Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to run zkite dev before zkite run?
Section titled “Do I need to run zkite dev before zkite run?”No. zkite run is a standalone command that compiles, installs, and launches your application directly without requiring a preceding development preview session.
Does the finished Android app need Python installed on the phone?
Section titled “Does the finished Android app need Python installed on the phone?”No. ZKite bundles a lightweight CPython 3.14 native runtime directly inside the compiled APK. End-users install your application like any standard Android app from an APK or app store.
Is the app a website inside a WebView wrapper?
Section titled “Is the app a website inside a WebView wrapper?”No. The default and supported ZKite architecture uses native Android rendering. Layouts, views, and touch events are processed directly through native Android UI views, not an embedded web browser.
Can I install and use any Python package from PyPI?
Section titled “Can I install and use any Python package from PyPI?”You can use pure-Python packages (e.g. requests, pydantic, jinja2). Packages requiring compiled C extensions specifically compiled for desktop Windows or Linux cannot be copied into an Android environment without Android-specific compilation.
Can I organize my project into nested subfolders?
Section titled “Can I organize my project into nested subfolders?”In ZKite 1.0.0, application source modules and asset images must reside at the root of your project directory beside main.py for automatic packaging into the Android build bundle.
Why does my phone show both a development app and a normal app?
Section titled “Why does my phone show both a development app and a normal app?”The development preview (zkite dev) uses a distinct package identifier and data sandbox so that active development does not overwrite or corrupt data in your installed standalone app.
Why do store values reset after closing the app?
Section titled “Why do store values reset after closing the app?”Store state is purely in-memory. For values that must persist across app terminations and reboots, write them to local files (such as JSON) or an SQLite database.
Why does the Android status bar remain white on a dark screen?
Section titled “Why does the Android status bar remain white on a dark screen?”The application’s screen background and the Android OS status bar are separate layers. Wrap your root widget in SystemBars with status_color="#0b0f19" and status_icons="light" to match your theme.
Can I build an APK without having a phone plugged in?
Section titled “Can I build an APK without having a phone plugged in?”Yes! Use zkite build apk or zkite build aab. Build commands do not require a connected physical device or emulator.