android-native-dev

name	android-native-dev
description	Android native application development and UI design guide. Covers Material Design 3, Kotlin/Compose development, project configuration, accessibility, and build troubleshooting. Read this before Android native application development.
license	MIT
metadata	{"version":"1.0.0","category":"mobile","sources":["Material Design 3 Guidelines (material.io)","Android Developer Documentation (developer.android.com)","Google Play Quality Guidelines","WCAG Accessibility Guidelines"]}

1. Project Scenario Assessment

Before starting development, assess the current project state:

Scenario	Characteristics	Approach
Empty Directory	No files present	Full initialization required, including Gradle Wrapper
Has Gradle Wrapper	gradlew and gradle/wrapper/ exist	Use ./gradlew directly for builds
Android Studio Project	Complete project structure, may lack wrapper	Check wrapper, run gradle wrapper if needed
Incomplete Project	Partial files present	Check missing files, complete configuration

Key Principles:

• Before writing business logic, ensure ./gradlew assembleDebug succeeds
• If gradle.properties is missing, create it first and configure AndroidX

1.1 Required Files Checklist

MyApp/
├── gradle.properties          # Configure AndroidX and other settings
├── settings.gradle.kts
├── build.gradle.kts           # Root level
├── gradle/wrapper/
│   └── gradle-wrapper.properties
├── app/
│   ├── build.gradle.kts       # Module level
│   └── src/main/
│       ├── AndroidManifest.xml
│       ├── java/com/example/myapp/
│       │   └── MainActivity.kt
│       └── res/
│           ├── values/
│           │   ├── strings.xml
│           │   ├── colors.xml
│           │   └── themes.xml
│           └── mipmap-*/       # App icons

---

2. Project Configuration

2.1 gradle.properties

# Required configuration
android.useAndroidX=true
android.enableJetifier=true

# Build optimization
org.gradle.parallel=true
kotlin.code.style=official

# JVM memory settings (adjust based on project size)
# Small projects: 2048m, Medium: 4096m, Large: 8192m+
# org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx4096m -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8

Note: If you encounter OutOfMemoryError during build, increase -Xmx value. Large projects with many dependencies may require 8GB or more.

2.2 Dependency Declaration Standards

dependencies {
    // Use BOM to manage Compose versions
    implementation(platform("androidx.compose:compose-bom:2024.02.00"))
    implementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui")
    implementation("androidx.compose.material3:material3")
    
    // Activity & ViewModel
    implementation("androidx.activity:activity-compose:1.8.2")
    implementation("androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-viewmodel-compose:2.7.0")
}

2.3 Build Variants & Product Flavors

Product Flavors allow you to create different versions of your app (e.g., free/paid, dev/staging/prod).

Configuration in app/build.gradle.kts:

android {
    // Define flavor dimensions
    flavorDimensions += "environment"
    
    productFlavors {
        create("dev") {
            dimension = "environment"
            applicationIdSuffix = ".dev"
            versionNameSuffix = "-dev"
            
            // Different config values per flavor
            buildConfigField("String", "API_BASE_URL", "\"https://dev-api.example.com\"")
            buildConfigField("Boolean", "ENABLE_LOGGING", "true")
            
            // Different resources
            resValue("string", "app_name", "MyApp Dev")
        }
        
        create("staging") {
            dimension = "environment"
            applicationIdSuffix = ".staging"
            versionNameSuffix = "-staging"
            
            buildConfigField("String", "API_BASE_URL", "\"https://staging-api.example.com\"")
            buildConfigField("Boolean", "ENABLE_LOGGING", "true")
            resValue("string", "app_name", "MyApp Staging")
        }
        
        create("prod") {
            dimension = "environment"
            // No suffix for production
            
            buildConfigField("String", "API_BASE_URL", "\"https://api.example.com\"")
            buildConfigField("Boolean", "ENABLE_LOGGING", "false")
            resValue("string", "app_name", "MyApp")
        }
    }
    
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            isDebuggable = true
            isMinifyEnabled = false
        }
        release {
            isDebuggable = false
            isMinifyEnabled = true
            proguardFiles(getDefaultProguardFile("proguard-android-optimize.txt"), "proguard-rules.pro")
        }
    }
}

