QtDroidBuilder

A simple Bash script to build Qt/QML-based Android applications with WebView support, packaged as signed APKs using Docker. Create your own Android app with a custom URL and icon in just a few steps!

Features

• Builds Android APKs for ARMv7 and ARM64 architectures.
• Uses Qt 6.3.2 and WebView to display any URL as an app.
• Supports custom app icons via a single app.png file.
• Automated Docker-based build process for consistency.
• Generates signed APKs ready for installation on Android devices.

Prerequisites

Before you start, ensure you have the following installed:

• Docker: For building the project in a containerized environment.
  • Install on Ubuntu: sudo apt install docker.io
• ADB (Android Debug Bridge): For installing the APK on an Android device.
  • Install on Ubuntu: sudo apt install android-tools-adb
• Java Development Kit (JDK): Required for keystore generation (e.g., OpenJDK 11).
  • Install on Ubuntu: sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk
• An optional app.png file (e.g., 512x512 PNG) for the app icon.

Usage

Follow these steps to build your Qt-based Android WebView application:

1. Clone the repository: Clone the repository from GitHub and navigate to the project directory:

   git clone https://github.com/username/QtDroidBuilder.git
   cd QtDroidBuilder

2. Prepare the templates: Ensure the templates directory contains all required files (CMakeLists.txt, main.cpp, main.qml, AndroidManifest.xml, android-libwebviewapp.so-deployment-settings.json, Dockerfile, and build.sh). These files are provided in the repository. If they are missing, refer to the project documentation to create them.

3. (Optional) Add a custom icon: Place your custom icon as app.png in the project root directory (e.g., QtDroidBuilder/). This icon will be used for the Android app across various screen densities. Recommended size is 512x512 pixels, but Android will scale it automatically.

4. Run the script: Execute the main build script with a URL and an app name. The URL will be loaded in the WebView, and the app name will be used as the application label:

chmod +x build-qt-android.sh
./build-qt-android.sh <url> <app_name>

5. Wait for the Docker build to complete. The signed APKs will be in the current directory:

• MyWebApp-armv7-signed.apk

• MyWebApp-arm64-signed.apk

Install the APK on your Android device:

adb install MyWebApp-arm64-signed.apk

Project Structure

QtDroidBuilder/
├── build-qt-android.sh          # Main script to orchestrate the build
├── templates/                   # Template files for the Qt project
│   ├── CMakeLists.txt           # CMake configuration
│   ├── main.cpp                 # Main C++ entry point
│   ├── main.qml                 # QML UI with WebView
│   ├── AndroidManifest.xml      # Android manifest
│   ├── android-libwebviewapp.so-deployment-settings.json  # Deployment settings
│   ├── Dockerfile               # Docker configuration
│   └── build.sh                 # Build script inside Docker
└── README.md                    # This file

Troubleshooting

Docker build fails: Check build.log for errors:

cat build.log

Icon not applied: Ensure app.png is a valid PNG file in the root directory. APK installation fails: Verify your device is connected (adb devices) and use the correct architecture (e.g., ARM64 for modern devices).

Contributing

Feel free to fork this project, submit issues, or send pull requests! Suggestions for improvements are always welcome.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

Built with Qt for cross-platform development. Powered by Docker for reproducible builds. Inspired by the need for a simple Android WebView app generator.