Step 1:

D:\projects\Phonegap\Example> cordova plugin rm org.apache.cordova.console

Step 2:

To generate a release build for Android, we first need to make a small change to the AndroidManifest.xml file found in platforms/android. Edit the file and change the line:

<application android:debuggable="true" android:hardwareAccelerated="true" android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name">

and change android:debuggable to "false":

<application android:debuggable="false" android:hardwareAccelerated="true" android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name">

Step 3:

Now we can tell cordova to generate our release build:

D:\projects\Phonegap\Example> cordova build --release android

Then, we can find our unsigned APK file in platforms/android/ant-build. In our example, the file was platforms/android/ant-build/Example-release-unsigned.apk

Step 4:

Note : We have our keystore 'keystoreNAME-mobileapps.keystore' in this Git Repo, if you want to create another, please proceed with the following steps.

Key Generation:

Syntax:

keytool -genkey -v -keystore <keystoreName>.keystore -alias <Keystore AliasName> -keyalg <Key algorithm> -keysize <Key size> -validity <Key Validity in Days>

Egs:

keytool -genkey -v -keystore NAME-mobileapps.keystore -alias NAMEmobileapps -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000


keystore password? : xxxxxxx
What is your first and last name? :  xxxxxx
What is the name of your organizational unit? :  xxxxxxxx
What is the name of your organization? :  xxxxxxxxx
What is the name of your City or Locality? :  xxxxxxx
What is the name of your State or Province? :  xxxxx
What is the two-letter country code for this unit? :  xxx

Then the Key store has been generated with name as NAME-mobileapps.keystore

Step 5:

Place the generated keystore in D:\projects\Phonegap\Example\platforms\android\ant-build

To sign the unsigned APK, run the jarsigner tool which is also included in the JDK:

Syntax:

jarsigner -verbose -sigalg SHA1withRSA -digestalg SHA1 -keystore <keystorename <Unsigned APK file> <Keystore Alias name>

Egs:

D:\projects\Phonegap\Example\platforms\android\ant-build> jarsigner -verbose -sigalg SHA1withRSA -digestalg SHA1 -keystore NAME-mobileapps.keystore Example-release-unsigned.apk xxxxxmobileapps

Enter KeyPhrase as 'xxxxxxxx'

This signs the apk in place.

Step 6:

Finally, we need to run the zip align tool to optimize the APK:

D:\projects\Phonegap\Example\platforms\android\ant-build> zipalign -v 4 Example-release-unsigned.apk Example.apk

D:\projects\Phonegap\Example\platforms\android\ant-build> C:\Phonegap\adt-bundle-windows-x86_64-20140624\sdk\build-tools\android-4.4W\zipalign -v 4 Example-release-unsigned.apk Example.apk

Now we have our final release binary called example.apk and we can release this on the Google Play Store.