How to break the file number [64K] limit when building an apk?

There are over 64K files in the assets folder in my Android Project, which caused IllegalArgumentException: Value(66049) > 0x0000ffff

Details about Exception when building apk

org.gradle.execution.MultipleBuildFailures: Build completed with 1 failures.
    at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$ExecuteTasks.run(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:358)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:300)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:292)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:174)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:90)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.run(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:31)
    at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.runTasks(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:219)
    at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.doBuildStages(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:149)
    at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.executeTasks(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:124)
    at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController$1.call(GradleBuildController.java:77)
    at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController$1.call(GradleBuildController.java:74)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.DefaultWorkerLeaseService.withLocks(DefaultWorkerLeaseService.java:154)
    at org.gradle.internal.work.StopShieldingWorkerLeaseService.withLocks(StopShieldingWorkerLeaseService.java:38)
    at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController.doBuild(GradleBuildController.java:96)
    at org.gradle.internal.invocation.GradleBuildController.run(GradleBuildController.java:74)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.runner.ClientProvidedBuildActionRunner.run(ClientProvidedBuildActionRunner.java:68)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ChainingBuildActionRunner.run(ChainingBuildActionRunner.java:35)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ChainingBuildActionRunner.run(ChainingBuildActionRunner.java:35)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ValidatingBuildActionRunner.run(ValidatingBuildActionRunner.java:32)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner$3.run(RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner.java:50)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:300)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:292)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:174)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:90)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.run(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:31)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner.run(RunAsBuildOperationBuildActionRunner.java:45)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SubscribableBuildActionRunner.run(SubscribableBuildActionRunner.java:51)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter$1.transform(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:47)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter$1.transform(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:44)
    at org.gradle.composite.internal.DefaultRootBuildState.run(DefaultRootBuildState.java:79)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter.execute(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:44)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter.execute(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:30)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.execute(BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.java:39)
    at org.gradle.launcher.exec.BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.execute(BuildTreeScopeBuildActionExecuter.java:25)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.execute(ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.java:80)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.execute(ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.java:53)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.execute(ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.java:62)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.execute(ServicesSetupBuildActionExecuter.java:34)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.execute(GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.java:36)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.execute(GradleThreadBuildActionExecuter.java:25)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.execute(ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.java:43)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.execute(ParallelismConfigurationBuildActionExecuter.java:29)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.execute(StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.java:59)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.execute(StartParamsValidatingActionExecuter.java:31)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.execute(SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.java:59)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.execute(SessionFailureReportingActionExecuter.java:44)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SetupLoggingActionExecuter.execute(SetupLoggingActionExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.SetupLoggingActionExecuter.execute(SetupLoggingActionExecuter.java:30)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ExecuteBuild.doBuild(ExecuteBuild.java:67)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.WatchForDisconnection.execute(WatchForDisconnection.java:37)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ResetDeprecationLogger.execute(ResetDeprecationLogger.java:26)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.RequestStopIfSingleUsedDaemon.execute(RequestStopIfSingleUsedDaemon.java:34)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput$2.call(ForwardClientInput.java:74)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput$2.call(ForwardClientInput.java:72)
    at org.gradle.util.Swapper.swap(Swapper.java:38)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput.execute(ForwardClientInput.java:72)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.LogAndCheckHealth.execute(LogAndCheckHealth.java:55)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.LogToClient.doBuild(LogToClient.java:62)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.EstablishBuildEnvironment.doBuild(EstablishBuildEnvironment.java:81)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:122)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.StartBuildOrRespondWithBusy$1.run(StartBuildOrRespondWithBusy.java:50)
    at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.DaemonStateCoordinator$1.run(DaemonStateCoordinator.java:295)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:63)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:46)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:55)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Caused by: org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app:packageDebug'.
