Python for android is a project to create your own Python distribution including the modules you want, and create an apk including python, libs, and your application.

In terms of comparaison, you can check how Python for android can be useful compared to other projects.

WARNING: the current version is working only on Ubuntu oneiric (11.10). We don't provide support on other platform. If it doesn't work, send us patch, not bug report.

You need the minimal environment for building python. Note that other libraries might need other tools:

sudo apt-get install build-essential patch

You must have android SDK and NDK. You can download them at:

http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
http://developer.android.com/sdk/ndk/index.html

If it's your very first time into android sdk, don't forget to follow documentation for recommended components at:

http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing.html#which

    You need to download at least one platform into your environment, so
    that you will be able to compile your application and set up an Android
    Virtual Device (AVD) to run it on (in the emulator). To start with,
    just download the latest version of the platform. Later, if you plan to
    publish your application, you will want to download other platforms as
    well, so that you can test your application on the full range of
    Android platform versions that your application supports.

After installing them, export both installation path:

export ANDROIDSDK=/path/to/android-sdk
export ANDROIDNDK=/path/to/android-ndk

# examples
    export ANDROIDSDK="/home/tito/code/android/android-sdk-linux_86"
    export ANDROIDNDK="/home/tito/code/android/android-ndk-r5b"

Step 1, compile the toolchain:

MODULES="openssl pygame" ./configure.sh

Step 2, package your application:

...

• PGS4A: http://pygame.renpy.org/
• Android scripting: http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/
• Python on a chip: http://code.google.com/p/python-on-a-chip/