Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
X-Debbugs-Cc: [email protected]
* Package name : android-r8
Version : 9.4.14
Upstream Contact: Name <[email protected]>
* URL : https://r8.googlesource.com/r8
* License : Apache License v2
Programming Lang: Java
Description : r8 is a tool of the android toolchain for
converting and optimizing class files to dex
R8 usage is described at
https://r8.googlesource.com/r8/
Debian currently packages both DX and it's successor D8 for transforming
.class files to .dex files, necessary for creating android packages
(apk, aab, aar).
R8 comes from the same source of D8 (https://r8.googlesource.com/r8),
and contrary to D8 and R8, it can create much smaller .dex files, it is
also a successor for proguard for android projects.
There are no other .dex optimizer (at least packaged for Debian), and
the shrinked .dex files are significantly smaller and can lead to much
smaller packages and libraries.
The current workaround is to download the desired version and executing
it as-is with java; for example:
VERSION="9.4.14";
wget "https://storage.googleapis.com/r8-releases/raw/${VERSION}/r8.jar";
java -jar r8.jar ...
It would be better, if this program can be installed like all other
programs used for creating android packages: zipaling, aapt, aapt2, dx,
apksigner, javac, ...
In particular, since this program it handles generates artifacts and
creates other artifacts, it would make it easier to install a consistent
build environment on a Debian machine, which would help to avoid
inconsistencies between all the tools used for creating an android package.
