Feature Request: Add support for building Android wheels

[ankith26]

As per PEP 738, Android is an officially supported platform for Python. Python 3.14 releases includes official android embeddable packages.

It would be really appreciated if meson-python adds support for Android too, just as iOS support added recently.

[rgommers]

@ankith26 thanks for the request. Could you add some details, like how it currently fails? And I assume there are Beeware patches that do make things work for meson-python that need upstreaming?

[ankith26]

For testing, I am using my very minimal sample/boilerplate repo (https://github.com/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate).

I am relying on cibuildwheel to set up the build environment and manage the build. I first setup android-sdk as outlined in https://cibuildwheel.pypa.io/en/stable/platforms/#android. The command I ran

ANDROID_HOME="/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk" CIBW_PLATFORM=android CIBW_BUILD="cp314-android_x86_64" cibuildwheel

produces output

     _ _       _ _   _       _           _
 ___|_| |_ _ _|_| |_| |_ _ _| |_ ___ ___| |
|  _| | . | | | | | . | | | |   | -_| -_| |
|___|_|___|___|_|_|___|_____|_|_|___|___|_|

cibuildwheel version 3.2.1

Build options:
  platform: android
  allow_empty: False
  architectures: x86_64
  build_selector: 
    build_config: cp314-android_x86_64
    skip_config: 
    requires_python: >=3.8
    enable: []
  output_dir: /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate/wheelhouse
  package_dir: /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate
  test_selector: 
    skip_config:
  before_all: 
  before_build: 
  before_test: 
  build_frontend: build
  build_verbosity: 0
  config_settings: 
  container_engine: docker
  dependency_constraints: pinned
  environment: 
  manylinux_images: None
  musllinux_images: None
  pyodide_version: None
  repair_command: 
  test_command: 
  test_environment: 
  test_extras: 
  test_groups: 
  test_requires: 
  test_sources: 
  xbuild_tools: None

Cache folder: /home/ankith/.cache/cibuildwheel

Here we go!


Building cp314-android_x86_64 wheel
CPython 3.14 Android x86_64

Installing target Python...


                                                              ✓ 0.69s
Setting up build environment...

