# senzhk/ADBKeyBoard

Android Virtual Keyboard Input via ADB (Useful for Test Automation)

Repository: https://github.com/senzhk/ADBKeyBoard
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/adbkeyboard
Language: Java
License: GPL-2.0
License Family: copyleft
Last push: 2026-08-09T04:10:41+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 83/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 96, release rhythm 56, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4744, "days_push": 24, "days_rel": 132, "gap_med": 102, "n_releases_24m": 2}
- flags: prerelease_only
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1943, forks 400 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:57.572827+00:00)

## What it is
ADBKeyBoard is an Android virtual keyboard (IME) that receives text input commands via ADB broadcast intents. It enables sending arbitrary Unicode text and key events to Android devices and emulators, which the built-in 'input' shell command cannot do.

## Use cases
- send unicode text to android device via adb
- automate text input in android ui tests
- type chinese or other non-ascii characters over adb
- input text into emulator for appium tests
- send keyevent codes like delete via broadcast intent
- replace manual typing during android device automation

## When to choose
- you need to send unicode or CJK text to an Android device over ADB
- you are building Android UI test automation that requires text input
- the built-in 'adb shell input text' command fails on non-ASCII strings

## When to avoid
- you only need ASCII text input, which 'adb shell input text' already handles
- you need a keyboard for daily human use rather than automation
- your target device cannot install third-party IMEs due to security policy

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: testing, workflow-automation, cli
- domain: mobile-development, developer-tools, testing
- platform: cli
- tags: adb, android-testing, virtual-keyboard, ime, unicode-input, test-automation, appium, automation, android

## Member repositories
- senzhk/ADBKeyBoard (main) score 83

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:57.572827+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:08:02.927264+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/senzhk/ADBKeyBoard (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:57.572827+00:00, sha a39ec6d23e5c)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.