How to decompile Google Android .apk file as readable dump【原创】

Background ：google android SDK platform provide emulator & ADB utility tools,it's very useful to

decompile the apk file to dump byte readable file.

 

Summary:

if you are ready for it, the sequences as following,

 

   - create/launch emulator from command line

   - launch the ADB utility tool from command line

   - install apk file from local directory from command line

   - list all system application apk file from command line

   - dexdump selected .dex file from emulator

   - pull dump file to local directory

 

Detail Section:

   

    step 1: create your own emulator if you still not create one and then launch the emulator

                launch the windows command line console, then chnage root directory to your android

                SDK Platform/tools directory, for me

                C:/>cd /d D:/android-sdk-windows/tools

                D:/android-sdk-windows/tools>android create -avd -n my_android1.5 -t 2

                D:/android-sdk-windows/tools>emulator -avd  my_android1.5

    step 2: after emulator launched, go to windowns console to start ADB Shell utility tool

                make sure your emulator is running before you start ADB. if it's successful

              D:/android-sdk-windows/tools>adb shell
                # cd /system/app
                cd /system/app
                # ls
                ls
                Mms.apk
                ApplicationsProvider.apk
                GlobalSearch.apk
                Calculator.apk
                SpareParts.apk
                GestureBuilder.apk
                Music.apk
                SdkSetup.apk
                PackageInstaller.apk
                Fallback.apk
                SettingsProvider.apk
                DrmProvider.apk
                Development.apk
                TelephonyProvider.apk
                PinyinIME.apk
                HTMLViewer.apk
                Settings.apk
                NetSpeed.apk

               if you want to see how many user applications have been installed on your emulator, just

               cd /data/app,and then ls

 

                step 3: install your apk file using adb shell commands, if you still not install your application

                on emulator

                D:/android-sdk-windows/tools>adb install D:/android-sdk-windows/tools/a.apk

                after install successfully, you will see your apk file using above command line

 

               step 4: get the cached dex file from your emulator, we have to enter dalvik VM cache using command

               # cd /data/dalvik-cache

               # ls                              

               ..........                          

               data@app@a.apk@classes.dex

 

               step 5: use dexdump file to generate the dump file then use pull command to copy to local directory

               #dexdump -d -f -h data@app@a.apk@classes.dex >> a.apk.dump

finally you will get a bit-readable dump file, based on dalvik class format knowledge, the more you dig

the more you get. normally *.apk file is a .zip file, could be open by any winzip tool.

Reference: SDK platform documentation