From 50e7811bd8c0db13b4ba683e928c916c70c94fef Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jaret Bottoms <25535214+jbbottoms@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2026 18:22:52 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] fix(cli): default to apksigner for APK builds

---
 cli/src/declarations.ts        |  5 ++-
 cli/src/index.ts               |  8 ++--
 cli/src/tasks/build.ts         |  8 +++-
 cli/test/build.signing.spec.ts | 73 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 86 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 cli/test/build.signing.spec.ts

diff --git a/cli/src/declarations.ts b/cli/src/declarations.ts
index 2cee84996b..9da5543a09 100644
--- a/cli/src/declarations.ts
+++ b/cli/src/declarations.ts
@@ -272,10 +272,11 @@ export interface CapacitorConfig {
       releaseType?: 'AAB' | 'APK';
 
       /**
-       * Program to sign your build with
+       * Program to sign your build with. Defaults to `apksigner` for APKs and
+       * `jarsigner` for Android App Bundles. `apksigner` must be on your PATH
+       * when used.
        *
        * @since 5.1.0
-       * @default "jarsigner"
        */
       signingType?: 'apksigner' | 'jarsigner';
     };
diff --git a/cli/src/index.ts b/cli/src/index.ts
index fb70e1039b..5f755df20c 100644
--- a/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -150,10 +150,10 @@ export function runProgram(config: Config): void {
       ]),
     )
     .addOption(
-      new Option('--signing-type <signingtype>', 'Program used to sign apps (default: jarsigner)').choices([
-        'apksigner',
-        'jarsigner',
-      ]),
+      new Option(
+        '--signing-type <signingtype>',
+        'Program used to sign apps (default: apksigner for APK, jarsigner for AAB)',
+      ).choices(['apksigner', 'jarsigner']),
     )
     .addOption(
       new Option('--xcode-team-id <xcodeTeamID>', 'The Developer team to use for building and exporting the archive'),
diff --git a/cli/src/tasks/build.ts b/cli/src/tasks/build.ts
index c7e6b24159..f33adaff65 100644
--- a/cli/src/tasks/build.ts
+++ b/cli/src/tasks/build.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export async function buildCommand(
     );
   }
 
+  const androidReleaseType = buildOptions.androidreleasetype || config.android.buildOptions.releaseType || 'AAB';
   const buildCommandOptions: BuildCommandOptions = {
     scheme: buildOptions.scheme || config.ios.scheme,
     flavor: buildOptions.flavor || config.android.flavor,
@@ -45,8 +46,11 @@ export async function buildCommand(
     keystorepass: buildOptions.keystorepass || config.android.buildOptions.keystorePassword,
     keystorealias: buildOptions.keystorealias || config.android.buildOptions.keystoreAlias,
     keystorealiaspass: buildOptions.keystorealiaspass || config.android.buildOptions.keystoreAliasPassword,
-    androidreleasetype: buildOptions.androidreleasetype || config.android.buildOptions.releaseType || 'AAB',
-    signingtype: buildOptions.signingtype || config.android.buildOptions.signingType || 'jarsigner',
+    androidreleasetype: androidReleaseType,
+    signingtype:
+      buildOptions.signingtype ||
+      config.android.buildOptions.signingType ||
+      (androidReleaseType === 'APK' ? 'apksigner' : 'jarsigner'),
     configuration: buildOptions.configuration || 'Release',
     xcodeTeamId: buildOptions.xcodeTeamId || config.ios.buildOptions.teamId,
     xcodeExportMethod:
diff --git a/cli/test/build.signing.spec.ts b/cli/test/build.signing.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf1b001bbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/test/build.signing.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { join } from 'path';
+
+import type { Config } from '../src/definitions';
+import { buildCommand } from '../src/tasks/build';
+import type { BuildCommandOptions } from '../src/tasks/build';
+import { runCommand } from '../src/util/subprocess';
+
+jest.mock('../src/common', () => ({
+  selectPlatforms: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(['android']),
+  runTask: jest.fn((_title, task) => task()),
+}));
+jest.mock('../src/log', () => ({ logSuccess: jest.fn() }));
+jest.mock('../src/util/subprocess', () => ({ runCommand: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue('') }));
+
+describe('Android build signing defaults', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => jest.clearAllMocks());
+
+  it.each([
+    ['default bundle', {}, {}, 'AAB', 'jarsigner'],
+    ['CLI APK', { androidreleasetype: 'APK' }, {}, 'APK', 'apksigner'],
+    ['configured APK', {}, { releaseType: 'APK' }, 'APK', 'apksigner'],
+    ['CLI AAB overrides configured APK', { androidreleasetype: 'AAB' }, { releaseType: 'APK' }, 'AAB', 'jarsigner'],
+    ['CLI APK overrides configured AAB', { androidreleasetype: 'APK' }, { releaseType: 'AAB' }, 'APK', 'apksigner'],
+    ['explicit CLI jarsigner', { androidreleasetype: 'APK', signingtype: 'jarsigner' }, {}, 'APK', 'jarsigner'],
+    ['configured jarsigner', {}, { releaseType: 'APK', signingType: 'jarsigner' }, 'APK', 'jarsigner'],
+    [
+      'CLI signer overrides configured signer',
+      { signingtype: 'apksigner' },
+      { releaseType: 'APK', signingType: 'jarsigner' },
+      'APK',
+      'apksigner',
+    ],
+  ] as const)('%s', async (_name, cliOptions, configuredOptions, releaseType, signer) => {
+    const config = {
+      android: {
+        name: 'android',
+        platformDirAbs: '/test/android',
+        appDirAbs: '/test/android/app',
+        buildOptions: {
+          keystorePath: 'test.jks',
+          keystorePassword: 'test-password',
+          keystoreAlias: 'test',
+          keystoreAliasPassword: 'test-password',
+          ...configuredOptions,
+        },
+      },
+      ios: { name: 'ios', buildOptions: {} },
+    } as Config;
+
+    await buildCommand(config, 'android', { configuration: 'Release', ...cliOptions } as BuildCommandOptions);
+
+    expect(runCommand).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(runCommand).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+      1,
+      './gradlew',
+      [releaseType === 'APK' ? 'assembleRelease' : ':app:bundleRelease'],
+      { cwd: '/test/android' },
+    );
+    expect(runCommand).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+      2,
+      signer,
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        join(
+          '/test/android/app/build/outputs',
+          releaseType === 'APK' ? 'apk' : 'bundle',
+          'release',
+          `app-release-signed.${releaseType.toLowerCase()}`,
+        ),
+      ]),
+      { cwd: '/test/android' },
+    );
+  });
+});