Build Variant Naming: {flavor}{BuildType} → e.g., devDebug, prodRelease

Gradle Build Commands:

# List all available build variants
./gradlew tasks --group="build"

# Build specific variant (flavor + buildType)
./gradlew assembleDevDebug        # Dev flavor, Debug build
./gradlew assembleStagingDebug    # Staging flavor, Debug build
./gradlew assembleProdRelease     # Prod flavor, Release build

# Build all variants of a specific flavor
./gradlew assembleDev             # All Dev variants (debug + release)
./gradlew assembleProd            # All Prod variants

# Build all variants of a specific build type
./gradlew assembleDebug           # All flavors, Debug build
./gradlew assembleRelease         # All flavors, Release build

# Install specific variant to device
./gradlew installDevDebug
./gradlew installProdRelease

# Build and install in one command
./gradlew installDevDebug && adb shell am start -n com.example.myapp.dev/.MainActivity

Access BuildConfig in Code:

Note: Starting from AGP 8.0, BuildConfig is no longer generated by default. You must explicitly enable it in your build.gradle.kts:

android {
    buildFeatures {
        buildConfig = true
    }
}

// Use build config values in your code
val apiUrl = BuildConfig.API_BASE_URL
val isLoggingEnabled = BuildConfig.ENABLE_LOGGING

if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
    // Debug-only code
}

Flavor-Specific Source Sets:

app/src/
├── main/           # Shared code for all flavors
├── dev/            # Dev-only code and resources
│   ├── java/
│   └── res/
├── staging/        # Staging-only code and resources
├── prod/           # Prod-only code and resources
├── debug/          # Debug build type code
└── release/        # Release build type code

Multiple Flavor Dimensions (e.g., environment + tier):

android {
    flavorDimensions += listOf("environment", "tier")
    
    productFlavors {
        create("dev") { dimension = "environment" }
        create("prod") { dimension = "environment" }
        
        create("free") { dimension = "tier" }
        create("paid") { dimension = "tier" }
    }
}
// Results in: devFreeDebug, devPaidDebug, prodFreeRelease, etc.

---

3. Kotlin Development Standards

3.1 Naming Conventions

Type	Convention	Example
Class/Interface	PascalCase	UserRepository, MainActivity
Function/Variable	camelCase	getUserName(), isLoading
Constant	SCREAMING_SNAKE	MAX_RETRY_COUNT
Package	lowercase	com.example.myapp
Composable	PascalCase	@Composable fun UserCard()

3.2 Code Standards (Important)

Null Safety:

// ❌ Avoid: Non-null assertion !! (may crash)
val name = user!!.name

// ✅ Recommended: Safe call + default value
val name = user?.name ?: "Unknown"

// ✅ Recommended: let handling
user?.let { processUser(it) }

Exception Handling:

// ❌ Avoid: Random try-catch in business layer swallowing exceptions
fun loadData() {
    try {
        val data = api.fetch()
    } catch (e: Exception) {
        // Swallowing exception, hard to debug
    }
}

// ✅ Recommended: Let exceptions propagate, handle at appropriate layer
suspend fun loadData(): Result<Data> {
    return try {
        Result.success(api.fetch())
    } catch (e: Exception) {
        Result.failure(e)  // Wrap and return, let caller decide handling
    }
}

// ✅ Recommended: Unified handling in ViewModel
viewModelScope.launch {
    runCatching { repository.loadData() }
        .onSuccess { _uiState.value = UiState.Success(it) }
        .onFailure { _uiState.value = UiState.Error(it.message) }
}

3.3 Threading & Coroutines (Critical)

Thread Selection Principles:

Operation Type	Thread	Description
UI Updates	Dispatchers.Main	Update View, State, LiveData
Network Requests	Dispatchers.IO	HTTP calls, API requests
File I/O	Dispatchers.IO	Local storage, database operations
Compute Intensive	Dispatchers.Default	JSON parsing, sorting, encryption

Correct Usage:

// In ViewModel
viewModelScope.launch {
    // Default Main thread, can update UI State
    _uiState.value = UiState.Loading
    
