Milestones and scope

Milestone Implementation and tests Result / limit
1 Minimal DEX Format 035, IDs, map, LEB, MUTF, hashes, parser, executable method. Own/AOSP checks pass; classes loaded and executed in ART.
2 Advanced DEX References, constructors, parameters, fields, instructions, arrays, interfaces, conversions and exceptions. Activity, bridge and plugin bytecode executed on Android; not a full Java compiler.
3 Activity Go-generated Activity/WebView and lifecycle. Startup confirmed with am start, logcat and DevTools.
4 APK AXML, ARSC/icon, aligned ZIP32, persistent identity, v2 signature and own verifier. Install/update under the same identity; external aapt/apksigner accept output.
5 WebView Controlled HTTPS origin, assets, CSP, SPA, service-worker interceptor. HTML/JS/CSS/SVG without Wi-Fi or data; navigation, Back and keyboard checked.
6 Runtime MessagePort, validation/promises/errors, six plugins and DEX ABI, optional JNI. Device/app/storage/vibration/notifications/chooser tested; JNI info executed in ART.
7 Toolchain English Cobra CLI: init/build/release/dex/verify/doctor/version/keygen; cache, examples, docs and binary. APK build stays offline; Linux validated, other hosts limited to compilation checks.
Documentation website English/Spanish Docsify site, local assets, prerendered HTML and browser checks. Website tooling is separate from the Android compiler; see website validation records.

Cobra is confined to cmd/koru. DEX, AXML, ARSC, APK packaging and signatures remain implemented by koru using Go and the standard library. Help derives from the command tree and uses ANSI colors in interactive terminals.

Executed matrix

Android 11, API 30, x86_64, software emulation without KVM. This demonstrates the complete APK, not only a well-formed ZIP/DEX. It does not prove compatibility with all devices or real-hardware performance.

Initial failure logs and diagnoses are retained. Native-port reception and Back navigation tests were fixed: WebView can replace its DevTools target when restoring a page. The test checks URL/Activity and reconnects to the restored target.

Outside the initial scope

APK v3/v4, AAB, scheduled alarms, Android 26–36/ARM device matrix, comparative benchmarks, general annotations, multidex and full semantic register verification. The parser remains strict for the implemented subset. The JNI prebuilt example is x86_64; standard DEX apps do not depend on that architecture.

Android evidence · Documentation archive