Assets in assets/ directory for Android library (aar)

Question

Based on Android Library Considerations:

Library modules cannot include raw assets

I created a sample android library module with assets in there (not in app module), then generated the aar file. I analyzed the resulting aar file, and voila, the assets/ folder is still there with all the files intact.

So, is it allowed or not allowed?

`Can I confidently distribute my aar file to my clients?` Are you distributing the `aar` file *separately*, or **always** bundled with the app (merged `res` and `assets`)? — Jon Goodwin, May 07 '18 at 08:03
i want to distribute it to my clients, so my clients can use my aar file in their own app. — user1506104, May 07 '18 at 08:05
have you obfuscated? Please do verify, as in reverse engineering of apk anyone can see files inside assets. — Jitesh Mohite, May 07 '18 at 08:05
obfuscation is my next step. as of now, i want to get an answer to the question i posted. — user1506104, May 07 '18 at 08:08

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered May 07 '18 at 10:35

I think that some of the Development considerations are outdated. For example they also says that <uses-library> elements must be declared in both the library and the application (this is now handled by the manifest merger).

By the way a few lines below, Anatomy of an AAR file shows that an AAR file may include an /assets/ directory

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 16 '18 at 17:33

I raised this document problem in Android Library Considerations: with Google on May 7, 2018 issuetracker 79311037.

It is being dealt with, here's the latest comment (Jul 14, 2018):

As well as being wrong, the documentation also contradicts itself, as the "Anatomy of an AAR file" section at the bottom does include an assets directory.

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered May 11 '18 at 13:30

3

Folder assets/ is not allowed in android library. you can access it from res/raw with following code.

context.getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.file_name);

answered May 11 '18 at 13:30

Brijesh Gupta

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score 2 · Answer 4 · answered May 11 '18 at 06:28

Here are some interesting posts on the subject:

how to reference an asset in a library project

Android Library assets folder doesn't get copied

All it says is that: Library modules cannot include raw assets it does not say Library modules should not include raw assets . Maybe in the past it was not supported. Now as the above posts and their answers indicate it is supported.

Assets in assets/ directory for Android library (aar)

4 Answers4