Package dependencies in Android apk files

Question

I am performing Android app reverse engineering (decompilation and further analysis). I wish to analyse the package dependencies between different packages inside the same apk file. Is there any tool which does this? Else, how can I deduce package dependency in apk files?

Answer 1

I wish to analyse the package dependencies between different packages inside the same apk file. Please let me know if there is any tool which does this

A tool called Dexter is available to find out all the packages present in an apk. Also, if there is a program dependency among any 2 packages, Dexter show it with an edge. It could be noted that the edges do not have any weight to indicate the strength of the dependency.

Answer 2

The only dependencies that I have run into with apk files are with the framework from the device. If you are dealing with a standard app available from the Play, then it generally contains everything that it needs inside its own package.

Some of the custom builds like Amazon Kindle Fire, Barns & Noble Nook, etc have built custom launchers and other services which then offer other functions through their frameworks.

The framework-res.apk is typically stored in the /system/framework location. You can extract that from your device and place it in your apktool folder of your %userprofile%/~. Apktool (I am assuming that is one of the tools you are using) will then reference it when it does the work.