🪴 Quartz 4.0

Search

SearchSearch

Graph View

How to Fix Gradle and Java Compatibility Issues in Android Studio Ladybug

Jan 10, 20252 min read

TL;DR

If you’re encountering Gradle or Java compatibility issues in Android Studio Ladybug, ensure Gradle 7.4.2 is paired with Java 11/17, or upgrade Gradle/AGP for Java 21. 🎯

Quick Fix

Gradle & AGP Errors ⚙️

  1. Upgrade Gradle to 7.4.2: Update gradle-wrapper.properties:

    distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.4.2-bin.zip

    Apply the update:

    ./gradlew wrapper --gradle-version 7.4.2

  2. Update AGP to 7.3.1: Modify build.gradle.kts:

    classpath("com.android.tools.build:gradle:7.3.1")

  3. Ensure Compatible Firebase Plugins:

    classpath("com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-gradle:2.9.4")
classpath("com.google.firebase:perf-plugin:1.4.2")
classpath("com.google.firebase:firebase-appdistribution-gradle:3.1.1")

Java Incompatibility 🖥️

  1. Switch to Java 11 or 17:

    sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk
sudo update-alternatives --config java

  2. Set Gradle JDK in Android Studio: Navigate to:

    File > Settings > Build, Execution, Deployment > Build Tools > Gradle > Gradle JDK

    Select JDK 11 or JDK 17.

Optional for Java 21 🚀

  1. Upgrade Gradle to 8.3:

    distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.3-bin.zip

  2. Upgrade AGP to 8.1.1:

    classpath("com.android.tools.build:gradle:8.1.1")

  3. Use Kotlin 1.9.0:

    classpath("org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:1.9.0")

Introduction

Three years after starting my NewSound project, I decided to revisit it. This was my first experiment with Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMM), inspired by its promise to share code across Android and iOS. 🚀

At the time, I wasn’t impressed by React Native or Flutter. KMM felt like the future, so I dived in to build an app. Revisiting the project now in Android Studio Ladybug (2021.2.1) brought unexpected compatibility issues.

How I Fixed This

Attempt 1: Ignoring Updates ❌

I opened the project in Ladybug, hoping it would build. Instead, I got:

Caused by: org.gradle.api.GradleException: Cannot use @TaskAction annotation on method IncrementalTask.taskAction$gradle_core()

Attempt 2: Upgrading Gradle ⚙️

  • Updated gradle-wrapper.properties: 
    distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.4.2-bin.zip
  • Ran: 
    ./gradlew wrapper --gradle-version 7.4.2

Outcome:

Gradle errors cleared, but Java compatibility became an issue.

Attempt 3: Downgrading Java 🖥️

  • Installed Java 11: 
    sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk
  • Configured Android Studio to use JDK 11 for Gradle tasks.

Outcome:

This resolved the build issues completely!

Experiences

Lessons Learned ✨

  1. Version Alignment is Key: Gradle, AGP, and Java versions must match.
  2. Stay Updated: Regular updates prevent breaking changes from piling up.
  3. Document Everything: Notes on dependencies and versions save time later.
  4. KMM Has Evolved: It’s exciting to see how far KMM has come since its early days.

Tags

With these fixes, my NewSound project runs perfectly in Android Studio Ladybug. If you face similar issues, I hope this guide helps! Let me know your thoughts or questions. ✨

Backlinks

  • No backlinks found