android-cli-code-skill

Work against a **running** Android Studio instance through `android studio` subcommands, so you get the IDE's semantic index instead of grepping text. Get the project name first with `android studio check`. It lists each running instance and the projects open in it: ``` $ android studio check pid: 12345 version: Quail 2 | 2026.1.2 Canary 2 Projects: READY MyApp /Users/you/git/MyApp READY AnotherApp /Users/you/git/AnotherApp ``` Use the name from the `Projects` list as `--project=<name>` (here, `MyApp`); it has to be `READY`, meaning the IDE has finished indexing it. Pass `--project=<name>` to every command below. If several Studio instances are running, also pass `--pid=<pid>` to pick one. ## 1. Locate code (instead of grep) ```bash android studio find-declaration --project=<name> <Symbol> android studio find-usages --project=<name> [--short] <Symbol> ``` `find-declaration` returns the defining file, line, and surrounding code. `find-usages` lists every usage as `file:line` across main and test; `--short` prints locations only. These use the IDE index, so they tell apart same-named-but-different symbols that a text `grep` would conflate. A `<Symbol>` is just a class, function, or property name — `LoginViewModel`, `fetchUser`, `isLoggedIn`, and so on. For example: ``` $ android studio find-usages --project=MyApp --short LoginViewModel app/src/main/kotlin/.../login/LoginScreen.kt:42 app/src/main/kotlin/.../navigation/AppNavHost.kt:88 app/src/test/kotlin/.../login/LoginViewModelTest.kt:15 ``` When the same name is reused elsewhere, pass `--context-file=<path>` to `find-declaration` so it resolves the one you mean. ## 2. Check a file before building ```bash android studio analyze-file --project=<name> <path> ``` Returns the file's lint / inspection findings (INFO / WARNING), for example a `@VisibleForTesting` member read from production code, or a dependency declared twice. Run it after editing a file to catch issues before a costly Gradle build, and chase a finding to its cause with `find-declaration`. ## 3. Render a Compose preview ```bash android studio render-compose-preview --project=<name> [--output-image-file=/tmp/preview.png] [--print-semantics] <path> <ComposableName> ``` Writes the rendered preview to an image, and with `--print-semantics` prints the layout/semantics tree (text and coordinates) so you can verify the UI without opening the IDE. ## 4. Look up dependency versions ```bash android studio version-lookup --project=<name> <id> [<id> ...] ``` Each id is `groupId:artifactId` (such as `androidx.window:window`), a Gradle plugin id, or one of `gradle` / `agp` / `sdk` / `ndk` / `studio`. Returns current stable and preview versions, so you add or bump a dependency to a real version instead of guessing. ## 5. Open a file in the IDE ```bash android studio open-file --project=<name> <path> ``` ## Loop Understand, edit, verify, using the index at each step: 1. `find-declaration` / `find-usages` to see what a change touches. 2. Edit the code. 3. `analyze-file` (and `render-compose-preview` for Compose) to verify before building. Re-run `find-usages` if you changed a symbol's shape. ## If Studio isn't running If `android studio check` shows no `READY` project, run `studio <project-path>` to launch it (JetBrains Toolbox launcher; else open it manually), then re-run `android studio check` until the project is `READY`. ## Rules - Get the project name from `android studio check` before anything else; the commands need a running Studio with that project open. - Prefer `find-usages` / `find-declaration` over `grep`: the index understands symbols, not just text. This matters most in large codebases. - `analyze-file` reports findings but does not fix them. Read each finding and decide. - Paths are relative to the current directory or absolute. ## Notes - If multiple Studio instances are running, target one with `--pid=<pid>` (from `android studio check`). - These commands talk to Android Studio. To drive a device or emulator UI instead, see android-cli-ui-automation-skill.