App Bundle
Medium — good to knowFrontend
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
An App Bundle (AAB) is Android's smarter app format that lets Google Play build optimized APKs for each device. Instead of shipping one fat APK with assets for every screen size and language, each user gets only what they need.
Real Talk
Android's publishing format (.aab) that contains all compiled code and resources, allowing Google Play to generate optimized APKs for each device configuration (screen density, CPU architecture, language). App Bundles typically reduce download size by 15-20% compared to universal APKs.
When You'll Hear This
"Google Play now requires App Bundles — you can't upload plain APKs for new apps anymore." / "The App Bundle format means users in Japan get Japanese resources, not the full 40-language bundle."