How to read the compilation permissions from a APK build

## **How to Use AAPT to Check APK Permissions**

### **1. Build Your APK**
Make sure you have a built APK, for example:
```
android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
```

### **2. Find Your AAPT Tool**
On macOS, with a typical Android Studio install, the path is:
```
~/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/<version>/aapt
```
Replace `<version>` with your installed build tools version (e.g., `34.0.0`).

### **3. Run the Command**
Here’s the **full command** (replace `<version>` if needed):

```sh
~/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/34.0.0/aapt dump permissions android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
```

If you want to check the debug APK, use:
```sh
~/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/34.0.0/aapt dump permissions android/app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
```

---

### **What You Should See**
The output will look like:
```
package: name='com.yourcompany.yourapp' versionCode='1' versionName='1.0'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.INTERNET'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.CAMERA'
```
**If you see `READ_MEDIA_IMAGES` or `READ_MEDIA_VIDEO` in the output, those permissions are still present.**

---

### **Summary Table**

| Step | Command |
|------|---------|
| Release APK | `~/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/34.0.0/aapt dump permissions android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk` |
| Debug APK   | `~/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/34.0.0/aapt dump permissions android/app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk`     |


## 2. **Check the Merged Manifest in the Built APK/AAB**
Sometimes, dependencies add permissions via their own manifests. The final APK/AAB manifest is a merge of all manifests (your app + libraries).

### **How to Check the Merged Manifest:**

#### **A. Using Android Studio**
1. Build your app (Debug or Release).
2. In Android Studio, go to:
   ```
   app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
   ```
3. Open the APK with Android Studio’s APK Analyzer (Build > Analyze APK).
4. Navigate to `AndroidManifest.xml` and search for the permissions.

#### **B. Using AAPT (Command Line)**
1. Locate your built APK (e.g., `android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk`).
2. Run:
   ```sh
   $ANDROID_HOME/build-tools/<version>/aapt dump permissions app-release.apk
   ```
   Replace `<version>` with your build-tools version (e.g., 34.0.0).

   **Example Output:**
   ```
   uses-permission: name='android.permission.INTERNET'
   uses-permission: name='android.permission.CAMERA'
   ```
   If you see `READ_MEDIA_IMAGES` or `READ_MEDIA_VIDEO` here, they are still present.

---

## 3. **Check for Permissions in Dependencies**
- Some libraries (like `react-native-image-crop-picker`) may add permissions via their own manifests.
- You can search your entire project for these permissions:
  ```sh
  grep -r "READ_MEDIA_IMAGES" android/
  grep -r "READ_MEDIA_VIDEO" android/
  ```
- Remove or patch any occurrences found in library manifests.

---

## 4. **Final Checklist Before Uploading**
- No restricted permissions in your merged manifest (check with AAPT or APK Analyzer).
- No restricted permissions in your app’s or dependencies’ manifests.
- Your app works as expected without those permissions.

---

## **Summary Table**

| Step | Tool/Method | What to Check |
|------|-------------|---------------|
| 1    | Manifest file | No restricted permissions in your manifest |
| 2    | APK Analyzer / AAPT | No restricted permissions in merged manifest |
| 3    | grep | No restricted permissions in dependencies |
| 4    | Test app | App works without those permissions |

---

**Would you like a command to run on your machine to check your built APK for these permissions?** If so, let me know your build-tools version or if you want to use the default one!