Android Signing Certificates

To build signed Android apps in Capawesome Cloud, you need to configure signing certificates. Android apps are signed using a Java Keystore (JKS) file containing your signing key. This certificate ensures the authenticity and integrity of your application.

Configuration

To create an Android signing certificate, navigate to the Signing Certificates page in the Capawesome Cloud Console and provide the following information:

• Name: A descriptive name for the certificate (e.g., "Production Android Key").
• Platform: Must be set to Android.
• Type: The certificate type (Development or Production).
• Keystore File: The Java Keystore (JKS) file containing the signing key. Must have a .jks or .keystore extension.
• Keystore Password: The password for the keystore file.
• Key Alias: The alias of the key within the keystore.
• Key Password: The password for the key alias.

Read on for detailed instructions on creating and obtaining these credentials.

Obtaining Credentials

Name

Choose a descriptive name that helps you identify the certificate's purpose (e.g., "Production Android Key", "Development Key", "Release Certificate"). This name is only used within Capawesome Cloud for organization purposes.

Type

Select the appropriate certificate type:

• Development: For development and testing builds that are not distributed publicly.
• Production: For release builds that will be distributed through Google Play Store or other channels.

Keystore File

A keystore file is required to sign your Android app. You can create a keystore using Android Studio or the keytool command-line utility.

Create in Android Studio

1. Open Android Studio and create a new project or open an existing one.
2. Click on Build in the top menu, then select Generate Signed Bundle / APK.
3. Choose either Android App Bundle or APK and click Next.
4. Click on Create new... to generate a new keystore.
5. Fill in the required fields:
6. Key store path: Choose a location to save your keystore file (e.g., my-release-key.jks).
7. Password: Set a strong password for the keystore.
8. Alias: Choose an alias for your key (e.g., my-key-alias).
9. Password: Set a password for the key (can be the same as the keystore password).
10. Validity (years): Set the validity period for the key (e.g., 25 years).
11. Certificate: Fill in your first and last name, organizational unit, organization, city or locality, state or province, and country code (XX).
12. Click OK to create the keystore.
13. Complete the signing process by following the prompts to generate the signed bundle or APK.

The keystore file will be saved to the location you specified.

Create using keytool

Alternatively, you can create a keystore using the keytool command-line utility that comes with the Java Development Kit (JDK):

keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias my-key-alias

You will be prompted to:

1. Enter a password for the keystore
2. Re-enter the password to confirm
3. Enter your name and organizational information
4. Enter a password for the key (press Enter to use the same password as the keystore)

The keystore file my-release-key.jks will be created in your current directory.

Keep your keystore secure

Store your keystore file in a secure location and never commit it to version control. If you lose your keystore or forget the passwords, you will not be able to update your app on Google Play Store.

Keystore Password

This is the password you set when creating the keystore. It protects access to the keystore file itself.

Key Alias

The key alias is the name you assigned to the signing key within the keystore. If you created the keystore using Android Studio, this is the value you entered in the Alias field. If you used keytool, this is the value specified with the -alias parameter.

Key Password

This is the password for the specific key identified by the key alias. It may be the same as the keystore password or different, depending on how you created the keystore.