Docker Android AVD with WhatsApp pre-installed
A Docker image based on Ubuntu Desktop with VNC and noVNC access, that runs a lightweight Android Virtual Device.
The Dockerfile uses the following image as a base: dorowu/ubuntu-desktop-lxde-vnc:xenial
Deployment
docker-compose up --build
Access noVNC
Visit localhost:6080
- Default username:
root - Default password:
secret
Start Android AVD
Using Supervisord to manage the services, the Android AVD should start up automatically with WhatsApp pre-installed. If it doesn't then...:
Run the following command
${ANDROID_HOME}/tools/emulator @Pixel -gpu off
Using emulator throws an error described somewhere on SO... can't recall where, anyway the fix is to call from directory directly.
NOTE
At the moment the Docker entrypoint CMD/Supervisord isn't configuring the AVD. For now, to do it manually, run:
/app/entrypoint.sh
/app/start-avd.sh
In case you would like to start it with camera support (will take the screen from the VM as camera input):
/app/start-avd-with-cam.sh
After Android started, open your browser and open WhatsAppWeb or if you have the Matrix WhatsAppBridgeBot send login. This should delivever you the QR code, now open in WhatsApp under option the "WhatsAppWeb", move with the Firefox window with QR code that it fits in the camera field of whatsapp. Depending on camera position it helps to rotate your mobile phone with the emulator buttons to be able to catch the QR code.
For more detail to bridge with matrix look here: https://matrix.org/docs/guides/whatsapp-bridging-mautrix-whatsapp
Please feel welcome to submit a pull-request to fix it!
Further Development
I'd like to stream a VNC feed via the v4l2loopback kernel module into the Android AVD... WIP. This would allow one to scan WhatsApp web barcodes remotely.