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apps/android/README.md

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OpenClaw Android App

Status: extremely alpha. The app is actively being rebuilt from the ground up.

Rebuild Checklist

  • New 4-step onboarding flow
  • Connect tab with Setup Code + Manual modes
  • Encrypted persistence for gateway setup/auth state
  • Chat UI restyled
  • Settings UI restyled and de-duplicated (gateway controls moved to Connect)
  • QR code scanning in onboarding
  • Performance improvements
  • Streaming support in chat UI
  • Request camera/location and other permissions in onboarding/settings flow
  • Push notifications for gateway/chat status updates
  • Security hardening (biometric lock, token handling, safer defaults)
  • Authenticated background presence beacons
  • Voice tab full functionality
  • Screen tab full functionality
  • Full end-to-end QA and release hardening

Open in Android Studio

  • Open the folder apps/android.

Build / Run

bash
cd apps/android
./gradlew :app:assemblePlayDebug
./gradlew :app:installPlayDebug
./gradlew :app:testPlayDebugUnitTest
cd ../..
bun run android:bundle:release

Third-party debug flavor:

bash
cd apps/android
./gradlew :app:assembleThirdPartyDebug
./gradlew :app:installThirdPartyDebug
./gradlew :app:testThirdPartyDebugUnitTest

bun run android:bundle:release auto-bumps Android versionName/versionCode in apps/android/app/build.gradle.kts, then builds two signed release bundles:

  • Play build: apps/android/build/release-bundles/openclaw-<version>-play-release.aab
  • Third-party build: apps/android/build/release-bundles/openclaw-<version>-third-party-release.aab

Flavor-specific direct Gradle tasks:

bash
cd apps/android
./gradlew :app:bundlePlayRelease
./gradlew :app:bundleThirdPartyRelease

Kotlin Lint + Format

bash
pnpm android:lint
pnpm android:format

Android framework/resource lint (separate pass):

bash
pnpm android:lint:android

Direct Gradle tasks:

bash
cd apps/android
./gradlew :app:ktlintCheck :benchmark:ktlintCheck
./gradlew :app:ktlintFormat :benchmark:ktlintFormat
./gradlew :app:lintDebug

gradlew auto-detects the Android SDK at ~/Library/Android/sdk (macOS default) if ANDROID_SDK_ROOT / ANDROID_HOME are unset.

Macrobenchmark (Startup + Frame Timing)

bash
cd apps/android
./gradlew :benchmark:connectedDebugAndroidTest

Reports are written under:

  • apps/android/benchmark/build/reports/androidTests/connected/

Perf CLI (low-noise)

Deterministic startup measurement + hotspot extraction with compact CLI output:

bash
cd apps/android
./scripts/perf-startup-benchmark.sh
./scripts/perf-startup-hotspots.sh

Benchmark script behavior:

  • Runs only StartupMacrobenchmark#coldStartup (10 iterations).
  • Prints median/min/max/COV in one line.
  • Writes timestamped snapshot JSON to apps/android/benchmark/results/.
  • Auto-compares with previous local snapshot (or pass explicit baseline: --baseline <old-benchmarkData.json>).

Hotspot script behavior:

  • Ensures debug app installed, captures startup simpleperf data for .MainActivity.
  • Prints top DSOs, top symbols, and key app-path clues (Compose/MainActivity/WebView).
  • Writes raw perf.data path for deeper follow-up if needed.

Run on a Real Android Phone (USB)

  1. On phone, enable Developer options + USB debugging.
  2. Connect by USB and accept the debugging trust prompt on phone.
  3. Verify ADB can see the device:
bash
adb devices -l
  1. Install + launch debug build:
bash
pnpm android:install
pnpm android:run

If adb devices -l shows unauthorized, re-plug and accept the trust prompt again.

USB-only gateway testing (no LAN dependency)

Use adb reverse so Android localhost:18789 tunnels to your laptop localhost:18789.

Terminal A (gateway):

bash
pnpm openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose

Terminal B (USB tunnel):

bash
adb reverse tcp:18789 tcp:18789

Then in app Connect → Manual:

  • Host: 127.0.0.1
  • Port: 18789
  • TLS: off

Hot Reload / Fast Iteration

This app is native Kotlin + Jetpack Compose.

  • For Compose UI edits: use Android Studio Live Edit on a debug build (works on physical devices; project minSdk=31 already meets API requirement).
  • For many non-structural code/resource changes: use Android Studio Apply Changes.
  • For structural/native/manifest/Gradle changes: do full reinstall (pnpm android:run).
  • Canvas web content already supports live reload when loaded from Gateway __openclaw__/canvas/ (see docs/platforms/android.md).

