Build app for Android

This is a guide on how to build the Android version of the app for production. It is based on this guide:

• https://docs.expo.dev/guides/local-app-production/

Prerequisites

1. Must have Java version 21 installed. Version 23 is not supported at the moment.

Commands

Run the following commands to build the Android version:

1. Install dependencies

Assuming you are on the root of the repo, start from here:

cd ./client
rm -r ./node_modules
rm -r ./android
pnpm install

And add EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL=<api base url> to .env file.

2. Generate android build directory

npx expo prebuild --clean

3. Use upload keystore file

3.1. (optional) Generate keystore key

Skip this step if you already have the upload keystore file, which should be shared by the devops engineer.

In case you want to generate a new one, run these commands:

sudo keytool -genkey -v -keystore upload-key.keystore -alias upload-key -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

3.2. (optional) Upload to Google Play

Skip this step if you already have the upload keystore file, which should be shared by the devops engineer.

keytool -export -rfc -keystore upload-key.keystore -alias upload-key -file upload_certificate.pem

3.3. Move file to ./android/app

mv upload-key.keystore ./android/app

4. Modify gradle properties

Add the following to ./client/android/gradle.properties:

**NOTE: make sure to replace <password> with the password shared by the devops engineers, or the one you created above.

MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE=upload-key.keystore
MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS=upload-key
MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD=<password>
MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD=<password>

Then modify ./client/android/app/build.gradle by adding the lines marked by '+':

android {
  signingConfigs {
    // ...
+   release {
+     if (project.hasProperty('MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE')) {
+         storeFile file(MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE)
+         storePassword MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD
+         keyAlias MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS
+         keyPassword MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD
+     }
+   }
  }
  buildTypes {
    // ...
    release {
      signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
+     signingConfig signingConfigs.release
      minifyEnabled false
      // ...
    }
  }
}

5. Build app

cd ./android
./gradlew clean
./gradlew app:bundleRelease