# apktool d app

**Date:** 2025-12-15  
**Tags:** Android, Security, Reverse Engineering  
**URL:** https://kelexine.is-a.dev/til/apktool-decompile

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TIL: apktool d app.apk gives you smali bytecode, but jadx app.apk gives you readable Java. Use apktool for patching (it can rebuild), jadx for analysis. Combine both for efficient Android reverse engineering.


```bash
# Decompile to smali (can rebuild)
apktool d app.apk -o smali_output

# Decompile to Java (read-only)
jadx app.apk -d java_output

# Rebuild after patching smali
apktool b smali_output -o patched.apk
```




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*This content is available at [kelexine.is-a.dev/til/apktool-decompile](https://kelexine.is-a.dev/til/apktool-decompile)*