    // Switch to IO thread for network request
    val result = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
        repository.fetchData()
    }
    
    // Automatically returns to Main thread, update UI
    _uiState.value = UiState.Success(result)
}

// In Repository (suspend functions should be main-safe)
suspend fun fetchData(): Data = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
    api.getData()
}

Common Mistakes:

// ❌ Wrong: Updating UI on IO thread
viewModelScope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
    val data = api.fetch()
    _uiState.value = data  // Crash or warning!
}

// ❌ Wrong: Executing time-consuming operation on Main thread
viewModelScope.launch {
    val data = api.fetch()  // Blocking main thread! ANR
}

// ✅ Correct: Fetch on IO, update on Main
viewModelScope.launch {
    val data = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) { api.fetch() }
    _uiState.value = data
}

3.4 Visibility Rules

// Default is public, declare explicitly when needed
class UserRepository {           // public
    private val cache = mutableMapOf<String, User>()  // Visible only within class
    internal fun clearCache() {} // Visible only within module
}

// data class properties are public by default, be careful when used across modules
data class User(
    val id: String,       // public
    val name: String
)

3.5 Common Syntax Pitfalls

// ❌ Wrong: Accessing uninitialized lateinit
class MyViewModel : ViewModel() {
    lateinit var data: String
    fun process() = data.length  // May crash
}

// ✅ Correct: Use nullable or default value
class MyViewModel : ViewModel() {
    var data: String? = null
    fun process() = data?.length ?: 0
}

// ❌ Wrong: Using return in lambda
list.forEach { item ->
    if (item.isEmpty()) return  // Returns from outer function!
}

// ✅ Correct: Use return@forEach
list.forEach { item ->
    if (item.isEmpty()) return@forEach
}

3.6 Server Response Data Class Fields Must Be Nullable

// ❌ Wrong: Fields declared as non-null (server may not return them)
data class UserResponse(
    val id: String = "",
    val name: String = "",
    val avatar: String = ""
)

// ✅ Correct: All fields declared as nullable
data class UserResponse(
    @SerializedName("id")
    val id: String? = null,
    @SerializedName("name")
    val name: String? = null,
    @SerializedName("avatar")
    val avatar: String? = null
)

3.7 Lifecycle Resource Management

// ❌ Wrong: Only adding Observer, not removing
class MyView : View {
    override fun onAttachedToWindow() {
        super.onAttachedToWindow()
        activity?.lifecycle?.addObserver(this)
    }
    // Memory leak!
}

// ✅ Correct: Paired add and remove
class MyView : View {
    override fun onAttachedToWindow() {
        super.onAttachedToWindow()
        activity?.lifecycle?.addObserver(this)
    }

    override fun onDetachedFromWindow() {
        activity?.lifecycle?.removeObserver(this)
        super.onDetachedFromWindow()
    }
}

3.8 Logging Level Usage

import android.util.Log

// Info: Key checkpoints in normal flow
Log.i(TAG, "loadData: started, userId = $userId")

// Warning: Abnormal but recoverable situations
Log.w(TAG, "loadData: cache miss, fallback to network")

// Error: Failure/error situations
Log.e(TAG, "loadData failed: ${error.message}")

Level	Use Case
i (Info)	Normal flow, method entry, key parameters
w (Warning)	Recoverable exceptions, fallback handling, null returns
e (Error)	Request failures, caught exceptions, unrecoverable errors

---

4. Jetpack Compose Standards

4.1 @Composable Context Rules

// ❌ Wrong: Calling Composable from non-Composable function
fun showError(message: String) {
    Text(message)  // Compile error!
}

// ✅ Correct: Mark as @Composable
@Composable
fun ErrorMessage(message: String) {
    Text(message)
}

// ❌ Wrong: Using suspend outside LaunchedEffect
@Composable
fun MyScreen() {
    val data = fetchData()  // Error!
}

// ✅ Correct: Use LaunchedEffect
@Composable
fun MyScreen() {
    var data by remember { mutableStateOf<Data?>(null) }
    LaunchedEffect(Unit) {
        data = fetchData()
    }
}

