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Android USB Deploy

android-deploy-usb

Build and deploy Android app to connected device via USB. Fast deployment (~2-5 seconds) using Gradle and ADB. Use when deploying, installing, or building Android apps to physical devices.

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SKILL.md

Full skill instructions

Android USB Deploy

Overview

Builds an Android app using Gradle and installs it directly to a USB-connected Android device via ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This is the fastest way to test on real hardware during development.

When to Use

Invoke this skill when the user:

  • Asks to "deploy to Android"
  • Wants to "install the app on device"
  • Says "build and deploy Android"
  • Mentions testing on physical Android device
  • Wants to "push to device"

Prerequisites

  • Android device connected via USB
  • USB Debugging enabled (Settings → System → Developer options → USB debugging)
  • Developer Mode enabled (Settings → About Phone → tap Build number 7 times)
  • ADB installed (brew install android-platform-tools on macOS)
  • Device authorized for debugging (RSA key accepted)
  • JAVA_HOME must be set: export JAVA_HOME="/​opt/​homebrew/​opt/​openjdk"

Instructions

  1. Navigate to the Android app directory (look for build.gradle.kts):

    cd path/​to/​android/​app

  2. Set JAVA_HOME environment variable:

    export JAVA_HOME="/​opt/​homebrew/​opt/​openjdk"

  3. Run the install-device.sh script:

    ./​install-device.sh

  4. The script will:

    • Check if device is connected via adb devices
    • Build the APK with ./​gradlew assembleDebug
    • Install with adb install -r app/​build/​outputs/​apk/​debug/​app-debug.apk
    • Launch the app with adb shell am start

  5. Inform the user:

    • Initial build may take longer (~10-30 seconds)
    • Subsequent builds are faster (~2-5 seconds)
    • App will launch automatically on device
    • Check device screen to see the app running

Expected Output

📱 Installing NoobTest to connected device...
✅ Found device: ABC123XYZ
🔨 Building...
✅ Build complete
📲 Installing...
✅ Installation complete
🚀 Launching app...
🎉 App installed and launched!

How It Works

The deployment process:

  1. Check device: adb devices confirms connection
  2. Build APK: ./​gradlew assembleDebug compiles the app
  3. Install: adb install -r (replace existing installation)
  4. Launch: adb shell am start -n com.miso.noobtest/​.MainActivity

Common Issues

"no devices found":

  • Enable USB debugging in Developer Options
  • Accept RSA authorization prompt on device
  • Try: adb kill-server && adb start-server
  • Check USB cable supports data (not just charging)

"Unable to locate a Java Runtime":

  • Set JAVA_HOME: export JAVA_HOME="/​opt/​homebrew/​opt/​openjdk"
  • Verify: echo $JAVA_HOME
  • Install OpenJDK if missing: brew install openjdk

"INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE":

  • App signatures don't match existing installation
  • Uninstall first: adb uninstall com.miso.noobtest
  • Try installation again

"device unauthorized":

  • Check device screen for RSA key authorization prompt
  • Accept the authorization
  • Replug device and try again

"adb: command not found":

  • Install Android platform tools: brew install android-platform-tools

Build Speed

  • First build: ~10-30 seconds (downloads dependencies)
  • Incremental builds: ~2-5 seconds
  • Much faster than iOS due to Gradle's incremental compilation

Package Name

The script is configured for the specific app's package name (e.g., com.miso.noobtest for Firefly/​NoobTest). Different apps have different package names configured in build.gradle.kts.

Gradle Note

Always set JAVA_HOME before running Gradle commands. This is a critical requirement on macOS with Homebrew-installed Java.