Optimize Your Android App: Exclude Unnecessary Dependencies with Gradle Configuration

Are you tired of dealing with unnecessary dependencies in your Android app? Do you want to streamline your project and improve performance? Look no further! In this article, we’ll show you how to exclude the drawable of unnecessary devices such as LDTR/LWatch brought in by androidx.appcompat:appcompat through Gradle configuration. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to optimize your app and take control of your dependencies.

What are unnecessary dependencies?

Unnecessary dependencies are libraries or modules that are included in your project but not actually used. These dependencies can cause a range of issues, including:

• Bloated APK size
• Performance degradation
• Conflicting versions
• Increased build times

In this article, we’ll focus on excluding the LDTR/LWatch drawable, which is brought in by androidx.appcompat:appcompat. This dependency is often included by default in many Android projects, but it’s not always necessary.

Why exclude LDTR/LWatch?

LDTR/LWatch is a wearable device-specific drawable that’s included in the androidx.appcompat:appcompat library. If your app doesn’t support wearable devices, there’s no need to include this dependency. By excluding it, you can:

• Reduce APK size
• Improve performance
• Simplify your project structure

How to exclude LDTR/LWatch with Gradle configuration

To exclude the LDTR/LWatch drawable, you’ll need to modify your Gradle configuration files. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Identify the dependency

Open your project’s build.gradle file and look for the following line:

implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.2.0'

This line includes the entire androidx.appcompat:appcompat library, which includes the LDTR/LWatch drawable.

Step 2: Exclude the drawable

To exclude the LDTR/LWatch drawable, add the following code to your build.gradle file:

android {
    ...
    defaultConfig {
        ...
        vectorDrawables.useSupportLibrary = true
        packagingOptions {
            exclude 'ldtrl/**'
            exclude 'ldtrw/**'
        }
    }
    ...
}

This code tells Gradle to exclude the LDTR/LWatch drawable from the APK.

Step 3: Verify the exclusion

After modifying your Gradle configuration, run the following command in your terminal:

./gradlew assembleDebug

This command will rebuild your APK. Check the APK file size and contents to verify that the LDTR/LWatch drawable has been excluded.

Tips and Variations

Here are some additional tips and variations to help you optimize your Android app:

Exclude other unnecessary dependencies

Take a closer look at your project’s dependencies and identify any unnecessary libraries or modules. You can exclude these dependencies using similar techniques to the one described above.

Use ProGuard or R8

ProGuard and R8 are powerful tools that can help you optimize your app’s code and reduce APK size. Consider using these tools in conjunction with Gradle configuration to further streamline your project.

Use Android Studio’s built-in features

Android Studio provides a range of built-in features to help you optimize your app, including code analysis and APK analysis tools. Take advantage of these features to identify areas for improvement.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve shown you how to exclude the LDTR/LWatch drawable brought in by androidx.appcompat:appcompat through Gradle configuration. By following these steps, you can optimize your Android app and take control of your dependencies. Remember to regularly review your project’s dependencies and exclude any unnecessary libraries or modules to ensure your app is running at its best.

Dependency	Reason to exclude
LDTR/LWatch	Unnecessary for non-wearable devices
Other unnecessary libraries	Bloating APK size and degrading performance

Happy coding, and don’t forget to optimize your Android app!

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