What is AAB? Why is Google Play Store moving to AAB, how different is it from APK? Read

Google is bringing a big change to how applications will be published on its Android app store. From August 2021, new applications being published on platform will be in AAB format, which stands for Android App Bundles. Google's plans to implement Android App Bundle date back to 2018, when Alphabet-owned company first talked about m. For questions like what is AAB, and why Google Play Store is moving towards AAB, find answers below. 

What is AAB?

Google is doing away with APK files, with a plan to grually switch from APK to AAB. But what is AAB? As mentioned earlier, AAB stands for Android App bundle. According to Android Developer's guide, an Android App Bundle is a publishing format that includes all resources and compiled code for an application, and defers APK generation and signing to Google Play. AAB formats allow custom downlos for devices that request an application. More about why Google Play Store is moving to AAB in next section.  

Using Android App Bundles, Google Play will be able to optimize APK distribution for specific device configuration and langu. In or words, when a user will on 'Install' button on Google Play Store, file downloed will be tailor-me for his or her device. For instance, if users have selected English as a langu on ir device, y do t require langu pack for German or French and hence y would t be downloed. Similarly, if a device requesting an application does t support 4K resolution, APK received by device will t have 4K resource pack.

Why google play store is moving to AAB?

Google is switching to AAB as it allows platform to deliver customized solutions to users, based upon device configurations and langus. removal of unnecessary resource packs from a universal APK will reduce downlo size by up to 15%, saving Google a lot of bandwidth. Subsequently, files that are smaller in size will take less time to downlo and hence reducing chances of users cancelling downlo request. More about how to convert AAB to APK in next section.

AAB will also provide Google with more control over app distribution services, as any third party store will have to set up an AAB to APK converter over cloud in order to provide applications available on Google Play Store, while Google does it with help of its own tool called 'bundletool'. Ar question that might arise at this point: "is AAB better than APK?" Essentially, AAB enables app distribution platforms like Google Play Store to provide custom applications to Android, which do t contain codes and resource files that are t required. 

How to convert AAB to APK?

Once developers start uploing AAB files to Google Play Store, Google will make use of its 'bundletool' to convert those files to APK format and send it to devices. se APKs will t contain all files that might be present in a universal APK but have files that are necessary to run an application on a specific device. It is also available as a command-line tool for developers so that y can create a server compatible build of ir application's APK.