When analyzing an APK, I've found a whole lot of `.properties` files in the archive's root, indicating the version numbers of Google Play services, Firebase and the Google HTTP client, for example:

```
version=19.2.0
client=firebase-database
firebase-database_client=19.2.0

```

These could theoretically be excluded from the package alike:

```
android {
    packagingOptions {
        exclude "firebase-*.properties"
        exclude "play-services-*.properties"
        exclude "google-http-client.version"
    }
}

```

However, this [issue](https://github.com/firebase/quickstart-android/issues/671) suggests it would be the "intended behavior". So is it safe to exclude these seemingly useless files from the package - or are they required by Google Play, in order to expose these version numbers to automated package-content scans? Is the purpose of these version number files documented somewhere?

---

Here's a screenshot of what I'm talking about:

[![Analyze APK screenshot](https://i.stack.imgur.com/m2cRp.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/m2cRp.png)