Automatic Code Signing for Secured Android Apps on Appdome

Google requires Android Mobile apps to be signed before they can be installed on a mobile device. A valid signature ensures the integrity of an app and stands as proof that the app has not been tampered with. This Knowledge Base explains how to sign secured Android Apps without Android Studio.

Why Sign Secured Android Apps Without Android Studio on Appdome

Appdome’s no-code mobile app security platform offers mobile developers, DevSec, and security professionals a convenient and reliable way to protect Android and iOS apps. When a user clicks “Build My App,” Appdome leverages a microservice architecture filled with 1000s of security plugins and an adaptive code generation engine that matches the correct required plugins to the development environment, frameworks, and methods in each app.

As an Appdome user, you can sign any built app either by using Appdome’s built-in signing capabilities or using your own mechanism outside of Appdome. It’s your choice. If you wish to deploy apps from Appdome, the process is quick and easy for any Android app, including Native Android, hybrid apps, and non-native apps built in Maui, Xamarin, Cordova, React Native, Ionic, and more. Deploying apps from Appdome will leverage unique capabilities such as automatic deployment of built apps to the Google Play Store and Leading EMM Stores.

Prerequisites for Signing Secured Android Apps Without Android Studio

In order to sign your Android app, you’ll need a valid signing certificate stored in the Android development environment.  To use your certificate, you’ll need access to the following.

• Appdome account
• Appdome built mobile app.
• Keystore – This should be the same keystore file used to sign your Android app when distributing it via Google Play.
• Keystore Password – The password used to unlock your keystore.
• Key Alias – The name you assigned to your keystore.
• Key Password – This is the specific password defined for your signing key.

For more information and a detailed manual on how to create Signing Credentials, please read this knowledge base article.

Easy Steps to Sign Secured Android Apps Without Android Studio

Please follow these step-by-step instructions on how to sign Android apps without Android Studio.

Navigate to the Sign tab of the Appdome workflow and follow these steps:

1. Select “On Appdome” as the signing method.
2. Enable “Use Google Play App signing” if your app uses “App signing by Google Play”.
   For more information on how to sign or privately sign an app for Google Play App Signing, please read How to Code Sign Secured Android App with SHA Fingerprint Google Cert in DevSecOps Build System
3. Upload the Keystore File
4. Enter the Keystore Password
5. Name the Key Alias
6. Enter the Key Password
7. Wait for Appdome to verify the signing parameters.
8. Click Sign My App.

Optional: Save or Remove Signing Credentials
Appdome allows saving signing credentials to streamline future signing processes.
Additionally, if the signing credentials are no longer needed or need to be updated, they can be removed directly from the Sign Tab by clicking the Remove Signing Credentials button.

When you click Sign My App, Appdome analyzes the fused app’s components and calculates a checksum that represents the exact state of each component within the app. Embedding the checksum combined with your signing credentials into the app’s components will ensure that the app can’t be modified or tampered with once the signing is complete.

To learn more about Appdome’s Checksum Validation, see our Running a Checksum Validation of Android & iOS Apps knowledge base article. 

Congratulations!

You’ve now signed your Appdome Fused app, and it’s ready to deploy.

After Securing Android Apps Without Android Studio on Appdome

Deploy the Appdome Built App to a Mobile Device

Once you have signed your Appdome Built app, you can download it and deploy it using your distribution method of choice. For more information on deploying your Appdome-Fused apps, see our How to Auto Publish Secured Android & iOS Apps to App Store Knowledge Base article.

How Do I Learn More?

If you have any questions, please send them our way at support.appdome.com or via the chat window on the Appdome platform.

Related Articles:

• How to Auto Publish Secured Android & iOS Apps to app stores
• Running a Checksum Validation of Android & iOS Apps
• How to Prevent Code Tampering in Android & iOS Apps

Thank you!

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