How to use the command 'bundletool validate' (with examples)

This article explains how to use the bundletool validate command as part of Android Application Bundle manipulation. The bundletool validate command is used to verify an Android Application Bundle (AAB) and display detailed information about it.

Use case 1: Verify a bundle and display detailed information about it

Code:

bundletool validate --bundle=path/to/bundle.aab

Motivation: The motivation behind using this example is to confirm the integrity of the Android Application Bundle (AAB) file and retrieve important details about its content. Verifying the bundle ensures that it is correctly structured and contains all the necessary files.

Explanation:

• bundletool validate: This is the command to invoke the bundletool with the validate action.
• --bundle=path/to/bundle.aab: This argument specifies the path to the Android Application Bundle (AAB) file to be validated. Replace path/to/bundle.aab with the actual path to the bundle file.

Example output:

Validating Android App Bundle at path/to/bundle.aab...

The Android App Bundle is valid.
---
File                    | Type         | Valid | File size | SHA256
Manifest.xml            | Manifest     |   Yes |     1234 | abcdef
base/armeabi/lib.so      | NativeLibrary |   Yes |     5678 | 123456
base/assets/file.dat     | Asset        |   Yes |     9012 | 789abc
...

Conclusion: The bundletool validate command is a convenient way to verify the integrity of an Android Application Bundle (AAB) file and obtain detailed information about its contents. Using this command helps ensure that the bundle is correctly structured and contains all the necessary files for a successful installation or further processing.