SDL3 for Android: 2D Graphics with SDL_Renderer SDL3 для Android: 2D-графика через SDL_Renderer

A guide to setting up, building, and installing an SDL3 project on an Android device. Руководство по настройке, сборке и установке проекта SDL3 на Android-устройство.

If you haven't set up your environment (Android SDK, NDK, JDK), follow the Если у вас не установлены Android SDK, NDK, JDK и т.д., сделайте это по инструкции: Environment Setup Guide Установка Android SDK, NDK, JDK, CMake

Download the AAR library 1. Загрузка примеров

Download the Android development binaries (AAR) - specifically SDL3-devel-3.4.4-android.zip - from the official SDL3 release page Скачайте файлы для разработки под Android (AAR): SDL3-devel-3.4.0-android.zip.
Move SDL3-devel-3.4.4-android.zip to the C:/libs folder (or your preferred directory)
Extract the ZIP file into a folder named SDL3-devel-3.4.4-android

Download a Template 1. Загрузка примеров

Download the SDL3 Renderer Example (displays squares on touch). If the previous repository is unavailable, please use my fork: link Скачайте пример с SDL3 Renderer API (рисует квадраты при касании).
Extract it to a folder of your choice
Open this folder in your preferred code editor (e.g., Sublime Text 4, Notepad++, etc.)

Project Configuration in the "android-project/app/build.gradle" file 2. Конфигурация проекта

Open this file android-project/app/build.gradle
Open the android-project/app/build.gradle file. It looks like this:

dependencies {
    implementation files('libs/SDL3-3.2.22.aar')
    implementation files('libs/SDL3_image-3.2.4.aar')

    /* Use [create-prefab-aar.py](https://gist.github.com/madebr/3563a41ec9d287b6754c5fe764f56a1c)
     * to creat a Android prefab archive for Box2D.
     */
    //implementation files('libs/box2d-3.2.0.aar')
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.5.1'
}

Delete the implementation files('libs/SDL3_image-3.2.4.aar') because we will not load an image in this guide
Set a path to the AAR file in this line implementation files('libs/SDL3-3.2.22.aar') (use / instead of \ in the path). Now we have this code:

dependencies {
    implementation files('C:/libs/SDL3-devel-3.4.2-android/SDL3-3.4.2.aar')

    /* Use [create-prefab-aar.py](https://gist.github.com/madebr/3563a41ec9d287b6754c5fe764f56a1c)
     * to creat a Android prefab archive for Box2D.
     */
    //implementation files('libs/box2d-3.2.0.aar')
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.5.1'
}

You see this code:

        externalNativeBuild {
            cmake {
                arguments '-DANDROID_STL=c++_shared', '-DWITH_IMAGE=ON', '-DWITH_MIXER=OFF', '-DWITH_NET=OFF', '-DWITH_BOX2D=OFF'
                abiFilters 'armeabi-v7a', 'arm64-v8a', 'x86', 'x86_64'
                // abiFilters 'arm64-v8a'
            }
        }

Disable the image drawing by setting DWITH_IMAGE to OFF like this '-DWITH_IMAGE=OFF'

        externalNativeBuild {
            cmake {
                arguments '-DANDROID_STL=c++_shared', '-DWITH_IMAGE=OFF', '-DWITH_MIXER=OFF', '-DWITH_NET=OFF', '-DWITH_BOX2D=OFF'
                abiFilters 'armeabi-v7a', 'arm64-v8a', 'x86', 'x86_64'
                // abiFilters 'arm64-v8a'
            }
        }

Disable building to all ABI (add a comment before abiFilters 'armeabi-v7a', 'arm64-v8a', 'x86', 'x86_64') and enable arm64-v8a only (delete a comment before abiFilters 'arm64-v8a')

        externalNativeBuild {
            cmake {
                arguments '-DANDROID_STL=c++_shared', '-DWITH_IMAGE=OFF', '-DWITH_MIXER=OFF', '-DWITH_NET=OFF', '-DWITH_BOX2D=OFF'
                // abiFilters 'armeabi-v7a', 'arm64-v8a', 'x86', 'x86_64'
                abiFilters 'arm64-v8a'
            }
        }

Build and Deploy 3. Сборка и развертывание

Open a terminal in the android-project and run the following commands: Откройте терминал в корне проекта и выполните следующие команды:

Step 1: Compile

gradlew assembleDebug

Step 2: Install (use the second terminal for this)

cd app/build/outputs/apk/debug

adb install -r app-debug.apk

Changing a code a rebuild

You can change something in the src/main.c file (for example, a background color)
Switch to the first terminal and press the up arrow key to select the gradlew assembleDebug. Press Enter to build a project
switch to the second terminal and press the up arrow key to select the adb install -r app-debug.apk. Press Enter to build a project

4. Useful Tips 4. Полезные советы

Check connected devices: adb devices. Проверка подключенных устройств: adb devices.
Use scrcpy to mirror your phone screen to your PC via USB. Используйте scrcpy для вывода экрана телефона на ПК через USB.