22 April 2024 Leave a comment Tech-Help
When managing Android applications, it’s crucial to understand the permissions they require. This knowledge is especially important for developers and testers who need to ensure that their apps are not requesting more permissions than necessary. Thankfully, Android’s ADB (Android Debug Bridge) provides a way to list these permissions directly from the command line.
Step-by-Step Guide to Listing Granted Permissions
To view the permissions granted to an application, you can use the following ADB command:
adb shell dumpsys package packagenameAfter running this command, you should look for the grantedPermissions section in the output, which will list all the permissions that have been granted to the package.
Listing All Requested Permissions
If you’re interested in seeing all permissions that an application has requested, including those that haven’t been granted, you can follow these steps:
- Identify the APK path using the command:
adb shell dumpsys package packagenameLook for the
codePathelement in the output. - Pull the APK file from the device to your computer:
adb pull /data/app/com.your.package.apk - List all permissions of the APK file using the
aapttool, which can be found under thebuild-tools/<version>/directory in your Android SDK:aapt d permissions /path/to/com.your.package.apk
Note that if aapt is not available on your system, you may need to install the appropriate Android SDK build-tools or look for alternative methods to obtain the APK’s permission details.
Quick Permission Check
For a fast and straightforward check of an application’s permissions, you can use this simplified command:
adb shell dumpsys package packagename | grep permissionThis command filters the output to show only lines that contain the word “permission”.
How Repeato Can Assist with Permission-Related Testing
When testing applications, verifying that they request and utilize the correct permissions is essential. Repeato, a No-code test automation tool, can help streamline this process. With its ability to create, run, and maintain automated tests for iOS and Android apps, Repeato is an invaluable asset for ensuring your app’s permissions are properly managed.
Repeato’s advanced features, including computer vision and AI capabilities, make it suitable for apps built with various frameworks, such as React Native, Flutter, and Unity. Moreover, its on-board ADB functionality allows you to execute ADB commands via script steps, giving you the power to automate permission-related checks efficiently.
Discover more about Repeato and how it can enhance your testing workflows by visiting our product page.
Conclusion
Understanding and managing app permissions is a critical aspect of Android development and testing. With the help of ADB and tools like Repeato, you can ensure that your applications maintain the right balance between functionality and privacy.
