Update the Android build documentation (#9669)

Co-authored-by: Hugo Locurcio <[email protected]>

Author: m4gr3d

contributing/development/compiling/compiling_for_android.rst

@@ -90,10 +90,11 @@ Setting up the buildsystem
 Building the export templates
 -----------------------------
 
-Godot needs two export templates for Android: the optimized "release"
-template (``android_release.apk``) and the debug template (``android_debug.apk``).
+Godot needs three export templates for Android: the optimized "release"
+template (``android_release.apk``), the debug template (``android_debug.apk``),
+and the Gradle build template (``android_source.zip``).
 As Google requires all APKs to include ARMv8 (64-bit) libraries since August 2019,
-the commands below build an APK containing both ARMv7 and ARMv8 libraries.
+the commands below build templates containing both ARMv7 and ARMv8 libraries.
 
 Compiling the standard export templates is done by calling SCons from the Godot
 root directory with the following arguments:
@@ -105,22 +106,32 @@ root directory with the following arguments:
     scons platform=android target=template_release arch=arm32
     scons platform=android target=template_release arch=arm64 generate_apk=yes
 
-.. note::
-
-    If you are changing the list of architectures you're building, remember to add
-    ``generate_apk=yes`` to the *last* architecture you're building, so that an APK
-    file is generated after the build.
-
-The resulting APK will be located at ``bin/android_release.apk``.
-
 -  Debug template (used when exporting with **Debugging Enabled** checked)
 
 ::
 
     scons platform=android target=template_debug arch=arm32
     scons platform=android target=template_debug arch=arm64 generate_apk=yes
 
-The resulting APK will be located at ``bin/android_debug.apk``.
+- (**Optional**) Dev template (used when troubleshooting)
+
+::
+
+    scons platform=android target=template_debug arch=arm32 dev_build=yes
+    scons platform=android target=template_debug arch=arm64 dev_build=yes generate_apk=yes
+
+The resulting templates will be located under the ``bin`` directory:
+
+- ``bin/android_release.apk`` for the release template
+- ``bin/android_debug.apk`` for the debug template
+- ``bin/android_dev.apk`` for the dev template
+- ``bin/android_source.zip`` for the Gradle build template
+
+.. note::
+
+   - If you are changing the list of architectures you're building, remember to add ``generate_apk=yes`` to the *last* architecture you're building, so that the template files are generated after the build.
+
+   - To include debug symbols in the generated templates, add the ``debug_symbols=yes`` parameter to the SCons command.
 
 .. seealso::
 
@@ -142,10 +153,10 @@ example, for the release template:
     scons platform=android target=template_release arch=x86_32
     scons platform=android target=template_release arch=x86_64 generate_apk=yes
 
-This will create a fat binary that works on all platforms.
-The final APK size of exported projects will depend on the platforms you choose
+This will create template binaries that works on all platforms.
+The final binary size of exported projects will depend on the platforms you choose
 to support when exporting; in other words, unused platforms will be removed from
-the APK.
+the binary.
 
 Cleaning the generated export templates
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -164,19 +175,18 @@ You can use the following commands to remove the generated export templates:
 Using the export templates
 --------------------------
 
-Godot needs release and debug APKs that were compiled against the same
+Godot needs release and debug binaries that were compiled against the same
 version/commit as the editor. If you are using official binaries
 for the editor, make sure to install the matching export templates,
 or build your own from the same version.
 
-When exporting your game, Godot opens the APK, changes a few things inside and
-adds your files.
+When exporting your game, Godot uses the templates as a base, and updates their content as needed.
 
