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i'm used to setup computers with linux-distributions pretty often, so i partly automatized it with a shell script...
now also the amount of android-devices i have to setup/configure starts to increase and i'm wondering if there is a applicable way to automatize it.

is there a android-app, a desktop software (linux preferred) or some other way (maybe adb and a script) to set several system-settings, uninstall/deactivate pre-installed apps, install apps and maybe also set their settings.

the devices are completely mixed but all used without google-account! - phones and tablets are from different manufactures with no particular android version; also some devices run with custom roms but not all will be rooted.

i know the demands are pretty high, so i'm afraid there won't be an exact answer which accomplishes everything and therefore also answers with partial successes (e.g. restricted to special android-versions, rooted devices, etc.) or also ideas/hints in a good direction will be welcome!

this question was inspired by @gyuriscs question on Software Recommendations: https://softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/38977/configuring-android-phones-from-pc

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  • If you prepare one "master device" manually, my little tool Adebar might prove helpful. It would create scripts to backup/restore apps incl. their data and settings (adb backup/restore) via single files (one backup per app), and also scripts to disable apps you've had disabled, and some more. Not the complete thing, but quite a bit.
    – Izzy
    Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 7:40

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There are a few things you can do.

As far as system settings go, you're not going to automate that part without root unless you're rolling your own images from source (I doubt that you're doing that and don't recommend you try). The vast majority of settings are merely entries in a SQLite Database somewhere, so if you can find the required SQLite files, you can manipulate them directly if you are rooted. This can be scripted.

ADB can install the software you need. Use the following command:

adb install path/to/your/Android/executable.apk

Alternatively, to remove software, use:

adb uninstall package.name

(Note that I said package name, and not user-friendly name. The package name is the one that looks like com.company.product)

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  • the adb-part is pretty clear to me; just one open question: will adb uninstall [package name] also deactivate pre-installed apps which can't be uninstalled? or must the device also be rooted for adb install|uninstall ...? - and have the apps to be locally available or is it possible to link to an alternative app-store (like F-Droid) or use a simple URL?
    – DJCrashdummy
    Commented Jan 25, 2017 at 13:52
  • thank you! the part with the SQLite Database sounds interesting. can you be more concrete about it? (not how to manipulate a SQLite database but) where it can be found? maybe a scheme of the database? or some other detailed resources you have?
    – DJCrashdummy
    Commented Jan 25, 2017 at 13:58
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    DJCrashDummy: 'adb uninstall' wont affect any applications that are installed in /system (the uninstallable ones). 'adb install|uninstall' does not require root, but you do need the apps locally. You might be able to use wget to pull them in from remote sources in a script. As for where the SQLite files can be found, Android kinda scatters them about. Application-specific ones can be found in /data/data/ and you can find some of the more system-oriented ones in /data/system
    – 520
    Commented Jan 27, 2017 at 12:55

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