Generating Signed and Unsigned Android Application Packages

IntelliJ IDEA can extract both signed and unsigned Android application packages (.apk files).

• Extract signed packages to deploy and run them on physical devices. Based on this signature (certificate), the Android system identifies the author of a deployed application. You do not need to apply for a personal signature to any authority, a self-generated signature is quite sufficient. With IntelliJ IDEA, you can extract a signed package in two ways:
  • Use the Extract a Signed Android Application Package Wizard. The package will be signed during extraction.
  • Configure the .apk file as an artifact by creating an artifact definition of the type Android application with the Release signed package mode. When IntelliJ IDEA builds the package in accordance with this definition, the package is signed it automatically.
• Extract unsigned packages to test them on emulators. Unsigned packages can be extracted only through artifact definitions with the Release unsigned package mode specified.
• Extract and sign debug packages. This signature is sufficient for testing and debugging applications but does not allow publishing them. Signing packages in the debug mode is available only through an artifact with the Debug package mode specified.

You can also have the application obfuscated during packaging through integration with the ProGuard built-in tool.