kivy/python-for-android
Python For Android
python-for-android is a toolchain that compiles Python applications and their dependencies into installable Android APK or AAB packages. It bundles a Python interpreter and standard library into an Android package, enabling Python code to run natively on mobile devices. The project provides a recipe-based build engine that automates dependency resolution, version pinning, and custom compilation steps for Android targets.
The system cross-compiles Python and native C-extension libraries for multiple Android CPU architectures, producing separate native binaries for each target and packaging them into a single APK or AAB. It supports multiple UI frameworks through a pluggable backend layer, allowing applications to be packaged with Kivy, PySDL2, or a WebView-based interface. The build process compiles Python bytecode and C extensions into native shared libraries, then combines them with Android manifest resources into a signed distribution package.
The project includes a recipe system for defining build steps with dependency declarations, enabling automatic cross-compilation of libraries like NumPy and SQLAlchemy. It handles multi-architecture builds to ensure compatibility across a wide range of Android devices. Documentation is available through the project's site.
Features
- Python-to-Android Package Bundlers - Compiles Python applications and their dependencies into installable Android APK or AAB packages.
- Android Bootstraps - Bundles a Python interpreter and standard library into an Android APK, enabling Python code to run natively on the device.
- Mobile Package Generators - Compiles a Python application and its dependencies into an installable Android APK or AAB file.
- Recipe-Based Cross-Compilations - Defines build recipes with dependency declarations and custom steps to cross-compile Python libraries for Android's ARM and x86 architectures.
- Android App Packagers - Compiles a Python application and its dependencies into an Android APK or AAB file for distribution.
- Android Python App Compilers - Compiles Python applications and their dependencies into installable Android APK or AAB packages.
- Recipe-Based Builds - Automates dependency resolution, version pinning, and custom compilation steps for Android targets via recipes.
- Build Recipes - Defines build recipes with dependency declarations and custom steps for cross-compiling Python libraries to Android.
- Multi-Architecture APK Builds - Generates separate binaries for multiple Android CPU architectures and packages them into a single APK or AAB.
- Android App Bundle Supports - Compiles a Python application and its dependencies into an Android APK or AAB file for distribution.
- Android Packages - Combines compiled native libraries, Python bytecode, and Android manifest resources into a signed APK or AAB.
- Python Android Packagers - Compiles a Python application and its dependencies into an Android APK, AAB, or AAR binary that runs natively on Android devices.
- Python App Builds for Android - Compiles a Python application and its dependencies into an Android APK or AAB package ready for distribution.
- Android Architecture Support - Builds the packaged app for different Android CPU architectures so it runs on a wide range of devices.
- Python Android Cross-Compilation Frameworks - Cross-compiles Python and native C-extension libraries for multiple Android CPU architectures.
- Python Cross-Compilation Pipelines - Cross-compiles Python and native C-extension libraries specifically for Android CPU architectures.
- Ahead-Of-Time Compilation - Compiles Python bytecode and C extensions into native shared libraries during the build process.
- Android App Compilers - Packages a Python application and its dependencies into an installable Android APK or AAB file.
- UI Backend Bundles - Packages the app using Kivy, PySDL2, or a WebView-based backend to match the chosen user interface framework.
- Python Mobile App Packagers - Bundles Python apps with Kivy, PySDL2, or WebView UI backends into Android binaries.
- Pluggable UI Backend Bundlers - Packages apps with Kivy, PySDL2, or WebView backends, enabling framework choice for Android deployment.
- Python C-Extension Cross-Compilations - Cross-compiles C-extension dependencies automatically when a recipe is provided, enabling use of libraries like NumPy and SQLAlchemy.
- UI Backend Abstractions - Supports multiple UI frameworks (Kivy, PySDL2, WebView) by abstracting the windowing and event loop into a pluggable backend layer.
