singwhatiwanna/dynamic-load-apk
Dynamic Load Apk
Dynamic-load-apk is an Android plugin framework that enables a host application to load and run uninstalled APK files as plugins at runtime. It provides the core infrastructure for loading APKs from storage, launching their activities, and managing their lifecycle without requiring the user to install them through the system package manager.
The framework handles the fundamental challenges of running uninstalled code on Android through several key mechanisms. It isolates plugin classes in a separate DexClassLoader to prevent conflicts with the host class hierarchy, merges plugin resources into a custom AssetManager so standard R identifiers work, and extracts native .so libraries from the plugin APK into a private directory for native code execution. Plugin activities are managed through a proxy pattern where a host proxy activity delegates lifecycle callbacks to the plugin's real activity class, and broadcast receivers can be registered dynamically at runtime without manifest entries.
For plugin development, the framework offers a single-JAR dependency model that encapsulates class loading, resource handling, and lifecycle delegation transparently. It supports three integration modes that define the degree of code dependency between a plugin and its host, ranging from no access to full access. Plugins can also be run in their own dedicated Linux process for memory and resource isolation, and the same APK can run as a standalone app when installed to simplify debugging and testing.
Features
- Android Plugin Frameworks - Loads and runs uninstalled APK files as plugins within a host Android application without requiring installation.
- Android Plugin JAR Bundles - Bundle all dynamic-loading logic into one library JAR so plugin developers can build without understanding the framework internals.
- Process-Isolated Plugins - Runs plugin APKs in their own Linux process to sandbox memory, threads, and system resources.
- Classloader Isolation - Isolates plugin classes in a dedicated DexClassLoader to prevent conflicts with the host class hierarchy.
- Android Native Library Extractions - Extracts native .so libraries from plugin APKs into a private directory for native code execution.
- Android Activity Proxy Delegations - Routes all plugin Activity lifecycle calls through a host proxy that delegates to the plugin's real Activity class.
- Plugin APK Builders - Load and run an Android APK as a plugin without requiring installation on the device.
- Uninstalled APK Launchers - Load and run an APK as a plugin from the host app without requiring installation.
- Uninstalled APK Loaders - Load and run a plugin APK from storage without requiring the user to install it through the system package manager.
- Runtime - Loads an Android APK at runtime and launches its activities without requiring device installation.
- Android Native Library Loaders - Loads native .so libraries bundled inside a plugin APK for native code execution in an uninstalled plugin.
- Host Code Invocation Modes - Provide three integration modes for a plugin to invoke the host application's code.
- Host Interface Exposure Levels - Expose host interfaces to plugins at three levels depending on whether the plugin developer has the host source code.
- Host Method Invocation Modes - Invoke host-provided methods from a plugin through one of three modes: none, partial, or full access.
- Plugin Activity Lifecycle Delegations - Delegates Android activity lifecycle callbacks from a host proxy to a plugin activity so it behaves like a real Activity.
- Resource Loading Plugins - Load a plugin's assets and resources into a custom Resources object so the standard R syntax works inside the plugin.
- Host API Invocation Modes - Expose host interfaces to a plugin, supporting no-call, partial-call, and full-call modes depending on code access.
- Android Resource Merging - Merges plugin resources into a custom AssetManager so R.id references work without installation.
- Android Resource Accessors - Accesses plugin resources using standard Android R identifiers from an uninstalled APK without requiring installation.
- Runtime Broadcast Receiver Registrations - Registers broadcast receivers dynamically from within a plugin APK without requiring a manifest entry.
- Dynamic Broadcast Receiver Registrations - Registers broadcast receivers at runtime from within a plugin APK without requiring a manifest entry.
- Dual-Mode Plugin Executions - Run the same APK as a standalone app when installed to simplify debugging and testing.
- Host Dependency Levels - Integrates a plugin with three levels of dependency on the host codebase: none, partial, or full.
