apkutils2

What it is and what it does

apkutils2 is a library and command-line tool for parsing and inspecting Android APK files. It extracts structured information from APK archives—manifests, embedded strings, file listings, and certificate data—and presents them in human-readable form. The package includes both a CLI interface (invoked via `python3 -m apkutils`) and a GUI tool that integrates with file managers for right-click APK inspection.

The library is built on top of axml parsing and dex decompilation components. It has no runtime dependencies listed in its metadata, but the project has been abandoned since 2019 with no commits or maintenance since then. Installation requires building from source, which may introduce friction on systems without a C compiler or build tools.

Use it for:

• Inspect Android app manifests to review permissions, activities, and metadata without installing the APK.
• Extract and analyze embedded strings from APK files for reverse engineering or security auditing.
• Examine certificate information to verify app signing and authenticity.
• Automate APK analysis in build pipelines or security scanning workflows.
• Parse DEX bytecode information from Android applications for malware analysis.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Parses Android APK files to extract and display metadata including manifests, strings, file listings, and certificates.

No. The project is abandoned (last commit 2019-03-25, no maintenance since), has high install friction due to source-only distribution, and offers no active support or bug fixes. For active APK parsing, consider maintained alternatives. If you have a specific legacy use case, the MIT license permits use, but expect to maintain it yourself.

Install

apkutils2 on PyPI

pip install apkutils2

uv add apkutils2

poetry add apkutils2

Installing apkutils2

Before you install

High install friction due to source-only distribution (no wheels). Last commit was 2019-03-25 and the project is marked abandoned, meaning no active maintenance or bug fixes.

License in practice

MIT license is permissive and places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution.

Quickstart

pip install apkutils2
python3 -m apkutils /path/to/file.apk -m

Requires building from source; no pre-built wheels available, so a C compiler and build tools may be needed depending on your platform.

Verify before relying

• Whether the package's dependencies (axml parser, dex decompiler) are still compatible with current Python versions.
• Whether the GUI component (apkutils.gui) has external dependencies beyond what the fact sheet lists.

Package facts

Evidence: apkutils2-1.0.0.tar.gz

Keywords: apk, dex, axml

Tags

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