# Install and Create Emulators using AVDMANAGER and SDKMANAGER

## TL;DR

For an emulator that mimics a Pixel 5 Device with Google APIs and ARM architecture (for an M1/M2 Macbook):

1. **List All System Images Available for Download:** `sdkmanager --list | grep system-images`

2. **Download Image:** `sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-30;google_atd;arm64-v8a"`

3. **Create Emulator:** `echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_5_api30_google_atd_emulator" --package "system-images;android-30;google_atd;arm64-v8a" --tag "google_atd" --abi "arm64-v8a" --device "pixel_5"`

For M1/M2 Macbooks, use arm64-v8a. For Intel Macbooks use x86. Google_ATD image saved 8 minutes on my 28 minute benchmark with Github Actions using the macOS Agent.

**Note**: To check which devices you can create from the command line, run `avdmanager list device`and pass in the device name as the value of --device, e.g. `--device "pixel_5"` at the end of the command on step 3. (This includes tablets, etc)

## Continued...

For generic skin emulator with default apis (without google apis) for use with Intel Macbook on CI (Can use google_atd too):

1. **List All System Images Available for Download:** `sdkmanager --list | grep system-images`

2. **Download Image:** `sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-30;aosp_atd;x86"`

3. **Create Emulator:** `echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_api30_aosp_atd_emulator" --package "system-images;android-30;aosp_atd;x86" --tag "aosp_atd" --abi "x86"`

       If you do not use the --device flag, I recommend adding these lines to: ~/.android/avd/generic_10.avd/config.ini or else your emulator will have a very low resolution. 
       Note: Increasing resolution will decrease performance on CI.

       skin.name=1080x1920        # proper screen size for emulator
       hw.lcd.density=480
       hw.keyboard=yes            # enables keys from your laptop to be sent to the emulator
       
       If you cannot do this, you can still pass -skin 1080x1920 as an argument when starting the emulator. 
       
       Keep in mind, you can also pass the --device flag and use a device name from the avdmanager list device command which          should also set a default resolution because it will inherit the set of properties of that "device" in the config.ini.

4. **Run Emulator:** `emulator @generic_api30_aosp_atd_emulator &` or `emulator @pixel_5_google_atd_emulator &`


### Docs

See: [Google's Emulator CLI Documentation](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-commandline) for more info.

See: [Google's AVDManager Documentation](https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/avdmanager) for more info.

See: [Google's SDKManager Documentation](https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/sdkmanager) for more info.

### Aliases

Add aliases to your `~/.zshrc` or `~/.bashrc` to run the emulators with parameters more easily. 

`alias generic_api31_emulator='emulator @generic_api31_emulator -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &'`

`alias pixel_5 ='emulator @pixel_5 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data &'`

### Starting multiple emulators

You can pass the `-read-only` parameter when starting up an emulator `emulator @pixel_5 -read-only` to run multiple devices at the same time.

### Other
1) aosp_atd and google_atd system images are only available on x86 and ARM architecture at API level 30.

See also: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2021/10/whats-new-in-scalable-automated-testing.html


Output of ``sdkmanager --list | grep atd``:
```
  system-images;android-30;aosp_atd;arm64-v8a                                              | 1            | AOSP ATD ARM 64 v8a System Image
  system-images;android-30;aosp_atd;x86                                                    | 1            | AOSP ATD Intel x86 Atom System Image
  system-images;android-30;google_atd;arm64-v8a                                            | 1            | Google APIs ATD ARM 64 v8a System Image
  system-images;android-30;google_atd;x86                                                  | 1            | Google APIs ATD Intel x86 Atom System Image
```

2) `avdmanager list device` is great to figure out which emulators you can create
3) The newest cmdline-tools located at `$HOME/Library/Android/sdk/cmdline-tools/latest/bin` were created for Java 9/10/11. If you are running into issues running sdkmanager, make sure to update your path in your `~/.zshrc` to the tools to the new tools if you are on Java 11, e.g. `export PATH=$PATH:$ANDROID_HOME/cmdline-tools/latest/bin`. If you are still on Java 8, you can use the old tools.