4.2 State Management

// Basic State
var count by remember { mutableStateOf(0) }

// Derived State (avoid redundant computation)
val isEven by remember { derivedStateOf { count % 2 == 0 } }

// Persist across recomposition (e.g., scroll position)
val scrollState = rememberScrollState()

// State in ViewModel
class MyViewModel : ViewModel() {
    private val _uiState = MutableStateFlow(UiState())
    val uiState: StateFlow<UiState> = _uiState.asStateFlow()
}

4.3 Common Compose Mistakes

// ❌ Wrong: Creating objects in Composable (created on every recomposition)
@Composable
fun MyScreen() {
    val viewModel = MyViewModel()  // Wrong!
}

// ✅ Correct: Use viewModel() or remember
@Composable
fun MyScreen(viewModel: MyViewModel = viewModel()) {
    // ...
}

---

5. Resources & Icons

5.1 App Icon Requirements

Must provide multi-resolution icons:

Directory	Size	Purpose
mipmap-mdpi	48x48	Baseline
mipmap-hdpi	72x72	1.5x
mipmap-xhdpi	96x96	2x
mipmap-xxhdpi	144x144	3x
mipmap-xxxhdpi	192x192	4x

Recommended: Use Adaptive Icon (Android 8+):

<!-- res/mipmap-anydpi-v26/ic_launcher.xml -->
<adaptive-icon>
    <background android:drawable="@color/ic_launcher_background"/>
    <foreground android:drawable="@mipmap/ic_launcher_foreground"/>
</adaptive-icon>

5.2 Resource Naming Conventions

Type	Prefix	Example
Layout	layout_	layout_main.xml
Image	ic_, img_, bg_	ic_user.png
Color	color_	color_primary
String	-	app_name, btn_submit

5.3 Avoid Android Reserved Names (Important)

Variable names, resource IDs, colors, icons, and XML elements must not use Android reserved words or system resource names. Using reserved names causes build errors or resource conflicts.

Common Reserved Names to Avoid:

Category	Reserved Names (Do NOT Use)
Colors	background, foreground, transparent, white, black
Icons/Drawables	icon, logo, image, drawable
Views	view, text, button, layout, container
Attributes	id, name, type, style, theme, color
System	app, android, content, data, action

Examples:

<!-- ❌ Wrong: Using reserved names -->
<color name="background">#FFFFFF</color>
<color name="icon">#000000</color>

<!-- ✅ Correct: Add prefix or specific naming -->
<color name="app_background">#FFFFFF</color>
<color name="icon_primary">#000000</color>

// ❌ Wrong: Variable names conflict with system
val icon = R.drawable.my_icon
val background = Color.White

// ✅ Correct: Use descriptive names
val appIcon = R.drawable.my_icon
val screenBackground = Color.White

<!-- ❌ Wrong: Drawable name conflicts -->
<ImageView android:src="@drawable/icon" />

<!-- ✅ Correct: Add prefix -->
<ImageView android:src="@drawable/ic_home" />

---

6. Build Error Diagnosis & Fixes

6.1 Common Error Quick Reference

Error Keyword	Cause	Fix
Unresolved reference	Missing import or undefined	Check imports, verify dependencies
Type mismatch	Type incompatibility	Check parameter types, add conversion
Cannot access	Visibility issue	Check public/private/internal
@Composable invocations	Composable context error	Ensure caller is also @Composable
Duplicate class	Dependency conflict	Use ./gradlew dependencies to investigate
AAPT: error	Resource file error	Check XML syntax and resource references

6.2 Fix Best Practices

1. Read the complete error message first: Locate file and line number
2. Check recent changes: Problems usually in latest modifications
3. Clean Build: ./gradlew clean assembleDebug
4. Check dependency versions: Version conflicts are common causes
5. Refresh dependencies if needed: Clear cache and rebuild

6.3 Debugging Commands

# Clean and build
./gradlew clean assembleDebug

# View dependency tree (investigate conflicts)
./gradlew :app:dependencies

# View detailed errors
./gradlew assembleDebug --stacktrace

# Refresh dependencies
./gradlew --refresh-dependencies

---

7. Material Design 3 Guidelines

Review Android UI files for compliance with Material Design 3 Guidelines and Android best practices.

