zinja-coder/apktool-mcp-server

apktool‑mcp‑server is a fully automated Model Context Protocol (MCP) service that bridges the powerful reverse‑engineering capabilities of apktool with large language models such as Claude. It removes the friction that normally separates static analysis tools from conversational AI, allowing developers and security researchers to query an APK’s internals through natural language. By exposing a rich set of MCP tools—ranging from decoding and rebuilding APKs to inspecting smali code, resources, and manifest entries—the server turns a complex binary into an interactive knowledge base that the LLM can interrogate in real time.

The core problem this server addresses is the disconnect between manual reverse engineering workflows and AI‑driven insights. Traditional APK analysis requires a developer to run apktool, navigate directories, and manually parse XML or smali files. When an analyst wants to ask a question like “Which permissions are potentially dangerous?” or “Show me where is called,” they must translate that intent into shell commands, parse the output, and often write custom scripts. apktool‑mcp‑server automates these steps: it runs the appropriate tool, formats the results into structured JSON, and delivers them directly to the LLM. The assistant can then synthesize the information into concise explanations, highlight vulnerabilities, or even suggest code modifications—all without leaving the chat.

Key capabilities include:

• Full APK lifecycle support – extracts resources and smali code; rebuilds a modified project.
• Intelligent content discovery – Tools such as , , and let the LLM locate specific classes, patterns, or assets.
• Context‑aware code review – and provide direct access to class implementations, enabling the model to compare versions or refactor code.
• Manifest and resource analysis – , , and expose configuration data that is critical for security audits.
• Convenience utilities – prepares the workspace for a clean rebuild, while allows dynamic asset changes.

In practice, this server shines in several scenarios. During a Capture‑The‑Flag (CTF) challenge, an analyst can quickly decode the target APK and ask the assistant to enumerate exported activities or identify hard‑coded URLs. In a production security review, the tool can automatically flag dangerous permissions in the manifest and suggest least‑privilege adjustments. For developers, it streamlines iterative testing: modify a smali file via , rebuild the APK, and immediately re‑evaluate the impact with fresh LLM insights.

Integration into existing AI workflows is straightforward: any client that supports MCP—such as the Zin‑MCP‑Client or custom scripts—can register this server and begin issuing tool calls. The MCP protocol handles request routing, authentication, and response formatting, so the developer can focus on crafting prompts that elicit actionable intelligence. Because the server is built in Python 3.10+ and adheres to Apache‑2.0 licensing, it can be embedded into private pipelines or shared publicly without legal friction.

Ultimately, apktool‑mcp‑server democratizes Android reverse engineering by coupling a mature decompilation engine with conversational AI. It eliminates manual overhead, accelerates vulnerability discovery, and provides a repeatable, programmable interface that fits naturally into modern security tooling ecosystems.