 Installing the templates
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 The newly-compiled templates (``android_debug.apk``
-and ``android_release.apk``) must be copied to Godot's templates folder
+, ``android_release.apk``, and ``android_source.zip``) must be copied to Godot's templates folder
 with their respective names. The templates folder can be located in:
 
 -  Windows: ``%APPDATA%\Godot\export_templates\<version>\``
@@ -191,7 +201,7 @@ next to your export templates.
 .. TODO: Move these paths to a common reference page
 
 However, if you are writing your custom modules or custom C++ code, you
-might instead want to configure your APKs as custom export templates
+might instead want to configure your template binaries as custom export templates
 here:
 
 .. image:: img/andtemplates.png
@@ -214,16 +224,20 @@ root directory with the following arguments:
    scons platform=android arch=x86_32 production=yes target=editor
    scons platform=android arch=x86_64 production=yes target=editor generate_apk=yes
 
-You can skip certain architectures depending on your target device to speed up
-compilation. Remember to add ``generate_apk=yes`` to the *last* architecture
-you're building, so that an APK file is generated after the build.
+- You can add the ``dev_build=yes`` parameter to generate a dev build of the Godot editor.
 
-The resulting APK will be located at ``bin/android_editor_builds/android_editor-release.apk``.
+- You can add the ``debug_symbols=yes`` parameter to include the debug symbols in the generated build.
 
-Removing the Editor templates
------------------------------
+- You can skip certain architectures depending on your target device to speed up compilation. 
+
+Remember to add ``generate_apk=yes`` to the *last* architecture you're building, so that binaries are generated after the build.
+
+The resulting binaries will be located under ``bin/android_editor_builds/``.
+
+Removing the Editor binaries
+----------------------------
 
-You can use the following commands to remove the generated editor templates:
+You can use the following commands to remove the generated editor binaries:
 
 ::
 
@@ -233,8 +247,8 @@ You can use the following commands to remove the generated editor templates:
    # On Linux and macOS
    ./gradlew clean
 
-Installing the Godot editor
----------------------------
+Installing the Godot editor APK
+-------------------------------
 
 With an Android device with Developer Options enabled, connect the Android device to your computer via its charging cable to a USB/USB-C port.
 Open up a Terminal/Command Prompt and run the following commands from the root directory with the following arguments:

tutorials/editor/using_the_android_editor.rst

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ that can be used to work on new or existing projects on Android devices.
 
 .. note::
 
-    The Android editor is in beta testing stage, while we continue to refine the experience,
+    The Android editor is in early access, while we continue to refine the experience,
     and bring it up to parity with the Desktop version of the editor. See :ref:`doc_using_the_android_editor_limitations` below.
 
 Android devices support
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ Here are the known limitations and issues of the Android editor:
 - No support for building and exporting an Android APK binary.
   As a workaround, you can generate and export a `Godot PCK or ZIP file <https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/export/exporting_projects.html#pck-versus-zip-pack-file-formats>`__
 - No support for building and exporting binaries for other platforms
-- Performance and stability issues when using the *Vulkan Mobile* renderer for a project
 - UX not optimized for Android phones form-factor
 - `Android Go devices <https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/androidgo>`__ lacks
   the *All files access* permission required for device read/write access.

tutorials/export/exporting_for_android.rst

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Download the Android SDK
 
 Download and install the Android SDK.
 
-- You can install the Android SDK using `Android Studio Hedgehog (version 2023.1.1) or later <https://developer.android.com/studio/>`__.
+- You can install the Android SDK using `Android Studio Iguana (version 2023.2.1) or later <https://developer.android.com/studio/>`__.
 
   - Run it once to complete the SDK setup using these `instructions <https://developer.android.com/studio/intro/update#sdk-manager>`__.
   - Ensure that the `required packages <https://developer.android.com/studio/intro/update#required>`__ are installed as well.
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ Download and install the Android SDK.
     - Android SDK Build-Tools version 34.0.0
     - Android SDK Platform 34
     - Android SDK Command-line Tools (latest)
+
+  - Ensure that the `NDK and CMake are installed and configured <https://developer.android.com/studio/projects/install-ndk>`__.
+  
     - CMake version 3.10.2.4988404
     - NDK version r23c (23.2.8568313)