A Compiler-Assisted odex File Rewriting Method

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1671-1122.2026.02.007

Abstract

Abstract:

The mobile operating system translates application bytecode into machine code through pre-compilation and stores it in odex files to improve application startup and runtime efficiency. However, system framework updates invalidate these odex files, necessitating application recompilation and degrading user experience. One approach to avoid recompilation was to statically rewrite existing odex files, but existing static rewriting technologies paid little attention to odex files and the rewriting challenges posed by system environment changes. To address these issues, this paper proposed a compiler-assisted odex file rewriting method. During compilation, this method collected instruction information to guide precise static rewriting and adapt odex files to new system environments. This paper implemented a prototype system based on this method and evaluated it on 50 popular applications. The experimental results show that the method effectively rewrites odex files. The average time cost for rewriting is only 6.85% of the time required for recompilation.

Key words: mobile operating system application, compiler-assisted, binary rewriting, odex

CLC Number:

TP309

CHENG Long, XIE Mengfei, WU Hongtao, FU Jianming. A Compiler-Assisted odex File Rewriting Method[J]. Netinfo Security, 2026, 26(2): 263-273.

Figures/Tables 13

References 20

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高级抽象结构	涉及指令
type	const-class, check-cast, instance-of, new-instance, new-array, filled-new-array*
string	const-string, const-string/jumbo
field	iinstanceop, sstaticop
meth	invoke-kind, invoke-polymorphic
proto	invoke-polymorphic*, const-method-type
call_site	invoke-custom*

高级抽象结构	是否静态	访问方式
type	—	重定位段基址+索引
string	—	重定位段基址+索引
field	否	偏移
field	是	重定位段基址+索引+偏移
meth	否	偏移
meth	是	重定位段基址+索引+偏移

应用包名	产物大小 /MB	编译时间/s	编译额外时间/s	重写时间/s	节约时间 /s	保存dex时间/s
com.baidu.netdisk	699	52.36	14.31	4.09	33.96	0.88
com.eg.android.AlipayGphone	649	40.45	5.97	5.25	29.23	0.61
com.ss.android.article.news	630	42.50	7.27	2.24	32.97	0.81
com.tencent.qqlive	668	53.70	10.57	6.71	36.41	1.23
com.tencent.qqmusic	626	44.44	10.15	7.28	27.00	0.95
tv.danmaku.bili	585	43.95	11.12	3.39	29.43	1.04
com.baidu.searchbox	545	34.34	8.22	2.56	23.55	0.64
com.smile.gifmaker	553	43.64	3.69	2.24	37.71	1.01
com.ss.android.article.lite	531	35.14	4.81	1.58	28.74	0.69
com.cat.readall	535	39.06	7.10	2.07	29.89	0.68