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I'm building .apk file for my Android application using Android tools - Export... as guided here
My question is what are signed and unsigned .apk file?
How can we use usngined .apk file? (I tried to export an unsigned one but I cannot install it for my Galaxy Nexus)
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Signing Android apps is just like signing any other application; it provides the user with some level of assurance that the code hasn't been tampered with since you released it. Unsigned apps should be usable generally but do require lowering the security level.
Signing is encrypting with the private key. Because you publish the public key the app store and the users have your public key. They can decrypt your app and therefore know for sure that the app is really your own. Android and the app store does this for them.
Unsigned APK is actually signed by debug key, you can consider it as dummy since it is not secure and publicly available and play store would not accept it. There signed APK it's signed with your own key which is guarded by yourself, since it is unique play store would accept it.
Signing Android apps is just like signing any other application; it provides the user with some level of assurance that the code hasn't been tampered with since you released it.
Unsigned apps should be usable generally but do require lowering the security level. A quick Google search found a number of articles that explained that all you have to do is check the Unknown Sources box in Settings->Security.
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Export Unsigned apk means you will get the unsigned apk that is not signed by any keystore. A keystore is a binary file that contains a set of private keys. The app will need to be signed with a keystore to be used or installed using the Google Play App Store.
Export Signed apk means you get the apk and it will provide the option to make the sign apk with existing keystore.
Android requires that all apps be digitally signed with a certificate before they can be installed. Android uses this certificate to identify the author of an app, and the certificate does not need to be signed by a certificate authority. Android apps often use self-signed certificates. The app developer holds the certificate's private key. More info here.
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A signed apk is an android package file that has been digitally singed with a certificate for which the developer holds the private key. When you are doing developing your application a special debug key is created by the dev tools.
http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html
Devices require that all applications be signed, so that is why you can't install an unsigned apk.
There are sonme instructions here on self signing
I hope this helps.
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