APK extension file introduction, functions and usage

APK extension file Introduction

The maximum size of each APK file in the Android Market (Google Play Store) is 50 MB. If your program contains a large number of data files, you can only put these data files on your own server before, when the user starts the program, let the user download. Now these data files can be directly uploaded to the Android Market. You can add extension files when uploading apps on the new market console.

How to Use Extended Files:

Each APK can have 2 extension files, each with a maximum limit of 2 GB. To reduce your bandwidth consumption, it is best to use compressed files. These two extension files have different purposes:
1. The first is called the main extension file, which protects the additional data needed in your program;
2. The second file is called Patch extension (patch). This file is optional and should only contain Patch data of different versions.

Of course, you can use these two extension files as needed. However, Android officially recommends separating the functions of these two files. The main extension file contains the core data and does not need to be modified with the upgrade of the program version. The patch extension file can be modified with the upgrade of the program version. To help you understand the specific meaning,

Example of Extended Files:Google Maps
For example, the Google map program needs to contain an offline map data packet so that you can view the map offline. When the program is released, you can upload the existing offline data packet to the market as the main extension file. After half a year, Google maps were updated, and some newly repaired highways and newly created malls were added. These new information can be used as patch extension files. In this way, Google map 1.0 corresponds to a main extension file, while Google map 1.1 corresponds to a main extension file and a patch extension file of Version 1.1; google map version 1.2 corresponds to a main extension file and a patch extension file of version 1.2. Here, the main extension file is the same file, and the patch extension file changes with the version.

Benefits of file extension:

The advantage is that when the program is upgraded, you do not need to download the main extension file again. You only need to download a small number of new files to save the user flow.