How to Check the Size of Your Android App in Android Studio?
In the world of mobile application development, understanding the size of your app is a crucial step not only for performance optimization but also for ensuring a smooth user experience and effective distribution through the Google Play Store. This article will guide you through the process of checking the size of your Android app in Android Studio, explaining the nuances of both APK and App Bundle files, their specific use cases, and how they impact the final size of your app once deployed.
Understanding APK and App Bundle
Before delving into how to check the app size, it's important to understand the two main methods of app distribution in the Android ecosystem:
APK (Android Package Kit)
APK is the traditional format for distributing Android apps. When you use APK, the app is built and then the resulting file is uploaded to the Google Play Store. The size of the APK file can vary depending on the inclusion of assets and features in your app.
App Bundle
The App Bundle is a more recent and sophisticated method of deploying Android apps. It is a ZIP file that contains all the resources for your app, but it doesn't include compiled code for each device. Instead, the Play Store processes the bundle on the device, compiling it into a single APK, which is then downloaded. This approach allows for dynamic optimization of the app size for different devices, potentially resulting in smaller app sizes on devices with older or less powerful hardware.
Checking APK Size in Android Studio
To check the size of your APK file in Android Studio, you can use either the built-in Gradle Tasks or the APK Size Analyser plugin.
Using Gradle Tasks
Open your project in Android Studio and navigate to the Build Variants view in the top right corner, either by going to View - Tool Windows - Build Variants. Expand your module and click on Build APK(s) or Build Bundle(s). In the drop-down menu, select the build type and flavor you want to check. By default, the release build type is optimized for production use. Click on the Show in Explorer or Show in Finder button. This will open the directory containing your APK file. The size of the APK file can be seen here.Using APK Size Analyser Plugin
Search for and install the APK Size Analyser plugin from the Marketplace in Android Studio. Once installed, open the window (under the Android tab). Select your APK file and analyze the size.Checking App Bundle Size in Android Studio
For developers using the App Bundle distribution method, checking the size involves a different process due to the dynamic nature of the App Bundle.
Step 1: In your Android Studio project, navigate to the Gradle build file of your module (usually found in the file).
Step 2: Add the following lines to enable App Bundles:
java ```java // Add this configuration android { // ... (existing configurations) bundle { language { enableSplit true } } } // Or for multidex bundles bundle { all { enableSplit true } } // Also, ensure the app is set for release build android { // ... (existing configurations) release { signingConfig } } ```Step 3: Run the task to generate the App Bundle:
Open the Gradle tool window in Android Studio (usually found on the right side of the screen). Expand the Tasks node and then expand the bundle node. Click on the bundleRelease task. Click the Run button or press Shift F10. The App Bundle will be generated in the outputs/bundle/ directory.Step 4: To view the size of the App Bundle:
Locate the generated App Bundle file in the outputs/bundle directory. Right-click on the bundle file and select the option to Show in Explorer or Show in Finder to see the file size.Conclusion
The process of checking the size of your Android app is not as straightforward if you're using APK versus App Bundle, but it is crucial for managing app performance, optimizing user experience, and achieving successful distribution through the Google Play Store. Regardless of the method you choose, understanding the size of your app is a key factor in ensuring it performs well on a wide range of devices.