We pre-install these system images on the base build agent to provide our project teams the ability to run emulators on a range of API levels, from API 19 to API 28. X86 is the fastest architecture for emulators, though x86_64 would probably be better to test against because most phones are 64 bit now.

We create two sets of emulators here, one set with pixel hardware emulation and one set with default oem emulation.

See: Google Documentation on Start the emulator from the command line for more info

1. Run the sdkmanager --install commands.
2. Run the avdmanager commands.

• Add aliases to run the emulators with parameters more easily. Or add these parameters to your build steps in TeamCity.
  • Instead of using emulator @{EMULATOR NAME} to run devices, you can use the aliases if they are added.
• If you run this locally, you can use the -read-only parameter to run multiple devices at the same time. You can then manually run automation against various APIs for added device coverage during regression.

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-19;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-21;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-22;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-23;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-24;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-25;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-26;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-27;google_apis;x86"

sdkmanager --install "system-images;android-28;google_apis;x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_4.4" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-19;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_5.0" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-21;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_5.1" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-22;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_6.0" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-23;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_7.0" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-24;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_7.1" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-25;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_8.0" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-26;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_8.1" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-27;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "pixel_9.0" --device "pixel" --package "system-images;android-28;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_4.4" --package "system-images;android-19;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_5.0" --package "system-images;android-21;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_5.1" --package "system-images;android-22;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_6.0" --package "system-images;android-23;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_7.0" --package "system-images;android-24;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_7.1" --package "system-images;android-25;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_8.0" --package "system-images;android-26;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_8.1" --package "system-images;android-27;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

echo "no" | avdmanager --verbose create avd --force --name "generic_9.0" --package "system-images;android-28;google_apis;x86" --tag "google_apis" --abi "x86"

Note: Add this alias to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc, or just run using these parameters for best results. -skin 768x1280 is useful to run default emulators successfully because they have a very low resolution out-of-the-box.

alias generic_4.4 ='emulator @generic_4.4 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_5.0 ='emulator @generic_5.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_5.1 ='emulator @generic_5.1 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_6.0 ='emulator @generic_6.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_7.0 ='emulator @generic_7.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_7.1 ='emulator @generic_7.1 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_8.0 ='emulator @generic_8.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_8.1 ='emulator @generic_8.1 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &' alias generic_9.0 ='emulator @generic_9.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 768x1280 &'

Note: Add this alias to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc, or just run using these parameters for results. Pixel emulators should run at default resolution of 1080x1920 by default, but can specify this just in-case with the parameter: -skin 1080x1920

alias pixel_4.4 ='emulator @pixel_4.4 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_5.0 ='emulator @pixel_5.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_5.1 ='emulator @pixel_5.1 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_6.0 ='emulator @pixel_6.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_7.0 ='emulator @pixel_7.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_7.1 ='emulator @pixel_7.1 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_8.0 ='emulator @pixel_8.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_8.1 ='emulator @pixel_8.1 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &' alias pixel_9.0 ='emulator @pixel_9.0 -no-boot-anim -netdelay none -no-snapshot -wipe-data -skin 1080x1920 &'

Note You can run all of the emulators above with a -read-only parameter to run multiple emulators at the same time, but this is an experimental feature right now.

1. Certain emulators, like Pixel, need to be started at a higher resolution than default oem emulators. Either define this in the ~/.android/avd/{name of avd}/config.ini file, or start emulator with -skin {RESOLUTION} as seen above.
2. emulator -list-avds will print list of available devices
3. avdmanager list avdmanager list target avdmanager list devices avdmanager list avd

-   avdmanager list              : Lists existing targets or virtual devices.
-   avdmanager list avd          : Lists existing Android Virtual Devices.
-   avdmanager list target       : Lists existing targets.
-   avdmanager list device       : Lists existing devices.