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:110)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:77)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.OutputDirectoryCreatingTaskExecuter.execute(OutputDirectoryCreatingTaskExecuter.java:51)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.execute(SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.java:59)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.java:54)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ValidatingTaskExecuter.execute(ValidatingTaskExecuter.java:59)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.execute(SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.java:101)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.FinalizeInputFilePropertiesTaskExecuter.execute(FinalizeInputFilePropertiesTaskExecuter.java:44)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:91)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.java:62)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:59)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:54)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.java:43)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:34)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter$1.run(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:51)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:300)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:292)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:174)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:90)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.run(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:31)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.EventFiringTaskExecuter.execute(EventFiringTaskExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.LocalTaskInfoExecutor.execute(LocalTaskInfoExecutor.java:42)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareWorkItemExecutor.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:277)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph$BuildOperationAwareWorkItemExecutor.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:262)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:135)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:130)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:200)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.executeWithWork(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:191)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$ExecutorWorker.run(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:130)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.process(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:74)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionGraph.java:143)
    at org.gradle.execution.SelectedTaskExecutionAction.execute(SelectedTaskExecutionAction.java:40)
    at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:40)
    at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.access$000(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:24)
    at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter$1.proceed(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:46)
    at org.gradle.execution.DryRunBuildExecutionAction.execute(DryRunBuildExecutionAction.java:49)
    at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:40)
    at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:33)
    at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$ExecuteTasks.run(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:355)
    ... 77 more
Caused by: org.gradle.tooling.BuildException: value (66047) > 0x0000ffff
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElements$ExecutorBasedScheduler$transform$2.invoke(BuildElements.kt:133)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElements$ExecutorBasedScheduler$transform$2.invoke(BuildElements.kt:110)
    at kotlin.sequences.SequencesKt___SequencesKt$onEach$1.invoke(_Sequences.kt:1262)
    at kotlin.sequences.TransformingSequence$iterator$1.next(Sequences.kt:149)
    at kotlin.sequences.FilteringSequence$iterator$1.calcNext(Sequences.kt:109)
    at kotlin.sequences.FilteringSequence$iterator$1.hasNext(Sequences.kt:133)
    at kotlin.sequences.TransformingSequence$iterator$1.hasNext(Sequences.kt:153)
    at kotlin.sequences.SequencesKt___SequencesKt.toCollection(_Sequences.kt:647)
    at kotlin.sequences.SequencesKt___SequencesKt.toMutableList(_Sequences.kt:677)
    at kotlin.sequences.SequencesKt___SequencesKt.toList(_Sequences.kt:668)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElements$ExecutorBasedScheduler.transform(BuildElements.kt:140)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElements$ExecutorBasedScheduler.into(BuildElements.kt:115)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElementActionScheduler.into(BuildElementActionScheduler.kt:32)
    at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.PackageAndroidArtifact.doFullTaskAction(PackageAndroidArtifact.java:404)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.tasks.IncrementalTask.taskAction(IncrementalTask.java:106)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:73)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.IncrementalTaskAction.doExecute(IncrementalTaskAction.java:50)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:39)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:26)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$1.run(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:131)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:300)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:292)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:174)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:90)
    at org.gradle.internal.operations.DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.run(DelegatingBuildOperationExecutor.java:31)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:120)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:99)
    ... 115 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: value (66047) > 0x0000ffff
    at com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument(Preconditions.java:202)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.ZipField.write(ZipField.java:265)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.Eocd.computeByteRepresentation(Eocd.java:248)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.utils.CachedSupplier.get(CachedSupplier.java:72)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.Eocd.toBytes(Eocd.java:220)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.ZFile.computeEocd(ZFile.java:1461)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.ZFile.recomputeAndWriteCentralDirectoryAndEocd(ZFile.java:1138)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.ZFile.update(ZFile.java:936)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zip.ZFile.close(ZFile.java:1255)
    at com.android.tools.build.apkzlib.zfile.ApkZFileCreator.close(ApkZFileCreator.java:174)
    at com.google.common.io.Closer.close(Closer.java:214)
    at com.android.builder.internal.packaging.IncrementalPackager.close(IncrementalPackager.java:332)
    at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.PackageAndroidArtifact.doTask(PackageAndroidArtifact.java:708)
    at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.PackageAndroidArtifact.splitFullAction(PackageAndroidArtifact.java:518)
    at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.PackageAndroidArtifact.lambda$doFullTaskAction$3(PackageAndroidArtifact.java:399)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElements$ExecutorBasedScheduler$transform$$inlined$forEach$lambda$1.call(BuildElements.kt:121)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildElements$ExecutorBasedScheduler$transform$$inlined$forEach$lambda$1.call(BuildElements.kt:110)
    at java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinTask$AdaptedCallable.exec(ForkJoinTask.java:1424)
    at java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinTask.doExec(ForkJoinTask.java:289)
    at java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinPool$WorkQueue.runTask(ForkJoinPool.java:1056)
    at java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinPool.runWorker(ForkJoinPool.java:1692)
    at java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinWorkerThread.run(ForkJoinWorkerThread.java:157)

It's no doubt that there is not only a limit of method number [famous 64K limit] but also a limit of files number.

And I cannot find any solution about the later problem, anyone who could provide some relative message would be greatly helpful!!!

[Solved, Maybe]

1. Reason: Android apk format limit total entry count to 2-byte. In short, zip format limit only zip64 can solve as [answer] says. Android Source Code is clear

2. Solution: reduce total count in a apk file. As @egoldx and @Vladyslav Matviienko say, zipping some similar resources into groups.[see comments]

I am not sure if this is a limit by older ZIP file format, that there is only 65535 entries available.

Reference from WinZip KB:

These older WinZip versions were also limited as to the number of files and folders that could be zipped. The upper number limit was 65,535. This number limit, as well as the size limits above, are both part of the original Zip file format.

Reference from Wikipedia: ZIP file format:

The original .ZIP format had a 4 GiB (2³² bytes) limit on various things (uncompressed size of a file, compressed size of a file, and total size of the archive), as well as a limit of 65,535 (2¹⁶) entries in a ZIP archive.

See Zip files with Java: Is there a limit? for some details.