ProGuard is a free Java class file shrinker, optimizer, obfuscator, and preverifier. It detects and removes unused classes, fields, methods, and attributes. It optimizes bytecode and removes unused instructions. It renames the remaining classes, fields, and methods using short meaningless names. Finally, it preverifies the processed code for Java 6 or higher, or for Java Micro Edition.
Some uses of ProGuard are:ProGuard's main advantage compared to other Java obfuscators is probably its compact template-based configuration. A few intuitive command line options or a simple configuration file are usually sufficient. The user manual explains all available options and shows examples of this powerful configuration style.
ProGuard is fast. It only takes seconds to process programs and libraries of several megabytes. The results section presents actual figures for a number of applications.
ProGuard is a command-line tool with an optional graphical user interface. It also comes with plugins for Ant, for Gradle, and for the JME Wireless Toolkit.
ProGuard now has a sibling optimizer and obfuscator for Android:
DexGuard. It
focuses on code protection, with additional features like string encryption,
class encryption, and dex splitting. It directly targets Dalvik bytecode and
streamlines the Android build process.