elizaOS Android build targets

The build orchestrator at packages/app-core/scripts/run-mobile-build.mjs ships three Android targets. They are deliberately separate because their manifests, embedded native artifacts, and signing models differ in ways that make a single APK unviable.

build:android:cloud — Play-Store thin client

bun run build:android:cloud

A Play-Store-compliant Capacitor APK backed by Eliza Cloud as the only hosting target. Produces a release AAB at packages/app-core/platforms/android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/. For local Pixel smoke tests, android-cloud-debug produces a debug APK under packages/app-core/platforms/android/app/build/outputs/apk/debug/.

What this target deliberately does not ship:

• No on-device agent runtime — assets/agent/ is not staged, and no libeliza_*.so is copied into jniLibs/.
• No ElizaAgentService declaration.
• No default-role activities (ElizaDialActivity, ElizaSmsReceiver, ElizaBrowserActivity, ElizaContactsActivity, ElizaCameraActivity, ElizaCalendarActivity, ElizaClockActivity, ElizaAssistActivity, ElizaInCallService, ElizaMmsReceiver, ElizaRespondViaMessageService, ElizaSmsComposeActivity).
• No ElizaBootReceiver.
• No screen-capture native plugin or MediaProjection foreground-service declaration.
• No system-only or Play-Store-restricted permissions: MANAGE_APP_OPS_MODES, PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS, BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN, READ_FRAME_BUFFER, INJECT_EVENTS, REAL_GET_TASKS, READ_SMS / SEND_SMS / RECEIVE_SMS / RECEIVE_MMS / RECEIVE_WAP_PUSH, CALL_PHONE / READ_PHONE_STATE / ANSWER_PHONE_CALLS / MANAGE_OWN_CALLS / READ_CALL_LOG / WRITE_CALL_LOG, READ_CONTACTS / WRITE_CONTACTS, ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION, RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED, REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS, SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW, FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MEDIA_PROJECTION, FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE.

What this target still ships for Pixel/Google Android entry points:

• res/xml/shortcuts.xml registered from MainActivity with android.app.shortcuts.
• App Actions capabilities for the supported BIIs OPEN_APP_FEATURE, CREATE_MESSAGE, and GET_THING. These cover chat/ask, voice, LifeOps daily brief, LifeOps task creation, and LifeOps task lists by opening source-tagged deep links in the app.
• OPEN_APP_FEATURE uses inline inventory for known features and keeps a no-parameter fallback fulfillment, as required by the App Actions shortcuts.xml schema.
• Static launcher/Assistant shortcuts for chat, voice, daily brief, new task, and tasks.

Entry-point mapping:

There is no general third-party "be Gemini/default assistant" API for the Play build. Current Android docs route normal app voice entry through App Actions capabilities in shortcuts.xml and Android shortcuts; custom Gemini/Assistant intent formats documented for navigation apps are navigation-specific, not a general assistant surface for this app.

The Play build intentionally does not request default-assistant or system-only powers. It has no ACTION_ASSIST, VOICE_COMMAND, ROLE_ASSISTANT, BIND_VOICE_INTERACTION, usage-stats appop, SMS/call default-role components, boot receiver, MediaProjection foreground service, or special-use foreground service. Gemini/Assistant interoperability for this target is through Google App Actions and Android shortcuts, not by trying to become the device's default assistant. Do not add unsupported BIIs such as actions.intent.CREATE_THING; task creation is modeled as opening the LifeOps task feature.

Build-time flag set: VITE_ELIZA_ANDROID_RUNTIME_MODE=cloud. The renderer reads this via packages/ui/src/platform/android-runtime.ts and the RuntimeSettingsSection hides the Local picker option so users cannot try to provision an on-device agent that physically isn't there.

build:android — sideload-only debug

bun run build:android

WARNING — this target embeds the Bun-based on-device agent runtime as libeliza_bun.so (≈95–96 MB per ABI) inside jniLibs/, declares FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE local-agent-runtime, and requests system-only permissions (MANAGE_APP_OPS_MODES, PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS, BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN). It will be rejected by the Play Store. Use only for sideload installs and developer iteration, or migrate to build:android:cloud for distribution.

What it does ship: full default-role activities, BootReceiver, the on-device agent staged via stage-android-agent.mjs, the AOSP-aimed permission set, and the same App Actions/static shortcuts metadata used by the Play build. ElizaAssistActivity handles android.intent.action.ASSIST for sideload/AOSP assistant-role testing; the Play build strips that activity.

build:android:system — AOSP privileged platform-signed APK

bun run build:android:system

Release APK signed by Soong's platform key for Eliza OS / ElizaOS device builds. The privileged MANAGE_APP_OPS_MODES, PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS, READ_FRAME_BUFFER, INJECT_EVENTS, and REAL_GET_TASKS permissions are granted via the privapp-permissions-ai.elizaos.app.xml whitelist baked into the vendor tree, so this APK is intended for priv-app/ placement on Eliza-flavored AOSP devices, not for Play Store distribution.

The matching system image also copies /product/etc/eliza/aosp-assistant-full-control.json, which records the AOSP-only assistant/full-control contract: ROLE_ASSISTANT, ACTION_ASSIST, VOICE_COMMAND, boot/direct-boot, foreground services, usage stats, MediaProjection/SurfaceControl screen capture, Accessibility input control, and the AOSP-only accessibility and notification-listener service declarations.

The release APK is staged at <repoRoot>/packages/os/android/vendor/eliza/apps/Eliza/Eliza.apk (or the brand-aware vendor dir resolved from app.config.ts > aosp:).