Design Philosophy

M3 Core Principles

Principle	Description
Personal	Dynamic color based on user preferences and wallpaper
Adaptive	Responsive across all screen sizes and form factors
Expressive	Bold colors and typography with personality
Accessible	Inclusive design for all users

M3 Expressive (Latest)

The latest evolution adds emotion-driven UX through:

• Vibrant, dynamic colors
• Intuitive motion physics
• Adaptive components
• Flexible typography
• Contrasting shapes (35 new shape options)

App Style Selection

Critical Decision: Match visual style to app category and target audience.

App Category	Visual Style	Key Characteristics
Utility/Tool	Minimalist	Clean, efficient, neutral colors
Finance/Banking	Professional Trust	Conservative colors, security-focused
Health/Wellness	Calm & Natural	Soft colors, organic shapes
Kids (3-5)	Playful Simple	Bright colors, large targets (56dp+)
Kids (6-12)	Fun & Engaging	Vibrant, gamified feedback
Social/Entertainment	Expressive	Brand-driven, gesture-rich
Productivity	Clean & Focused	Minimal, high contrast
E-commerce	Conversion-focused	Clear CTAs, scannable

See Design Style Guide for detailed style profiles.

Quick Reference: Key Specifications

Color Contrast Requirements

Element	Minimum Ratio
Body text	4.5:1
Large text (18sp+)	3:1
UI components	3:1

Touch Targets

Type	Size
Minimum	48 × 48dp
Recommended (primary actions)	56 × 56dp
Kids apps	56dp+
Spacing between targets	8dp minimum

8dp Grid System

Token	Value	Usage
xs	4dp	Icon padding
sm	8dp	Tight spacing
md	16dp	Default padding
lg	24dp	Section spacing
xl	32dp	Large gaps
xxl	48dp	Screen margins

Typography Scale (Summary)

Category	Sizes
Display	57sp, 45sp, 36sp
Headline	32sp, 28sp, 24sp
Title	22sp, 16sp, 14sp
Body	16sp, 14sp, 12sp
Label	14sp, 12sp, 11sp

Animation Duration

Type	Duration
Micro (ripples)	50-100ms
Short (simple)	100-200ms
Medium (expand/collapse)	200-300ms
Long (complex)	300-500ms

Component Dimensions

Component	Height	Min Width
Button	40dp	64dp
FAB	56dp	56dp
Text Field	56dp	280dp
App Bar	64dp	-
Bottom Nav	80dp	-

Anti-Patterns (Must Avoid)

UI Anti-Patterns

• More than 5 bottom navigation items
• Multiple FABs on same screen
• Touch targets smaller than 48dp
• Inconsistent spacing (non-8dp multiples)
• Missing dark theme support
• Text on colored backgrounds without contrast check

Performance Anti-Patterns

• Startup time > 2 seconds without progress indicator
• Frame rate < 60 FPS (> 16ms per frame)
• Crash rate > 1.09% (Google Play threshold)
• ANR rate > 0.47% (Google Play threshold)

Accessibility Anti-Patterns

• Missing contentDescription on interactive elements
• Element type in labels (e.g., "Save button" instead of "Save")
• Complex gestures in kids apps
• Text-only buttons for non-readers

Review Checklist

• 8dp spacing grid compliance
• 48dp minimum touch targets
• Proper typography scale usage
• Color contrast compliance (4.5:1+ for text)
• Dark theme support
• contentDescription on all interactive elements
• Startup < 2 seconds or shows progress
• Visual style matches app category

Design References

Topic	Reference
Colors, Typography, Spacing, Shapes	Visual Design
Animation & Transitions	Motion System
Accessibility Guidelines	Accessibility
Large Screens & Foldables	Adaptive Screens
Android Vitals & Performance	Performance & Stability
Privacy & Security	Privacy & Security
Audio, Video, Notifications	Functional Requirements
App Style by Category	Design Style Guide

---

8. Testing

Note: Only add test dependencies when the user explicitly asks for testing.

