What is the APK?

The APK (Android Package Kit) is the installable file for Android phones. It contains your entire app: code, assets, icon, splash screen, signed and ready to install. Swiftspeed builds it in the cloud so you do not need Android Studio, a Mac, or any developer machine. The newer AAB (Android App Bundle) is what Google Play actually wants for Play Store submissions, the editor produces both.

Generating and Downloading

From the dashboard, click the edit pencil on the app you want to build.

Swiftspeed dashboard with the Demo App card highlighted

In the editor top bar, click Download. The Publish workspace opens. The four sub-tabs (App Info, Marketing, Monetization, PWA) hold every setting that goes into a build, you only need App Info filled to ship.

Publish page sub-nav showing App Info, Marketing, Monetization, PWA tabs

Scroll to the Build section. Generate APK produces a single installable file, useful for sideloading or for smaller distribution. Generate AAB produces the bundle Google Play requires for Play Store submissions. The build runs in the cloud, you get an email + in-app notification when it is ready (typically 5 to 15 minutes).

Build card on the Publish page with Generate APK and Generate AAB buttons

When to Pick APK vs AAB

APK: distribute outside the Play Store (your own website, internal testing, third-party stores, sideload via USB).
AAB: required for new uploads to Google Play. Google Play strips it into device-specific APKs at install time, smaller download for end users.
Swiftspeed signs both with a stable upload key. Don't rotate keys between builds, Play Console rejects re-signed updates.

Tips

Set the App Info first. Application ID, version code, and version name on the Publish > App Info tab. Shipping with the default values causes Play Store rejection.
Bump version code on every build. Android requires a strictly-increasing integer per upload. The editor bumps it automatically; if you build manually, increment it yourself.
APK file size matters. Anything over 100MB triggers Play Store warnings. Compress images, prune unused features, generate AAB to let Google split the bundle.
Test on a real device before uploading to Play. Sideload the APK via adb install or scan the editor's QR code, the Play Console flags far fewer issues than your own QA process will.