Google PlayStore - App Release

Links

https://play.google.com/apps/publish

Apk Versioning

• versionCode erhöhen (laufende Nummer für das apk).
• versionName erhöhen (für User gedacht)

For each apk you upload to Google Play you'll have to increase a variable called versionCode. versionCode is an integer that defines the actual version of the apk. Another variable called versionName is only intended for users, you don't have to increase that but it's a good practice to let the users know that this is a new version.

To change those simple open the file

\RomansInGermany\app\build.gradle

After changing them you'll have to do a Gradle Sync then you're set to go.

Apk Signing

In Android Studio:

• Build > Generate Signed APK

Man braucht mehrere Passwörter:

• Masterpasswort für Password Database von Android eingeben (im Notfall zurücksetzen)
• Passwort für den Keystore
• Passwort für den APK Key
• Alias für den Key

You're already familiar with this but just as a reminder:

1. Signing an Apk requires a keystore file and a password.
2. Once an application is signed and published, you'll need to sign any update of the application with the same keystore.
3. If the keystore is lost or expired (you provided the validity when you created it) or the keystore password is lost then you'll lose the ability to publish updates for this app. Your only option is to create and publish new app.

ProGuard

1. This is a tool that removes any unused code before compilation (smaller apk) and obfuscates the code to make it harder to reveres engineer.
2. Since  most of the classes will lose their names in the compiled apk, a file called mapping.txt serves as a map between the original classes names and the new random ones. This file is useful to obtain useful information from stack traces returned by exceptions. the mapping.txt file will change with each release so please make sure to keep a version for each Apk you publish. The file will be found at \RomansInGermany\app\build\outputs\proguard\release keep the files found in \RomansInGermany\app\build\outputs\proguard\release for each release you make
3. You'll also need to keep the entire project for each version you release. this way you can debug any version and check the code lines.