Stark - a hot-fix framework for Android

Stark

Stark is a hot-fix framework for Android. It supports swapping new implementations of classes without restarting a running Android application, and updated Android resources (icons, layout, etc) while only restarting the Android Activity.

Sample Usage

1. git clone https://github.com/ximsfei/Stark.git
2. cd Stark
3. ./gradlew :stark-sample:clean :stark-sample:assembleDebug
4. adb install -r stark-sample/build/outputs/apk/debug/stark-sample-debug.apk
5. Launch sample APK.
6. Fix code and resources.

Fix Code

SecondActivity.java

public class SecondActivity extends Activity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        content.setText("Code bug");
//        content.setText("aha, Code Bug Fix");
//        Toast.makeText(this, "fixed", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

Fix Resources

strings.xml

    <string name="fix_text">Resources bug</string>
    <!--<string name="fix_text">Aha, Resources Bug Fix</string>-->

Change the TextView in activity_main.xml and activity_second.xml to Button.

7. ./gradlew :stark-sample:clean :stark-sample:starkGeneratePatchDebug
8. adb push stark-sample/build/outputs/apk/debug/stark-sample-debug.patch /sdcard/Android/data/com.ximsfei.stark.app/fix.apk
9. Launch sample APK.
10. Click the Button of applyPatch.
11. Click the Button of recreate.
12. Observe whether the code and resources are fixed.

Getting Started

The Gradle Dependency is available via jCenter,

Firstly, add dependency directly in your root project's build.gradle:

buildscript {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.ximsfei:stark-gradle:0.0.2'
    }
}

Secondly, apply com.ximsfei.stark plugin and add stark core dependencies in your Android application project's build.gradle:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
apply plugin: 'com.ximsfei.stark'

dependencies {
    implementation 'com.ximsfei:stark-core:0.0.2'
    implementation 'io.sigpipe:jbsdiff:1.0'
}

Note: Stark depends on jbsdiff, you need add jbsdiff dependency in your build.gradle

Initialize stark framework in application's attachBaseContext:

public class YourApp extends Application {
    @Override
    protected void attachBaseContext(Context base) {
        super.attachBaseContext(base);
        Stark.get().load(base);
    }
}

After got the patch file, invoke the applyPatchAsync method to apply patch.

public class AnyClass {
    public void applyPatch(Context context, String path) {
        Stark.get().applyPatchAsync(context, path);
    }
}

After adding the dependencies and apply plugin, refresh gradle project, stark plugin will add two more tasks for you:

You can find them in the gradle stark task group.

1. starkBackup + BuildType

After running the assemble + BuildType, run the backup task can backup the files needed to generate the patch for you.

Even you can enable an automatic backup configuration in the stark.properties file.

2. starkGeneratePatch + BuildType

When you find a bug in an online apk, you can fix the code and run the starkGeneratePatch + BuildType task to generate hot-fix patch.

The starkGeneratePatch + BuildType task relies on files backed up by the starkBackup + BuildType task.

ProGuard

-keep class com.ximsfei.stark.core.runtime.** {public *;}

Configuration files

Also, the stark plugin will generate two configuration files in your Android application project dir:

stark.properties

# If autoBackup is true.
# Stark plugin will automatically backup the files needed to generate the patch.
# Otherwise, you need to run the stark backup task manually.
autoBackup=false

# If allStark is true.
# Stark plugin will inject redirection code into all BuildType(debug/release).
# You'd better disable this configuration at the development stage.
allStark=false

# If releaseStark is true.
# Stark plugin will inject redirection code into release stage.
releaseStark=true

# If your project needs to use multidex.
# You'd better get rid of the `multiDexEnabled = true` in build.gradle and enable it here.
multiDexEnabled=false

stark-rules.txt

# Add project specific stark rules here.
# include packages that need  to be fixed in the future.
# exclude packages that never to be fixed in the future.

-include: applicationId.

-exclude: android.support.

GitHub