ADB Useful Commands

ADB is the acronym for Android Debug Bridge, and it is a tool used to "fiddle" with the mobile from the computer or debug applications.

To be able to use it we will have to have the Android SDK installed. (How to install it in WIN in Linux) and activate USB debugging, we connect the mobile BUT WE DO NOT ACTIVATE THE STORAGE.

To enter, we open a "cmd" (run -> write "cmd") or if you are on linux open the terminal, and we go into the directory where we have installed the adb (cd directory).

Below I briefly explain the most practical commands:

adb devices

It informs us if our android is well communicated with the equipment, if so we will get a serial number.

adb install (app without parentheses.apk)

It is used to install an app, for it to work we have to move the app to the platform tools folder (where the sdk is installed). We can also uninstall, with this command: "Adb uninstall Aplicacion.apk", also if we add a suffix "-k”Will leave the application data and cache in memory.

adb reboot-bootloader and reboot recovery

With these commands we can restart the phone in recovery mode or bootloader mode, it can be useful to change the ROM if we get involved with the key combinations.

adb push

It allows us to copy a file from the android-tools folder to our phone, very useful if mass storage does not work.

adb pull

It allows us to transfer a file from the phone to the computer.

adb shell

We enter a command interpreter session. Once inside the shell command interpreter, we can create partitions, directories, delete, create, etc ... Inside the shell we can use the following commands:

• ls existing directories and folders in the path that we are.
• reboot Reboot 
• rm Delete a file
• rmdir Delete a directory
• cd Change directory
• mkdir Create a directory
• mkswapp Create a sharing system
• mount Mount a drive or partition
• umount Unmounts a drive
• mv Move or rename a file

fastboot devices

When we are in fastboot mode the adb commands do not work, because android has not started at all.

This command many devices have it disabled, with it we see if our mobile has it enabled and if so, a serial number should appear as in adb devices.

fastboot oem unlock

This command does one thing only,  unlock the Nexus (or HTC through its official tool). If we have a phone from a different manufacturer, we will have a different method in each case, however I include it so that we can see the difference between a 100% google mobile and one from other manufacturers, google does not care if you mess with the mobile, and this is a good reason to choose nexus over no other.

To use it, just put it on, follow the instructions on the screen and that's it, it's that simple.

Caution !!: Using “fastboot oem unlock”, all the content of the device will be erased