A well-tested Android app uses layered testing: fast local unit tests for logic, instrumentation tests for UI and integration, and Gradle Managed Devices to run emulators reproducibly on any machine — including CI.

8.1 Test Dependencies

Before adding test dependencies, inspect the project's existing versions to avoid conflicts:

1. Check gradle/libs.versions.toml — if present, add test deps using the project's version catalog style
2. Check existing build.gradle.kts for already-pinned dependency versions
3. Match version families using the table below

Version Alignment Rules:

Test Dependency	Must Align With	How to Check
kotlinx-coroutines-test	Project's kotlinx-coroutines-core version	Search for kotlinx-coroutines in build files or version catalog
compose-ui-test-junit4	Project's Compose BOM or compose-compiler	Search for compose-bom or compose.compiler in build files
espresso-*	All Espresso artifacts must use the same version	Search for espresso in build files
androidx.test:runner, rules, ext:junit	Should use compatible AndroidX Test versions	Search for androidx.test in build files
mockk	Must support the project's Kotlin version	Check kotlin version in root build.gradle.kts or version catalog

Dependencies Reference — add only the groups you need:

dependencies {
    // --- Local unit tests (src/test/) ---
    testImplementation("junit:junit:<version>")                          // 4.13.2+
    testImplementation("org.robolectric:robolectric:<version>")          // 4.16.1+
    testImplementation("io.mockk:mockk:<version>")                      // match Kotlin version
    testImplementation("org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-test:<version>")  // match coroutines-core
    testImplementation("androidx.arch.core:core-testing:<version>")      // InstantTaskExecutorRule for LiveData
    testImplementation("app.cash.turbine:turbine:<version>")             // Flow/StateFlow testing

    // --- Instrumentation tests (src/androidTest/) ---
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test.ext:junit:<version>")
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test:runner:<version>")
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test:rules:<version>")
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test.espresso:espresso-core:<version>")
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test.espresso:espresso-contrib:<version>")   // RecyclerView, Drawer
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test.espresso:espresso-intents:<version>")   // Intent verification
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test.espresso:espresso-idling-resource:<version>")
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.test.uiautomator:uiautomator:<version>")

    // --- Compose UI tests (only if project uses Compose) ---
    androidTestImplementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui-test-junit4")      // version from Compose BOM
    debugImplementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui-test-manifest")          // required for createComposeRule
}

Note: If the project uses a Compose BOM, ui-test-junit4 and ui-test-manifest don't need explicit versions — the BOM manages them.

Enable Robolectric resource support in the android block:

android {
    testOptions {
        unitTests.isIncludeAndroidResources = true  // required for Robolectric
    }
}

8.2 Testing by Layer

Layer	Location	Runs On	Speed	Use For
Unit (JUnit)	src/test/	JVM	~ms	ViewModels, repos, mappers, validators
Unit + Robolectric	src/test/	JVM + simulated Android	~100ms	Code needing Context, resources, SharedPrefs
Compose UI (local)	src/test/	JVM + Robolectric	~100ms	Composable rendering & interaction
Espresso	src/androidTest/	Device/Emulator	~seconds	View-based UI flows, Intents, DB integration
Compose UI (device)	src/androidTest/	Device/Emulator	~seconds	Full Compose UI flows with real rendering
UI Automator	src/androidTest/	Device/Emulator	~seconds	System dialogs, notifications, multi-app
Managed Device	src/androidTest/	Gradle-managed AVD	~minutes (first run)	CI, matrix testing across API levels

See Testing for detailed examples, code patterns, and Gradle Managed Device configuration.

8.3 Testing Commands

# Local unit tests (fast, no emulator)
./gradlew test                          # all modules
./gradlew :app:testDebugUnitTest        # app module, debug variant

# Single test class
./gradlew :app:testDebugUnitTest --tests "com.example.myapp.CounterViewModelTest"

# Instrumentation tests (requires device or managed device)
./gradlew connectedDebugAndroidTest     # on connected device
./gradlew pixel6Api34DebugAndroidTest   # on managed device

# Both together
./gradlew test connectedDebugAndroidTest

# Test with coverage report (JaCoCo)
./gradlew testDebugUnitTest jacocoTestReport