Develop Reference

Which permissions does an Android launcher need to run shortcuts

I am writing an Android launcher that does not support widgets, but it does support shortcuts. One of the shortcuts provided by AOSP is Direct dial, and my launcher needs the android.permission.CALL_PHONE permission for that. My question is, are there any other permissions that I need to add, to allow all possible shortcuts, even those provided by third party apps?

FOR NOUGAT SHORTCUTS ( API LEVEL 25+ )
There is not standard permission to add/launch shortcuts. If target api level of your app is 25+, you can use ShortcutManager or static shortcut via .xml meta-data.
https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/shortcuts.html
FOR LEGACY SHORTCUTS ( BELOW API LEVEL 25 )
If you want to install&use Legacy shortcuts without user interaction, you need to declare INSTALL SHORTCUT permission.
Legacy shortcuts use Intent Action:
Create shortcut for Launcher: "android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT"
Install shortcut on Launcher: "com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT"
Required permission on AndroidManifest.xml:
<uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
You can find more resources when you search for intent actions above.

There is no way to know this in advance. Some apps just assume that the caller of their shortcuts have some permissions (e.g. some system launcher shortcuts often only work in the system launcher itself, as they sometimes require some self defined permission).
In general, any app that offers shortcuts, should run the code in itself instead of the calling app to be sure the required permissions are present, but apparently this is not the case in some apps (especially in launchers e.g.).
I face this problem in an app of mine every now and then as well and catch the exception and tell the user, that the selected shortcut does not support other apps and is implemented in a wrong way.
Example - shortcut to call someone that works and that does not work
E.g. think about a third party app that offers a direct call shortcut. It can handle this in 2 way:
wrong way
It can return an intent like following:
Intent intent = new Intent();
Intent launchIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_CALL, Uri.parse("tel:" + number);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, launchIntent);
...
This intent can ONLY be run by an app that has the action call permission
correct way
The app knows, that the caller may not have the call phone permission, so it does not return the direct phone call intent directly, but a custom one that it handles itself like e.g.
Intent.ShortcutIconResource icon = Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(this, R.mipmap.icon);
Intent intent = new Intent();
Intent launchIntent = new Intent(this, MyPhoneCallActivity.class);
launchIntent.putExtra("number", number);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, launchIntent);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, getString(pause != null ? (pause ? R.string.shortcut_pause : R.string.shortcut_resume) : R.string.shortcut_toggle_pause_resume));
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, icon);
If the caller executes the shortcut, the MyPhoneCallActivity will be started - this runs inside the app itself and has all permissions of the shortcut provider. This activity then can simply execute the Intent.ACTION_CALL intent itself and finishes itself afterwards. This way, the calling app does not need any special permissions. The workaround via an activity is one solution for this problem that works.

This is not a definitive answer, as I couldn't find this explicitly stated anywhere, but it seems that only phone call shortcuts require a permission, so the CALL_PHONE permission is the only one you need, to launch shortcuts.
AOSP launcher only checks for the CALL_PHONE permission. Source: https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/apps/Launcher3/+/master/src/com/android/launcher3/Launcher.java#1630
I haven't been able to find any other types of shortcuts that require permissions.

update apk programmatically (without root)

I want to update my android application programmatically.
I used following code:
final Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(new
File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory()+"/AndroidTest.apk")), "application/vnd.android.package-archive");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
This code display dialogue box to install application.
I want to install apk automatically.
Please help me.

Fortunately, this is not possible, for obvious security reasons. Apps cannot install apps without user intervention, with the exception of certain system apps that have the right permissions and such.

Yes It is possible Please check this out
For this you need SUPER_USERACCESS
Add this permission: <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_SUPERUSER" />

How to configure the android intent actions in android manifest

I have a webview in my app, on trying to do actions like making a call (Tapping call button from results displayed in webview), sending mails and other actions, my webview doesn't perform those actions
I Found a solution to add the intent actions in my web view activity as
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_DIAL, Uri.parse(url));
startActivity(intent)
Instead of doing so is there any way to add in the android manifest file
or Is there any way to turn on all of the intent actions for the webview so that
there wont be further issues in handling the actions
Can someone help me on this pls

Your answer seems to me a bit strange, I think you are a bit confuse about the difference between Intent and manifest permission. The first one are the system used by android to let app communicate with each other, the second one allow you to use some feature of the device like wifi and direct phone call that need the explicit agreement of the user to be used (the prompt that popup when you make the first install of an app).
With this clarification it is clear that if you want to do something that require another app you will have to make an Intent. This Intent, if well formed, will be elaborated by the os that will take care of sending it to the correct application able to accomplish the Intentrequirement.
So the answer to your question, as far as i know, is no, you have to use intent if you have the need of calling external app. It's also a good practice to set in the manifest only the permission really needed by the app, this way the user know what the app really can do and and what it can't do.
Hope i understand your question and answer it.

Possible to watch all Intents/Broadcasts on the phone

Is there an app or another possibility to watch for ALL Intents and Broadcast flowing in an android system?
Maybe another app which uses a special intent (not the standart ones) you want to use or broadcast yourself.

You can't listen to every Intent.
If you are worried that someone else uses your intent use your package name as prefix.
For example if you are willing to have an intent with the action SERVER_UPDATE, use: com.nitromouse.appname.SERVER_UPDATE

why not? Just list all permitted intents in the intent filters section. If you find that intimidating, write a program to write the xml menifest (or may be pay someone for typing)?
Oh.. dont forget to add all required permissions also...

In Android, can you delete an application from another application?

If I have two applications loaded on an Android device, are there calls I can make in one that will delete the other one? I am looking for something to delete apps in a fashion similar to how I can launch an app from another.
I thought this may be possible through the Intent/Activity interactions but it doesn't seem possible. This seems like something that may not be allowed for obvious reasons but wanted to check anyways.
Follow up question, can an application remove itself?

You cannot complete the removal without user approval, but you can use an intent to bring up a screen where they can confirm the removal:
<manifest ...>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_DELETE_PACKAGES"/>
...
</manifest>
Uri packageURI = Uri.parse("package:"+"some.package.to.remove");
Intent uninstallIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_DELETE, packageURI);
startActivity(uninstallIntent);

There are apps like quick uninstaller that speed up the delete process, you'll probably need to find an Intent that deletes the app, because the user still needs to have the final say over this.