Android App Bundle: from start to deployment

This publication format has been around for a while now and will be required for the new apps on the Play Store in August 2021.

This session will cover all the steps to migrate your existing project in order to build and release a brand new AAB file to the Play Store. You will see the advantages and drawbacks of App Bundle. How you can easily configure your project, handle testing tracks and update your CI/CD (CircleCI, Bitrise) to deploy your optimized app with fastlane.

Transcript

1. Android App Bundle: from start to deployment Android Worldwide April 2021 Julien Salvi
2. Julien Salvi Android GDE PAUG, Punk and IPAs! Senior Android Engineer @ Aircall @JulienSalvi
3. Table of contents What’s Android App Bundle? Ship small, move fast Moving to Android App Bundle From Gradle build scripts to CI/CD Handling testing with AAB How to manage your testing sessions with AAB
4. What’s Android App Bundle? Ship small, move fast
5. Android App Bundle Optimizing the APK size and deliver what the user only needs are the key features of Android App Bundle. Let’s see what AAB brings to us and for our users 🚀
7. Android App Bundle What does it bring? • New publication format introduced by Google ⛓ • Produce a aab file instead of apk 🧰 • Allow to distribute smaller apk to users 📦 • Enable Play Feature and Assets Delivery 🚀 • Have a green impact 🌱
8. Android App Bundle Let’s have a look at the APK? Let’s have a look on Android Studio!
9. Android App Bundle What about the .aab? Key advantages: 💥 Decrease APK size by 21 MB (-59%) for common devices 💥 Less download time for our users 💥 We save (a little bit) the planet
10. MAD Score at your service
11. Trusted by many companies
12. Do I need to migrate to AAB right now? Well... • It’s not mandatory for old apps but it has many benefits! • If you’re distributing your app outside the Play Store, maybe no • Yes! And actually you must go for the AAB format... • From August 2021, ABB will mandatory for new apps in Play Store For the new apps...
13. Moving to Android App Bundle From Gradle build scripts to the CI/CD
14. Journey to App Bundle Update codebase Update CircleCI Deploy on Play Store Play Feature? ✨
15. Android App Bundle Gradle configuration app:bundleRelease Gradle task:
16. CI/CD with CircleCI and fastlane ✍ Installing fastlane is very easy on CircleCI 🚀 Run the playstore fastlane lane (wait for the next slide :) CircleCI setup:
17. CI/CD with CircleCI and fastlane ✍ Sign the .aab file with your production key 🚀 Release to the Play Store with fastlane ⚠ Make sure to enable App Signing on the Play Console Fastlane setup:
18. App Bundle on the Play Console
19. Handling testing with App Bundle How to manage testing sessions with AAB
20. Handling testing with App Bundle How to test .aab files? • You cannot directly test .aab files, neither install them on a device • Use the test track on the Play Console • Build .apk files that will be uploaded in App Distribution for example • Use bundletool for converting .aab file into .apk files Convert .aab to .apk files
21. Handling testing with App Bundle Discovering bundletool
22. Live Demo 🚀 (Wish me luck…)
23. Android App Bundle • Reducing APK file size • Use Play Feature and Assets Delivery • Have a positive impact • AAB files cannot be directly installed on devices • NO direct support for Firebase App Distribution • You are stuck with the Play Store • What is the best way to handle testing? • Use bundletool for deploying on FAD? • Moving test distribution to Google Play internal test track? The Good The Bad The Questions
24. Aircall Journey to Android App Bundle https://medium.com/inside-aircall/14d0df0d0ea7
25. Have fun with App Bundle! 📦 Do you have any questions? @JulienSalvi Thanks Julien Salvi