Using fdroidcl (with examples)
Fetch the F-Droid index
fdroidcl update
Motivation: This command is used to fetch the latest F-Droid index, which contains information about all the apps available on F-Droid. The index needs to be updated periodically to ensure that the information about the apps is up to date.
Explanation: The update command is used to fetch the latest F-Droid index. This command connects to F-Droid servers and downloads the latest index file. The index file contains information about the available apps, including their names, descriptions, versions, and download URLs.
Example output:
Updating F-Droid index...
Index updated successfully.
Display info about an app
fdroidcl show app_id
Motivation: This command is useful when you want to know more about a specific app available on F-Droid. By displaying information about an app, you can learn about its description, version, author, and other details before deciding whether to install it.
Explanation: The show command is used to display information about a specific app identified by its app_id. The app_id is a unique identifier assigned to each app in the F-Droid index. By providing the app_id, the command fetches the app’s details from the F-Droid index and displays them on the console.
Example output:
App: Name of the App
Version: 1.0
Description: A brief description of the app.
Author: Name of the author
License: Open Source License
Download an APK file
fdroidcl download app_id
Motivation: This command allows you to download the APK file of a specific app from F-Droid. By downloading the APK, you can manually install the app on your device without relying on the F-Droid client.
Explanation: The download command is used to download the APK file of a specific app identified by its app_id. The app_id is the unique identifier assigned to each app in the F-Droid index. By providing the app_id, the command fetches the download URL for the APK file and initiates the download to your current directory.
Example output:
Downloading APK file...
APK file downloaded successfully: app.apk
Search for an app in the index
fdroidcl search search_pattern
Motivation: This command is useful when you want to search for apps with specific keywords in their names or descriptions. By searching for apps, you can quickly find relevant applications that match your requirements.
Explanation: The search command is used to search for apps in the F-Droid index based on a search_pattern. The search_pattern can be any keyword or phrase that you want to search for in the names or descriptions of the apps. The command retrieves the matching apps from the index and displays them on the console.
Example output:
Search results for "game":
1. App Name: Game 1
Description: A fun game to play.
2. App Name: Game 2
Description: An exciting game with challenging levels.
Install an app on a connected device
fdroidcl install app_id
Motivation: This command is used to install an app on a connected device directly from the command line. By installing apps using fdroidcl, you can automate the installation process or install apps on multiple devices simultaneously.
Explanation: The install command is used to install an app on a connected device. The app_id is the unique identifier assigned to each app in the F-Droid index. By providing the app_id, the command fetches the APK file, transfers it to the connected device, and initiates the installation process.
Example output:
Installing app...
App installed successfully: Name of the App
