[android] How can I create a keystore?

What are the steps to create a keystore for android?

I need to use google maps in my app and I don't know what steps I missed. Please provide me with the specific detailed steps (I didn't understand it from the guides).

First thing to know is wether you are in Debug or Release mode. From the developer site "There are two build modes: debug mode and release mode. You use debug mode when you are developing and testing your application. You use release mode when you want to build a release version of your application that you can distribute directly to users or publish on an application marketplace such as Google Play."

If you are in debug mode you do the following ...
A. Open terminal and type:

keytool -exportcert -alias androiddebugkey -keystore path_to_debug_or_production_keystore -list -v

Note: For Eclipse, the debug keystore is typically located at ~/.android/debug.keystore...

B. when prompted for a password simply enter "android" ...

C. If you are in Release mode follow the instructions on...

http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html <-- this link pretty much explains everything you need to know.

I followed this guide to create the debug keystore.

The command is:

keytool -genkeypair -alias androiddebugkey -keypass android -keystore debug.keystore -storepass android -dname "CN=Android Debug,O=Android,C=US" -validity 9999

Signing Your App in Android Studio

To sign your app in release mode in Android Studio, follow these steps:

1- On the menu bar, click Build > Generate Signed APK.

2-On the Generate Signed APK Wizard window, click Create new to create a new keystore. If you already have a keystore, go to step 4.

3- On the New Key Store window, provide the required information as shown in figure Your key should be valid for at least 25 years, so you can sign app updates with the same key through the lifespan of your app.

4- On the Generate Signed APK Wizard window, select a keystore, a private key, and enter the passwords for both. Then click Next.

5- On the next window, select a destination for the signed APK and click Finish.

referance

http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html

I was crazy looking how to generate a .keystore using in the shell a single line command, so I could run it from another application. This is the way:

echo y | keytool -genkeypair -dname "cn=Mark Jones, ou=JavaSoft, o=Sun, c=US" -alias business -keypass kpi135 -keystore /working/android.keystore -storepass ab987c -validity 20000

• dname is a unique identifier for the application in the .keystore

  • cn the full name of the person or organization that generates the .keystore
  • ou Organizational Unit that creates the project, its a subdivision of the Organization that creates it. Ex. android.google.com
  • o Organization owner of the whole project. Its a higher scope than ou. Ex.: google.com
  • c The country short code. Ex: For United States is "US"

• alias Identifier of the app as an single entity inside the .keystore (it can have many)

• keypass Password for protecting that specific alias.
• keystore Path where the .keystore file shall be created (the standard extension is actually .ks)
• storepass Password for protecting the whole .keystore content.
• validity Amout of days the app will be valid with this .keystore

It worked really well for me, it doesnt ask for anything else in the console, just creates the file. For more information see keytool - Key and Certificate Management Tool.

I'd like to suggest automatic way with gradle only

** Define also at least one additional param for keystore in last command e.g. country '-dname', 'c=RU' **

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

// define here sign properties
def sPassword = 'storePassword_here'
def kAlias = 'keyAlias_here'
def kPassword = 'keyPassword_here'

android {
    ...
    signingConfigs {
        release {
            storeFile file("keystore/release.jks")
            storePassword sPassword
            keyAlias kAlias
            keyPassword kPassword
        }
    }
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            signingConfig signingConfigs.release
        }
        release {
            shrinkResources true
            minifyEnabled true
            useProguard true
            signingConfig signingConfigs.release
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
    ...
}

...

task generateKeystore() {
    exec {
        workingDir projectDir
        commandLine 'mkdir', '-p', 'keystore'
    }
    exec {
        workingDir projectDir
        commandLine 'rm', '-f', 'keystore/release.jks'
    }
    exec {
        workingDir projectDir
        commandLine 'keytool', '-genkey', '-noprompt', '-keystore', 'keystore/release.jks',
            '-alias', kAlias, '-storepass', sPassword, '-keypass', kPassword, '-dname', 'c=RU',
            '-keyalg', 'RSA', '-keysize', '2048', '-validity', '10000'
    }
}

project.afterEvaluate {
    preBuild.dependsOn generateKeystore
}

This will generate keystore on project sync and build

> Task :app:generateKeystore UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:preBuild UP-TO-DATE

Use this command to create debug.keystore

keytool -genkey -v -keystore ~/.android/debug.keystore -alias androiddebugkey -storepass android -keypass android -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -dname "CN=Android Debug,O=Android,C=US"

This tutorial:

http://techdroid.kbeanie.com/2010/02/sign-your-android-applications-for.html

was very helpful for me the first time I had to create a keystore. It is simple but the instructions on developer.android.com are a little too brief.

