---
name: "apk-adbdump"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "apk-tools"
version: "3.0.8-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/apk-adbdump"
---

# apk-adbdump(8)

dump v3 files in textual representation

## NAME

apk adbdump - dump v3 files in textual representation

## SYNOPSIS

**apk adbdump** \[\<*options*\>...\] *files*...

## DESCRIPTION

**apk adbdump** will dump the metadata portion of given *files* (packages, indexes, installeddb) to its textual representation.

The output can be:

- •

  yaml with annotations as comment

- •

  json data blob

[**apk-adbgen**(8)](/apk-adbgen/8.md) can convert the YAML textual representation back to the binary format with certain limitations (nested ADB and DATA blocks are not supported).

## OPTIONS

- **--format** *FORMAT*

  Specify the output format (options: **json**, **yaml**)

## SEE ALSO

[**apk-adbgen**(8)](/apk-adbgen/8.md), [**apk-package**(5)](/apk-package/5.md), [**apk-v3**(5)](/apk-v3/5.md)