What is inside an Android APK file

Question

Coming form a web development background where all your files are uploaded to a server individually, the APK file is very different to me!

From what I gather it’s ki

Answer 1

Android application package file. Each Android application is compiled and packaged in a single file that includes all of the application's code (.dex files), resources, assets, and manifest file. The application package file can have any name but must use the .apk extension. For example: myExampleAppname.apk. For convenience, an application package file is often referred to as an ".apk".

Answer 2

The structure of an APK:

|-- AndroidManifest.xml
|-- META-INF // Signature Data
|   |-- CERT.RSA
|   |-- CERT.SF
|   `-- MANIFEST.MF
|-- classes.dex //  java byte code file generated after the compilation
|-- res // resource files
|   |-- drawable
|   |   `-- icon.png
|   `-- layout
|       `-- main.xml
`-- resources.arsc

You can find more detailed information here: http://android-anything.diandian.com/post/2011-09-28/5377936