Connect / Pair

  1. Start the gateway (on your main machine):
bash
pnpm openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose
  1. In the Android app:
  • Open the Connect tab.
  • Use Setup Code or Manual mode to connect.
  1. Approve pairing (on the gateway machine):
bash
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve <requestId>

More details: docs/platforms/android.md.

Permissions

  • Discovery:
    • Android 13+ (API 33+): NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES
    • Android 12 and below: ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION (required for NSD scanning)
  • Foreground service notification (Android 13+): POST_NOTIFICATIONS
  • Camera:
    • CAMERA for camera.snap and camera.clip
    • RECORD_AUDIO for camera.clip when includeAudio=true

Google Play Restricted Permissions

As of March 19, 2026, these manifest permissions are the main Google Play policy risk for this app:

  • READ_SMS
  • SEND_SMS
  • READ_CALL_LOG

Why these matter:

  • Google Play treats SMS and Call Log access as highly restricted. In most cases, Play only allows them for the default SMS app, default Phone app, default Assistant, or a narrow policy exception.
  • Review usually involves a Permissions Declaration Form, policy justification, and demo video evidence in Play Console.
  • If we want a Play-safe build, these should be the first permissions removed behind a dedicated product flavor / variant.

Current OpenClaw Android implication:

  • APK / sideload build can keep SMS and Call Log features.
  • Google Play build should exclude SMS send/search and Call Log search unless the product is intentionally positioned and approved as a default-handler exception case.
  • The repo now ships this split as Android product flavors:
    • play: removes READ_SMS, SEND_SMS, and READ_CALL_LOG, and hides SMS / Call Log surfaces in onboarding, settings, and advertised node capabilities.
    • thirdParty: keeps the full permission set and the existing SMS / Call Log functionality.

Policy links:

Other Play-restricted surfaces to watch if added later:

  • ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION
  • MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
  • QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES
  • REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES
  • AccessibilityService

Reference links:

Integration Capability Test (Preconditioned)

This suite assumes setup is already done manually. It does not install/run/pair automatically.

Pre-req checklist:

  1. Gateway is running and reachable from the Android app.
  2. Android app is connected to that gateway and openclaw nodes status shows it as paired + connected.
  3. App stays unlocked and in foreground for the whole run.
  4. Open the app Screen tab and keep it active during the run (canvas/A2UI commands require the canvas WebView attached there).
  5. Grant runtime permissions for capabilities you expect to pass (camera/mic/location/notification listener/location, etc.).
  6. No interactive system dialogs should be pending before test start.
  7. Canvas host is enabled and reachable from the device (do not run gateway with OPENCLAW_SKIP_CANVAS_HOST=1; startup logs should include canvas host mounted at .../__openclaw__/).
  8. Local operator test client pairing is approved. If first run fails with pairing required, approve latest pending device pairing request, then rerun:
  9. For A2UI checks, keep the app on Screen tab; the node now auto-refreshes canvas capability once on first A2UI reachability failure (TTL-safe retry).
bash
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve --latest

Run:

bash
pnpm android:test:integration

Optional overrides:

  • OPENCLAW_ANDROID_GATEWAY_URL=ws://... (default: from your local OpenClaw config)
  • OPENCLAW_ANDROID_GATEWAY_TOKEN=...
  • OPENCLAW_ANDROID_GATEWAY_PASSWORD=...
  • OPENCLAW_ANDROID_NODE_ID=... or OPENCLAW_ANDROID_NODE_NAME=...

What it does:

  • Reads node.describe command list from the selected Android node.
  • Invokes advertised non-interactive commands.
  • Skips screen.record in this suite (Android requires interactive per-invocation screen-capture consent).
  • Asserts command contracts (success or expected deterministic error for safe-invalid calls like sms.send and notifications.actions).

Common failure quick-fixes:

  • pairing required before tests start:
    • approve pending device pairing (openclaw devices approve --latest) and rerun.
  • A2UI host not reachable / A2UI_HOST_NOT_CONFIGURED:
    • ensure gateway canvas host is running and reachable, keep the app on the Screen tab. The app will auto-refresh canvas capability once; if it still fails, reconnect app and rerun.
  • NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE: canvas unavailable:
    • app is not effectively ready for canvas commands; keep app foregrounded and Screen tab active.

Contributions

This Android app is currently being rebuilt. Maintainer: @obviyus. For issues/questions/contributions, please open an issue or reach out on Discord.