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diff --git a/devtools/client/aboutdebugging/documentation/ANDROID_BUILD.md b/devtools/client/aboutdebugging/documentation/ANDROID_BUILD.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..42d1a52520 --- /dev/null +++ b/devtools/client/aboutdebugging/documentation/ANDROID_BUILD.md @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +# Build Firefox for Android + +## When do you need to build Firefox for Android + +If a remote debugging change impacts the server (file located in `devtools/server` or in `devtools/shared`), you will not be able to test it with a device which runs the release version of Firefox for Android. For the purpose of remote debugging, your local build of Firefox Desktop where you will test about:debugging runs the content of `devtools/client` (including `devtools/client/aboutdebugging`). And `devtools/server` runs on the device. So as soon as you are developing or testing a patch that needs to update the server and is about USB debugging, you need to build Firefox for Android and deploy it on a test device. + +## Setup your environment + +This will be a short documentation focused on the typical patches you may write for about:debugging. For a more complete documentation, you can refer to https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Developer_guide/Build_Instructions/Simple_Firefox_for_Android_build. + +The whole setup needs to download several gigabytes of dependencies so try to have a fast internet connection to follow those steps. + +### Clone mozilla-central + +It is recommended to create a new clone of mozilla-central for your Firefox for Android builds. + +``` + hg clone https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central mozilla-central-android + cd mozilla-central-android +``` + +### Run bootstrap + +Next simply run `mach bootstrap` and select the third option `3. Firefox for Android Artifact Mode` + +``` + > ./mach bootstrap + Please choose the version of Firefox you want to build: + 1. Firefox for Desktop Artifact Mode + 2. Firefox for Desktop + 3. Firefox for Android Artifact Mode + 4. Firefox for Android + > 3 +``` + +Follow the instructions, it will take some time as it needs to download a lot of dependencies. At the end it will provide you with a template you should use to create a `.mozconfig` file. You can use the proposed content without changing anything. + +### Enable USB debugging on your phone + +If you already used your device for USB debugging, this should already be enabled, but we will repeat the steps here. + +In the Settings menu, choose "About" and scroll down to the Build Number option. There's a hidden option there to activate "developer mode": tap the Build Number option seven times. You’ll see a countdown, and then a "Developer Options" menu will appear in your Settings. Don’t worry — you can turn this off whenever you like. The last step is to enable USB Debugging in the Developer Options menu. + +## Build and deploy to your phone + +Connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable. Then run: + +``` + ./mach build + ./mach package + ./mach install +``` + +At this step if you go to the list of applications on your phone, you should be able to spot a "Fennec" application. The fullname will be slightly different, for instance for me it is called "Fennec jdescottes". You can then run the application from your desktop command-line: + +``` + ./mach run +``` + +Sometimes this will fail with `WARNING: unable to launch Firefox for Android`. In that case you can simply start the application on your phone, as you would start any other application. |