Arch Linux User Repository

This package follows the stable channel (channel 0) from Android SDK Manager in Android Studio, whose source can be found at https://dl.google.com/android/repository/repository2-1.xml . So there might be delay if you only look at the release notes at https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools .

This one is packaging prebuilt platform tools from Google and is the one usually used by Android Studio users. android-tools builds from source instead. Both are valid choices imo.

Just found android-tools. So why does this package even exist?

@dreamingincode, you are correct, thank you for pointing that out. However, the current method is still a bad practice and does not work for every shell. Symlinking will solve the PATH issues once and for all.

I don't think adb is supposed to require root to run - or could you please link to an official source for that?

Or maybe you need to install the android-udev package and make sure you are in the adbusers group? https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Android_Debug_Bridge#Daemon_exits_with_insufficient_permissions_error

Is there a reason why the package modifies the PATH for some selected shells instead of simply symlinking the binaries to /usr/bin/? Since newer versions require elevated permissions to work, it becomes frustrating to have to use sudo $(which adb).

_❯ adb devices
* daemon not running; starting now at tcp:5037
ADB server didn't ACK
Full server startup log: /tmp/adb.1000.log
Server had pid: 27630
--- adb starting (pid 27630) ---
12-20 09:29:45.017 27630 27630 I adb     : main.cpp:63 Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41
12-20 09:29:45.017 27630 27630 I adb     : main.cpp:63 Version 35.0.2-12147458
12-20 09:29:45.017 27630 27630 I adb     : main.cpp:63 Installed as /opt/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb
12-20 09:29:45.017 27630 27630 I adb     : main.cpp:63 Running on Linux 6.6.65-1-MANJARO (x86_64)
12-20 09:29:45.017 27630 27630 I adb     : main.cpp:63 
12-20 09:29:45.020 27630 27630 I adb     : auth.cpp:416 adb_auth_init...
12-20 09:29:45.021 27630 27630 I adb     : auth.cpp:152 loaded new key from '/home/victor/.android/adbkey' with fingerprint C768D2602C67E4B37E428C2FD1FBD8E284088B99D3EC4AE957221102F8A7196B
12-20 09:29:45.021 27630 27630 I adb     : auth.cpp:391 adb_auth_inotify_init...
12-20 09:29:45.022 27630 27630 I adb     : udp_socket.cpp:170 AdbUdpSocket fd=12
12-20 09:29:45.022 27630 27630 I adb     : udp_socket.cpp:170 AdbUdpSocket fd=16
12-20 09:29:45.022 27630 27630 I adb     : udp_socket.cpp:274 SetMulticastOutboundInterface for index=3
12-20 09:29:45.022 27630 27630 I adb     : udp_socket.cpp:533 bind endpoint=0.0.0.0:5353
12-20 09:29:45.022 27630 27630 I adb     : udp_socket.cpp:274 SetMulticastOutboundInterface for index=3
12-20 09:29:45.022 27630 27630 I adb     : udp_socket.cpp:558 bind endpoint=[0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000]:5353 scope_id=0
12-20 09:29:46.021 27630 27630 E adb     : usb_libusb.cpp:598 failed to open device: Access denied (insufficient permissions)
12-20 09:29:46.021 27630 27630 I adb     : transport.cpp:1153 47b4d8db: connection terminated: failed to open device: Access denied (insufficient permissions)

* failed to start daemon
adb: failed to check server version: cannot connect to daemon

Since when does adb require elevated priviledges?

These tools are installed in /opt/android-sdk/platform-tools. It seems that the PKGBUILD adds the directory to PATH only for sh and csh and not other shells. I use Nushell, so I have a problem similar to what php4fan has. I added it to PATH manually.

I installed this package and I still don't seem to have the adb command:

$ adb
zsh: correct 'adb' to '_adb' [nyae]? n
zsh: command not found: adb

Am I missing something?

please add package.xml Without it trying to build apps with capacitor results in:

ERR_SDK_PACKAGE_NOT_FOUND: SDK package not found by location: /opt/android-sdk/platform-tools.

and while trying to debug it I discovered that it's trying to read the /opt/android-sdk/platform-tools/package.xml file and failing because it doesn't exist.