The part I was unsure about was where to save and what name to give the keystore file.

I seems it doesn't matter where you put it just be sure to keep it safe and keep a number of backups. I just put it in my app directory

Name the file "something.keystore" where something can be whatever you want. I used app_name.keystore, where app_name was the name of my app.

The next part was what to name the alias. Again it doesn't seem to matter so again I just used the app_name again. Keep the passwords the same as you used before. Fill out the rest of the fields and you are done.

If you don't want to or can't use Android Studio, you can use the create-android-keystore NPM tool:

$ create-android-keystore quick

Which results in a newly generated keystore in the current directory.

More info: https://www.npmjs.com/package/create-android-keystore

To answer the question in the title, you create a keystore with the Java Keytool utility that comes with any standard JDK distribution and can be located at %JAVA_HOME%\bin. On Windows this would usually be C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin.

So on Windows, open a command window and switch to that directory and enter a command like this

keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.keystore -alias alias_name -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

Keytool prompts you to provide passwords for the keystore, provide the Distinguished Name fields and then the password for your key. It then generates the keystore as a file called my-release-key.keystore in the directory you're in. The keystore and key are protected by the passwords you entered. The keystore contains a single key, valid for 10000 days. The alias_name is a name that you — will use later, to refer to this keystore when signing your application.

For more information about Keytool, see the documentation at: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/technotes/tools/windows/keytool.html

and for more information on signing Android apps go here: http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html

You can create your keystore by exporting a signed APK. When you will try to export/build a signed APK, it will ask for a keystore.

You can choose your existing keystore or you can easily create a new one by clicking create new keystore

Here a link very useful and well-explained of how to create your keystore and generate a signed APK

THis link explained how to do it with Android Studio, but if I remember, it is pretty similar on Eclipse

WATCH OUT

Once you generate your keystore, keep it somewhere safe because you will need it to regenerate a new signed APK.

How do I export a project in the Android studio?

Create keystore file from command line :

1. Open Command line:

   Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
   Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved
   
   // (if you want to store keystore file at C:/ open command line with RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR)
   
   C:\Windows\system32> keytool -genkey -v -keystore [your keystore file path]{C:/index.keystore} -alias [your_alias_name]{index} -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000[in days]
   

2. Enter > It will prompt you for password > enter password (it will be invisible)

   Enter keystore password:
   Re-enter new password:
   

3. Enter > It will ask your detail.

   What is your first and last name?
    [Unknown]:  {AB} // [Your Name / Name of Signer] 
   What is the name of your organizational unit?
    [Unknown]:  {Self} // [Your Unit Name] 
   What is the name of your organization?
    [Unknown]:  {Self} // [Your Organization Name] 
   What is the name of your City or Locality?
    [Unknown]:  {INDORE} // [Your City Name] 
   What is the name of your State or Province?
    [Unknown]:  {MP} //[Your State] 
   What is the two-letter country code for this unit?
    [Unknown]:  91
   

4. Enter > Enter Y

   Is CN=AB, OU=Self, O=Self, L=INDORE, ST=MP, C=91 correct?
   [no]:  Y
   

5. Enter > Enter password again.

   Generating 2,048 bit RSA key pair and self-signed certificate    (SHA256withRSA) with a validity of 10,000 days
       for: CN=AB, OU=Self, O=Self, L=INDORE, ST=MP, C=91
   Enter key password for <index> (RETURN if same as keystore password):
   Re-enter new password:
   

[ Storing C:/index.keystore ]

6. And your are DONE!!!

Export In Eclipse :

Export your android package to .apk with your created keystore file

1. Right click on Package you want to export and select export

2. Select Export Android Application > Next

3. Next
   

4. Select Use Existing Keystore > Browse .keystore file > enter password > Next

5. Select Alias > enter password > Next

6. Browse APK Destination > Finish

In Android Studio:

Create keystore [.keystore/.jks] in studio...

1. Click Build (ALT+B) > Generate Signed APK...
   

2. Click Create new..(ALT+C)
   

3. Browse Key store path (SHIFT+ENTER) > Select Path > Enter name > OK

4. Fill the detail about your .jks/keystore file

5. Next
   

6. Your file
   

7. Enter Studio Master Password (You can RESET if you don't know) > OK

8. Select *Destination Folder * > Build Type

   release : for publish on app store
   debug : for debugging your application
   

   Click Finish

   

Done !!!