Android Builds

Build an APK for direct installation or an Android App Bundle for store distribution:

ruflet build apk
ruflet build aab

ruflet build android is an alias for the APK build.

Add --self when the Ruby project should be packaged with the client:

ruflet build android --self

Server-driven builds require app.backend_url in ruflet.yaml.

Permissions

Declare protected device access in services.yaml before building:

services:
  - camera:
      description: Allows users to capture photos.
  - location:
      description: Shows nearby locations.

Ruflet adds the corresponding Android permissions during client preparation.

Release signing

A release build is signed with the debug key unless you provide an upload key, and Google Play rejects a debug-signed bundle. Create the keystore once and keep it safe — losing it means you can no longer update the listing:

keytool -genkey -v -keystore ~/upload-keystore.jks \
  -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias upload

Declare it in android/key.properties beside your app:

storePassword=...
keyPassword=...
keyAlias=upload
storeFile=/absolute/path/to/upload-keystore.jks

storeFile may also be relative to that file. Ruflet copies the configuration into the generated client during the build, so build/client never has to be edited by hand, and the file is excluded from self-contained bundles so the passwords are never shipped inside the app.

In CI, set the same values in the environment instead, which takes precedence:

RUFLET_ANDROID_KEYSTORE
RUFLET_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD
RUFLET_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS
RUFLET_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD

Keep key.properties and the keystore out of version control.

Store listing

The version shipped to Play comes from app.version in ruflet.yaml:

app:
  name: My App
  package_name: my_app
  organization: com.example
  version: 1.0.0+1

The number after + is the Android version code, and Play rejects an upload that reuses one. Raise it for every build you upload.

Install

ruflet devices
ruflet install
ruflet install --device DEVICE_ID

Play Console submission itself — tracks, review, and rollout — stays a normal Android release responsibility.