Best Practices for Managing and Resolving Dependency Conflicts in Gradle

Harman Khera on 2024-08-30

Best Practices for Managing and Resolving Dependency Conflicts in Gradle

As our Application grows and we incorporate numerous Android dependencies and third-party libraries, these may include the same dependencies with different versions, limiting our ability to manage them effectively.

Dependency conflicts in Gradle can lead to build failures or unexpected behaviour in your application. This article explores strategies to resolve dependency conflicts in Gradle.

Analyzing Dependencies

1. The External Libraries dropdown provides a comprehensive list of all the libraries your project depends on. This includes

• Third-Party Libraries
• Module Dependencies

2. Viewing the Dependency Tree: we need to analyze the external libraries and view the dependency tree. Use the following command to generate a detailed:

./gradlew app:dependencies

Strategies for Resolving Dependency Conflicts

1. Force a Specific Version

configurations.all {
    resolutionStrategy {
        force 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:4.9.0'
    }
}

2. Exclude Transitive Dependencies

• Exclude conflicting transitive dependencies from specific libraries.

3. Use Dependency Constraints

• Define constraints to specify acceptable versions for dependencies.

4. Use BOM (Bill of Materials)

• Use BOM to manage versions of related libraries, ensuring compatibility.

5. Resolve Conflicts with Resolution Strategy

• Customize the resolution strategy to handle conflicts.

Best Practices for Managing Dependencies

1. Centralize Dependency Versions

// build.gradle (Project level)
ext {
    versions = [
        kotlin: '1.5.21',
        coroutines: '1.5.0',
        retrofit: '2.9.0'
    ]
}

2. Use Dependency Management Plugins

• Use plugins like buildSrc or Version Catalogs to manage dependencies in a more structured way.

3. Group Dependencies by Functionality

• Organize dependencies by their functionality to improve readability and maintainability.

4. Use BOM (Bill of Materials) for Consistent Versions

• Use BOM to manage versions of related libraries, ensuring compatibility.

5. Avoid Hardcoding Versions in Dependencies

• Reference versions from a centralized location instead of hardcoding them in the dependencies block.

6. Use Gradle’s Dependency Resolution Strategies

• Configure resolution strategies to handle version conflicts and enforce specific versions.

Conclusion

Effective dependency management in Gradle is essential for maintaining a clean and efficient Android project. By centralizing dependency versions, using management plugins, grouping dependencies by functionality, and leveraging Gradle’s resolution strategies, you can ensure a robust and maintainable project structure. Implement these best practices to streamline your dependency management process in Android projects.