded.
• Creates work/backups/decoded_*.tar.gz snapshots before overwriting existing output (disable via --no-backup).
• Pass --open if you want the decoded folder opened in VS Code after completion.

Rebuild & Sign

./scripts/rebuild_and_sign.sh

• Rebuilds from work/decoded, generates work/unsigned.apk, and produces signed APKs under work/out/.
• Accepts flags for custom keystore paths/passwords and --fresh to clear previous signed builds.
• Verifies signatures by default (--skip-verify to opt out).
• Prints an adb install command when adb is available in tools/platform-tools or on PATH.

Decompile (Read-Only) with JADX

./scripts/jadx_readonly.sh --apk /path/to/App.apk

• Exports sources to work/jadx_out (pass --out-dir to customize).
• Tries Gradle project export first, gracefully falls back if JADX cannot generate it.
• Use --keep to reuse the existing output folder.

Wireless adb Helper

./scripts/wireless_adb.sh --install

• Guides you through pairing and connecting to a device over Wi‑Fi.

• Installs the most recent signed APK from work/out when --install is specified.

• Run --add to get interactive prompts for pairing/connecting when you don’t want to type the addresses manually.

• If multiple devices are online, you’ll get a numbered prompt; pass --device SERIAL to skip the prompt next time.

• Use --list-only to simply list connected devices.

• Pair and connect in one go by copying the values from Android’s Wireless Debugging screens:

  ./scripts/wireless_adb.sh --pair 192.168.1.50:37099 --code 123456 --connect 192.168.1.50:5555

  --pair uses the short-lived IP:PORT from Pair device with pairing code, --code is the six-digit pairing code, and --connect uses the persistent IP:PORT shown on the main Wireless Debugging screen.

Reset Between Projects

./scripts/reset_work.sh

• Clears work/decoded, work/out, work/unsigned.apk, work/backups, and work/jadx_out.
• Keep backups or JADX exports with --keep-backups / --keep-jadx.
• Add --reset-framework if you also want to drop work/apkfw (apktool framework cache).
• Use --dry-run to preview pending removals.

Cleanup

./scripts/cleanup_all.sh --yes

• Deletes the entire workspace directory. The script must live inside the workspace, so this wipes everything created by the toolkit.
• Use --dry-run to preview what would be removed.

Useful Grep Helpers

After decoding, search smali quickly:

rg "Lcom/example/your/TargetClass;" work/decoded/smali*
rg "methodName(.*)" work/decoded/smali*

Because the workspace is self-contained, you can back it up or delete it safely—just restore the folder later and the scripts will continue to work from their new location.