Android SDK Command-line Tools

Android SDK Command-line Tools is Google's standalone collection of SDK-management and development utilities for Android developers and build engineers. It is useful for scripted SDK setup and machines that do not need Android Studio's graphical IDE. It is distinct from Platform-Tools (adb and fastboot), Build-Tools, and the Android Emulator, which are separate SDK packages.

Capabilities

• List, install, update, and remove SDK packages with sdkmanager.
• Select exact SDK package versions and stable or preview update channels for reproducible automation.
• Review and accept applicable SDK package licenses with sdkmanager --licenses.
• Use included development utilities such as avdmanager, lint, apkanalyzer, and retrace as documented for the selected tool release.

Current guidance Google's current sdkmanager guide marks sdkmanager deprecated and recommends the Android CLI's android sdk commands. This describes that utility's upstream status; the currently listed Homebrew cask itself is not marked deprecated. Existing scripts should check Google's migration guidance rather than assuming the newer Android CLI is included in this cask.

Install and configure On Mac, install with brew install --cask android-commandlinetools. Homebrew records the default SDK root as $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/share/android-commandlinetools and explicitly requires Java, suggesting the Temurin cask as a way to provide it. Configure a compatible JDK and JAVA_HOME for your selected tool release. Use sdkmanager --version and sdkmanager --list to inspect the installed tools and available packages. Select the SDK packages you actually need; downloading this toolkit alone does not install every Android platform, build tool, emulator, or device tool.

Systems, dependencies, and coexistence Google distributes Windows, Linux, and macOS archives. The listed build 15859902 has separate official Mac ARM64 and x86-64 downloads; this catalog's default Apple Silicon download is the ARM64 archive. The Homebrew snapshot lists Intel and Apple Silicon Mac platforms, but its platform list is packaging metadata rather than a standalone vendor minimum. The official command-line-tools page does not specify a current independent macOS, memory, disk-space, or minimum JDK requirement for this exact build. Java is a confirmed dependency even though Homebrew's formula-dependency field is empty. No explicit conflicting cask is listed. If you already use Android Studio's SDK Manager, point scripts at the intended SDK root and avoid confusing separate SDK installations.

Access, costs, and licensing Local SDK utilities do not require a paid subscription or Google sign-in for ordinary local package management. Downloads require network access, adequate space for the selected packages, and acceptance of the applicable Android SDK License Agreement. Individual open-source components retain their own licenses; publishing to Google Play is a separate service and account process. Android is a trademark of Google LLC.

Official references

• Tools and releases: https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/cmdline-tools
• sdkmanager and current replacement guidance: https://developer.android.com/tools/sdkmanager
• Downloads and SDK terms: https://developer.android.com/studio
• Official package/version manifest: https://dl.google.com/android/repository/repository2-3.xml

Image credit: The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).