BUILD_GUIDE.md

Float Browser - Build Guide

🛠️ Building the APK

Prerequisites

1. Install Android Studio

   • Download from: https://developer.android.com/studio
   • Install Android SDK 21+ (Android 5.0+)
   • Install Android SDK 34 (Android 14) for target

2. Install Java Development Kit

   • Java 8 or newer required
   • Verify: java -version

3. Install Git

   • Download from: https://git-scm.com/
   • Verify: git --version

Step-by-Step Build Process

Method 1: Using Android Studio (Recommended)

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/sh20raj/float-browser.git
   cd float-browser

2. Open in Android Studio

   • Launch Android Studio
   • Click "Open an Existing Project"
   • Navigate to the float-browser folder
   • Click "OK"

3. Sync Project

   • Android Studio will automatically sync Gradle
   • Wait for "Gradle sync finished" message
   • Resolve any dependency issues if prompted

4. Build Release APK

   • Go to Build → Generate Signed Bundle / APK
   • Select "APK" and click "Next"
   • Create a new keystore or use existing one
   • Fill in keystore details:

     Keystore path: /path/to/your/keystore.jks
     Password: [your-password]
     Key alias: float-browser
     Key password: [your-key-password]
     

   • Click "Next" → Select "release" → "Finish"

5. Locate APK

   app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
   

Method 2: Command Line Build

1. Clone and Navigate

   git clone https://github.com/sh20raj/float-browser.git
   cd float-browser

2. Create Keystore (First time only)

   keytool -genkey -v -keystore float-browser.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias float-browser

3. Create signing.properties

   # Create app/signing.properties
   storeFile=../float-browser.jks
   storePassword=your_store_password
   keyAlias=float-browser
   keyPassword=your_key_password

4. Build Release APK

   # Make gradlew executable (Linux/Mac)
   chmod +x gradlew
   
   # Build release APK
   ./gradlew assembleRelease
   
   # Windows
   gradlew.bat assembleRelease

5. APK Location

   app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
   

Build Optimization

Size Optimization (Target <1MB)

1. Enable R8 (Already configured)

   buildTypes {
       release {
           minifyEnabled true
           shrinkResources true
           proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt')
       }
   }

2. Check APK Size

   # Check final APK size
   ls -lh app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
   
   # Analyze APK contents
   ./gradlew analyzeReleaseBundle

3. APK Analyzer (Android Studio)

   • Go to Build → Analyze APK
   • Select your APK file
   • Review size breakdown

Testing the APK

Install on Device

1. Enable Developer Options

   • Go to Settings → About Phone
   • Tap "Build Number" 7 times
   • Go back to Settings → Developer Options
   • Enable "USB Debugging"

2. Install via ADB

   # Install APK
   adb install app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
   
   # Uninstall if needed
   adb uninstall com.shaswatraj.floatbrowser

3. Install via File Manager

   • Copy APK to device
   • Open with file manager
   • Tap to install
   • Allow "Install from Unknown Sources" if prompted

Performance Testing

1. APK Size Check

   # Should be under 1MB
   du -h app-release.apk

2. Memory Usage

   # Check memory usage while running
   adb shell dumpsys meminfo com.shaswatraj.floatbrowser

3. Launch Time

   # Measure cold start time
   adb shell am start -W com.shaswatraj.floatbrowser/.MainActivity

Troubleshooting

Common Build Issues

1. Gradle Sync Failed

   # Clean and rebuild
   ./gradlew clean
   ./gradlew build

2. SDK Not Found

   • Open Android Studio
   • Go to File → Project Structure
   • Set correct SDK path

3. Keystore Issues

   # Verify keystore
   keytool -list -v -keystore float-browser.jks

4. APK Too Large

   • Check ProGuard rules in proguard-rules.pro
   • Remove unused resources
   • Use vector drawables only

Build Variants

1. Debug Build (for testing)

   ./gradlew assembleDebug

2. Release Build (for distribution)

   ./gradlew assembleRelease

3. Bundle for Play Store

   ./gradlew bundleRelease

Continuous Integration

GitHub Actions (Optional)

Create .github/workflows/build.yml:

name: Build APK
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - uses: actions/setup-java@v3
      with:
        java-version: '11'
        distribution: 'temurin'
    - name: Build APK
      run: ./gradlew assembleRelease
    - name: Upload APK
      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
      with:
        name: app-release
        path: app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk

Final Checklist

• APK builds successfully
• APK size is under 1MB
• App installs and launches
• All features work correctly
• No crashes or major bugs
• Performance meets targets
• Signed with release keystore
• Ready for distribution

Next Step: See PUBLISH_GUIDE.md for publishing instructions!