Cross compiling - Building Native Android Apps with Kivy and Buildozer

Building Native Android Apps with Kivy and Buildozer

Kivy is an open-source Python framework for developing multitouch applications. With Buildozer, you can compile your Kivy app into a native Android APK. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x installed
• Basic knowledge of Python programming
• A Linux-based system (Ubuntu recommended) or a virtual machine

Step 1: Install Kivy

First, install Kivy using pip:

pip install kivy

Step 2: Create a Simple Kivy App

Create a file named main.py and add the following code:

from kivy.app import App

from kivy.uix.button import Button

class MyApp(App):

    def build(self):

        return Button(text='Hello, Kivy!')

if __name__ == '__main__':

    MyApp().run()

This creates a simple app with a button that says "Hello, Kivy!".

Step 3: Install Buildozer

Buildozer is a tool that automates the process of packaging Kivy apps for Android. Install it using pip:

pip install buildozer

Step 4: Initialize Buildozer

Navigate to your project directory and run:

buildozer init

This creates a buildozer.spec file, which contains configuration settings for your app.

Step 5: Configure the buildozer.spec File

Open the buildozer.spec file and modify the following fields:

• title: Your app's name.
• package.name: Your app's package name (e.g., com.example.myapp).
• source.include_exts: Add any file extensions your app uses (e.g., py, kv, png).

Step 6: Build the APK

Run the following command to build your APK:

buildozer -v android debug

This process may take a while as Buildozer downloads dependencies and compiles your app.

Step 7: Install the APK on Your Android Device

Once the build is complete, locate the .apk file in the bin directory. Transfer it to your Android device and install it.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully created a native Android app using Kivy and Buildozer! This setup allows you to write Python code and deploy it as a fully functional Android app.