How to parse the AndroidManifest.xml file inside an .apk package

Question

This file appears to be in a binary XML format. What is this format and how can it be parsed programmatically (as opposed to using the aapt dump tool in the SDK)?

Answer 1

apk-parser, https://github.com/caoqianli/apk-parser, a lightweight impl for java, with no dependency for aapt or other binarys, is good for parse binary xml files, and other apk infos.

ApkParser apkParser = new ApkParser(new File(filePath));
// set a locale to translate resource tag into specific strings in language the locale specified, you set locale to Locale.ENGLISH then get apk title 'WeChat' instead of '@string/app_name' for example
apkParser.setPreferredLocale(locale);

String xml = apkParser.getManifestXml();
System.out.println(xml);

String xml2 = apkParser.transBinaryXml(xmlPathInApk);
System.out.println(xml2);

ApkMeta apkMeta = apkParser.getApkMeta();
System.out.println(apkMeta);

Set locales = apkParser.getLocales();
for (Locale l : locales) {
    System.out.println(l);
}
apkParser.close();