python-for-android (p4a) is a development tool that packages Python apps into binaries that can run on Android devices.
It can generate:
- Android Package (APK) files, ready to install locally on a device, especially for testing. This format is used by many app stores but not Google Play Store.
- Android App Bundle (AAB) files which can be shared on Google Play Store.
- Android Archive (AAR) files which can be used as a re-usable bundle of resources for other projects.
It supports multiple CPU architectures.
It supports apps developed with Kivy framework, but was built to be flexible about the backend libraries (through "bootstraps"), and also supports PySDL2, and a WebView with a Python web server.
It automatically supports dependencies on most pure Python packages. For other packages, including those that depend on C code, a special "recipe" must be written to support cross-compiling. python-for-android comes with recipes for many of the mosty popular libraries (e.g. numpy and sqlalchemy) built in.
python-for-android works by cross-compiling the Python interpreter and its dependencies for Android devices, and bundling it with the app's python code and dependencies. The Python code is then interpreted on the Android device.
It is recommended that python-for-android be used via Buildozer, which ensures the correct dependencies are pre-installed, and centralizes the configuration. However, python-for-android is not limited to being used with Buildozer.
More information is available in the online documentation including a quickstart guide.
python-for-android is managed by the Kivy team.
Are you having trouble using python-for-android or any of its related projects in the Kivy ecosystem? Is there an error you don’t understand? Are you trying to figure out how to use it? We have volunteers who can help!
The best channels to contact us for support are listed in the latest Contact Us document.
In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming community, we as contributors and maintainers need to ensure participation in our project and our sister projects is a harassment-free and positive experience for everyone. It is vital that all interaction is conducted in a manner conveying respect, open-mindedness and gratitude.
Please consult the latest Code of Conduct.
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