APK extension file description, features and usage

apk Extension File description

The maximum limit for each apk file in Android market (Google Play Store) is 50MB. Suppose your program includes a large number of data files, once you can only put these data files on their server, when the user started the program to let users to download.

These data files can now be uploaded directly to the Android market. When uploading the app in the new Market console. To be able to join the extension file.

How to use the extension file:

Each apk can have 2 extension files, the maximum limit for each file is 2GB.

In order to reduce the bandwidth consumption of users, it is best to use compressed format files. These two extension files have different uses:
1. The first is called the main (master) extension file. The extension file protects the additional data that you need to use in your program;
2. The second is called a patch extension (patch) file, which is optional. And it should just include patch data for several different version numbers.

Of course you can use the two extension files in the way you want, but Android is still recommended to separate the two files. The main extension file includes core data and is not modified with the upgrade of the program version number, and the patch extension file can be changed with the program version number upgrade. To help you understand the full meaning,

examples of extended file use: Google Maps
The Google maps program needs to include an offline map packet, which makes it easy for users to view the map offline. When the program is published, the existing offline packets can be uploaded to the market as the main extension file. Then after half a year, Google Maps updated, new additions to some newly-repaired highways, new shopping malls and other information, to be able to use these new information as patch extension files. So Google Maps 1.0 version number corresponding to a main extension file , and Google Maps 1.1 version number corresponding to a main extension file and a 1.1 version number of the patch extension file, Google Maps 1.2 version number corresponding to a main extension file and a 1.2 version number of patch extension file. The main extension file is the same file and the patch file is changed with the version number.

Benefits of extending files:

This advantage is that when the program upgrade, users do not have to download the main extension file again, only need to download a small number of new files can be, save user flow

APK extension file description, features and usage