Performance tips for Gradle build system in Android?

Enhancing the performance of the Gradle build system in Android can significantly reduce build times and improve developer productivity. Here are some essential tips to optimize your Gradle build process:

1. Use the Latest Gradle Version

Always ensure that you are using the latest stable version of Gradle, as new versions often include performance improvements and bug fixes.

2. Enable Gradle's Build Cache

The build cache can significantly speed up builds by reusing outputs from previous builds. You can enable the build cache in your gradle.properties file:

3. Configure Parallel Build

Enable parallel builds to utilize multiple CPU cores effectively. Add the following line in your gradle.properties file:

4. Optimize Dependency Resolution

Use implementation instead of compile for dependencies that are not exposed to consumers. This reduces the amount of transitive dependencies and speeds up builds.

5. Use ProGuard or R8

Minifying your code with ProGuard or R8 can help reduce APK size and improve performance. Enable these tools in your build process to optimize your final output.

6. Avoid Unnecessary Tasks

Analyze which tasks are being executed during the build and eliminate unnecessary ones. Use the command ./gradlew tasks --all to get a list of tasks.

7. Use Instant Run (for Debug Mode)

If you are targeting devices running Android 7.0 or higher, use Instant Run to reduce the amount of time needed to deploy changes during development.