What is SHA Fingerprint?
SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) is a cryptographic hash function that generates a fixed-size output from an input of arbitrary size. In android development, the SHA fingerprint is used to uniquely identify your app and its associated signature file.
The signature file is a digital certificate that contains the public key of the developer’s private key, which is used to verify the authenticity of the app when it is installed on a device. The SHA fingerprint of an app is generated using the SHA-256 hash function and is typically 20 bytes in length.
The SHA fingerprint is used by the Google Play Store to verify that the app has not been tampered with during the development process, and it can be used to detect fraudulent apps as well.
How to Get SHA Fingerprint in Android Studio
- Open Android Studio and select your project from the list of projects in the left-hand pane.
- In the right-hand pane, click on the “Build” menu and select “Generate Signed Application Package”.
- Select the “Keystore” option and choose the keystore file that you used to sign your app. If you haven’t signed your app yet, you can create a new keystore file by clicking on the “Create New” button.
- Fill in the required fields for the keystore, including the key alias, key password, and store password.
- Once you have filled in the required fields, click on the “Next” button to proceed.
- In the next step, you will be prompted to specify the location where you want to save the signed application package. Choose a location that is convenient for you.
- Click on the “Finish” button to generate the signed application package with the SHA fingerprint.
Importance of SHA Fingerprint in App Development
The SHA fingerprint is an important part of app development as it provides a unique identifier for your app and its associated signature file. This helps to ensure that your app has not been tampered with during the development process, and it can be used by the Google Play Store to verify the authenticity of the app when it is installed on a device.
Having a valid SHA fingerprint for your app also ensures that you are able to update your app in the future without any issues. If you make changes to your code after signing your app, you will need to generate a new signature file with a new SHA fingerprint in order to update your app on the Google Play Store.
Real-Life Example of SHA Fingerprint in App Development
Let’s take a look at an example of how the SHA fingerprint is used in app development. Suppose you are an android developer and you have created an app called “MyApp”. You have signed your app using a keystore file with a key alias of “mykey” and a key password of “mypassword”. When you submit your app to the Google Play Store, the SHA fingerprint of your app is included in the signature file.
When a user downloads your app from the Google Play Store, the SHA fingerprint of your app is verified by the Google Play Store to ensure that it has not been tampered with during the development process. If the SHA fingerprint is valid and matches the one in the signature file, the app is installed on the user’s device.