What command-line tool lets developers communicate with Android devices?

The Android Debug Bridge, commonly called adb, is the command-line tool developers use to communicate with Android devices. It lets a computer install applications, copy files, inspect logs, open a device shell, and issue debugging commands.

ADB uses a client-server-daemon architecture. The adb client runs in the developer’s terminal, an adb server runs on the host computer, and an adb daemon runs on the Android device. Communication can travel over USB or, when configured and authorized, over TCP/IP and Wi-Fi. This structure allows the host to discover and manage connected devices through one command-line interface.

ADB is included with Google’s Android SDK Platform-Tools and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is not the same as Android Device Monitor, a graphical diagnostic application, nor is it a compiler or build wrapper. Since ADB can provide a device shell and install packages, modern Android versions require user authorization for USB debugging, typically through an RSA trust prompt.