Creating python-build-standalone environment: version=3.14
Detected platform: arch='x86_64', platform='unknown-linux', libc='gnu'
Looking for file with pattern cpython-3.14.*-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu-install_only.tar.gz
Using python-build-standalone release: 20251010
Using cached python_build_standalone: /home/ankith/.cache/cibuildwheel/cpython-3.14.0+20251010-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu-install_only.tar.gz
Found python executable: /tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/pbs/python/bin/python
+ /home/ankith/.pyenv/versions/3.14.0/bin/python3 -sS /home/ankith/.cache/cibuildwheel/virtualenv-20.35.2.pyz --activators= --no-periodic-update --pip=25.2 --no-setuptools --symlink-app-data --python /tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/pbs/python/bin/python3.14 /tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv
created virtual environment CPython3.14.0.final.0-64 in 275ms
  creator CPython3Posix(dest=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False)
  seeder FromAppData(download=False, pip=25.2, via=symlink, app_data_dir=/home/ankith/snap/code/211/.local/share/virtualenv)
    added seed packages: pip==25.2
+ which python
+ python --version
Python 3.14.0
+ which pip
+ pip --version
pip 25.2 from /tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv/lib/python3.14/site-packages/pip (python 3.14)
+ /tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/python/android.py env
export AR=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/llvm-ar
export AS=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/llvm-as
export CC=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/x86_64-linux-android24-clang
export CFLAGS='-D__BIONIC_NO_PAGE_SIZE_MACRO -I/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/python/prefix/include -DNDEBUG -O3 -Wall'
export CIBW_HOST_TRIPLET=x86_64-linux-android
export CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/toolchain.cmake
export CPU_COUNT=8
export CXX=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/x86_64-linux-android24-clang++
export CXXFLAGS='-D__BIONIC_NO_PAGE_SIZE_MACRO -I/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/python/prefix/include -DNDEBUG -O3 -Wall'
export LD=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/ld
export LDFLAGS='-Wl,--build-id=sha1 -Wl,--no-rosegment -Wl,-z,max-page-size=16384 -Wl,--no-undefined -lm -L/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/python/prefix/lib'
export NM=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/llvm-nm
export PATH=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/versions/3.14.0/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/libexec:/home/ankith/.pyenv/plugins/python-build/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/plugins/pyenv-virtualenv/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/plugins/pyenv-update/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/plugins/pyenv-doctor/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/shims:/home/ankith/.pyenv/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/bin:/home/ankith/.local/bin:/home/ankith/.pyenv/bin:/usr/share/pyenv/bin:/home/ankith/.local/bin:/usr/share/pyenv/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/snap/bin:/home/ankith/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.14.1-linux-x64/bundled/scripts/noConfigScripts
export PIP_DISABLE_PIP_VERSION_CHECK=1
export PKG_CONFIG='pkg-config --define-prefix'
export PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/python/prefix/lib/pkgconfig
export RANLIB=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/llvm-ranlib
export READELF=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/llvm-readelf
export STRIP=/home/ankith/mount2/softwares/android-sdk/ndk/27.3.13750724/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/llvm-strip
export VIRTUAL_ENV=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv
+ pip install build -c file:///home/ankith/.pyenv/versions/3.14.0/lib/python3.14/site-packages/cibuildwheel/resources/constraints-python314.txt
Collecting build
  Using cached build-1.3.0-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (5.6 kB)
Collecting packaging>=19.1 (from build)
  Using cached packaging-25.0-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (3.3 kB)
Collecting pyproject_hooks (from build)
  Using cached pyproject_hooks-1.2.0-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (1.3 kB)
Using cached build-1.3.0-py3-none-any.whl (23 kB)
Using cached packaging-25.0-py3-none-any.whl (66 kB)
Using cached pyproject_hooks-1.2.0-py3-none-any.whl (10 kB)
Installing collected packages: pyproject_hooks, packaging, build
Successfully installed build-1.3.0 packaging-25.0 pyproject_hooks-1.2.0
+ pip install meson-python
Collecting meson-python
  Using cached meson_python-0.18.0-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (2.8 kB)
Collecting meson>=1.2.3 (from meson-python)
  Using cached meson-1.9.1-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (1.8 kB)
Requirement already satisfied: packaging>=23.2 in /tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv/lib/python3.14/site-packages (from meson-python) (25.0)
Collecting pyproject-metadata>=0.9.0 (from meson-python)
  Using cached pyproject_metadata-0.9.1-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (7.0 kB)
Using cached meson_python-0.18.0-py3-none-any.whl (28 kB)
Using cached meson-1.9.1-py3-none-any.whl (1.0 MB)
Using cached pyproject_metadata-0.9.1-py3-none-any.whl (18 kB)
Installing collected packages: pyproject-metadata, meson, meson-python
Successfully installed meson-1.9.1 meson-python-0.18.0 pyproject-metadata-0.9.1

                                                              ✓ 6.02s
Building wheel...

+ python -m build /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate --wheel --no-isolation --skip-dependency-check --outdir=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/built_wheel
* Building wheel...
+ meson setup /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate/.mesonpy-n7htu2dp -Dbuildtype=release -Db_ndebug=if-release -Db_vscrt=md --native-file=/home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate/.mesonpy-n7htu2dp/meson-python-native-file.ini
The Meson build system
Version: 1.9.1
Source dir: /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate
Build dir: /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate/.mesonpy-n7htu2dp
Build type: native build
Project name: math_example
Project version: 1.0.0

../meson.build:1:0: ERROR: Could not invoke sanity check executable: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate/.mesonpy-n7htu2dp/meson-private/sanitycheckc.exe'.

A full log can be found at /home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate/.mesonpy-n7htu2dp/meson-logs/meson-log.txt

ERROR Backend subprocess exited when trying to invoke build_wheel

                                                              ✕ 0.88s
cibuildwheel: error: Command ['/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/venv/bin/python', '-m', 'build', '/home/ankith/mount/gitstuff/personal/ankith26/python-c-extension-boilerplate', '--wheel', '--no-isolation', '--skip-dependency-check', '--outdir=/tmp/cibw-run-qzzf88jt/cp314-android_x86_64/built_wheel'] failed with code 1. 

From what I can tell, the native-file that meson-python is passing right now is not correct for android. I think that meson-python should prepare and pass an android cross file that uses the environment variables that cibuildwheel has already set.

[rgommers]

Thanks @ankith26, that is helpful. Assuming it's similar to iOS in complexity, I don't see a problem with adding support.

There are working NumPy and SciPy builds at https://chaquo.com/chaquopy/, so let's ask the expert where the relevant patches are - @mhsmith, could you comment on this?

[dnicolodi]

This https://nibblestew.blogspot.com/2025/10/building-android-apps-with-native-code.html may be relevant. It seems that it could be possible to rely on meson env2mfile to generate a machine file.