Android Gradle plugin 8.3.0 is a major release that includes a variety of new features and improvements.
Compatibility
The maximum API level that Android Gradle plugin 8.3 supports is API level 34. Here is other compatibility info:
| Minimum version | Default version | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gradle | 8.4 | 8.4 | To learn more, see updating Gradle. |
| SDK Build Tools | 34.0.0 | 34.0.0 | Install or configure SDK Build Tools. |
| NDK | N/A | 25.1.8937393 | Install or configure a different version of the NDK. |
| JDK | 17 | 17 | To learn more, see setting the JDK version. |
The following are new features in Android Gradle plugin 8.3.
Patch releases
The following is a list of the patch releases in Android Studio Iguana and Android Gradle plugin 8.3.
Android Studio Iguana | 2023.2.1 Patch 2 and AGP 8.3.2 (April 2024)
This minor update includes these bug fixes.
Android Studio Iguana | 2023.2.1 Patch 1 and AGP 8.3.1 (March 2024)
This minor update includes these bug fixes.
Support for Gradle Version Catalogs
Android Studio supports TOML-based Gradle Version Catalogs, a feature that lets you manage dependencies in one central location and share dependencies across modules or projects. Android Studio now makes it easier to configure version catalogs through editor suggestions and integration with the Project Structure dialog. Learn how to set up and configure Gradle Version Catalogs or how to migrate your build to version catalogs.
Code completion and navigation
Android Studio offers code completion when you're editing a version catalog in
the TOML file format or adding a dependency from a version catalog to a build
file. To use code completion, press Ctrl+Space
(Command+Space on macOS). In addition, you can quickly navigate from
a dependency reference in your app's build.gradle file to where it's declared
in the version catalog by pressing Ctrl+b
(Command+b on macOS).
Integration with the Project Structure dialog
If your project uses a version catalog defined in the TOML file format, you can edit variables you've defined there through the Project Structure dialog Variables view (File > Project Structure > Variables) in Android Studio. For each version catalog, there is a drop-down that lists the variables from that catalog. To edit a variable, click its value and overwrite it. When you save these changes, the TOML file is updated accordingly.
You can also update dependencies in the Project Structure dialog Dependencies view (File > Project Structure > Dependencies). To update versions using the Project Structure dialog, navigate to the module and dependency you want to edit, and then update the Requested Version field. When you save these changes, the TOML file is updated accordingly. Note that if the dependency version was defined using a variable, updating the version directly this way replaces the variable with a hardcoded value. Also be aware that removing a dependency from a build file, whether you use the Project Structure dialog or not, doesn't remove the dependency from the version catalog.
Known issues and limitations
The following are known issues or limitations with Gradle Version Catalogs support in Android Studio.
Error highlighting plugin alias declarations in Kotlin script files: when you add a plugin declaration of the form
alias(libs.plugins.example), the editor adds a red underline under thelibspart. This is a known issue in Gradle versions 8.0 and lower and will be resolved in a future release of Gradle.Android Studio support only for version catalogs in TOML format: currently the Android Studio code completion, navigation, and Project Structure dialog support is only available for version catalogs defined in the TOML file format. However, you can still add a version catalog directly in the
settings.gradlefile and use its dependencies in your project.Navigation for KTS build files not supported: navigating to a dependency definition in a version catalog by using Control+click (Command+click on macOS) isn't yet supported for build files written using Kotlin script.
Firebase Assistant adds dependencies directly in build scripts: the Firebase Assistant adds dependencies directly to your build scripts instead of through version catalogs.
"Find usages" functionality not supported: finding usages of a version catalog variable in other build files isn't yet supported, whether the build file is in KTS or Groovy. That is, using Control+click (Command+click on macOS) on a variable definition in a version catalog doesn't lead to the build files where the variable is used.
The Project Structure dialog in Android Studio shows multiple catalog files if they're in the root
gradlefolder, but doesn't show catalogs for a composite build. For example, if you have two catalog files—one for your app and one for a composite build—the Project Structure dialog only shows the app catalog file. You can use a composite build, but you have to edit its TOML file directly.
Additional SDK insights: policy issues
Android Studio displays lint warnings in build.gradle.kts and build.gradle
files and in the
Project Structure Dialog for public SDKs that have Play policy violations
in the Google Play SDK Index. You should update any
dependencies that violate Play policies because these violations could prevent
you from publishing to the Google Play Console in the future. The policy
violation warnings supplement
the outdated version warnings
displayed by Android Studio.
Android Studio compileSdk version support
Android Studio displays a warning if your project uses a compileSdk that isn't
supported by the current version of Android Studio. If available, it also
suggests moving to a version of Android Studio that supports the compileSdk
used by your project. Keep in mind that
upgrading Android Studio might also require you upgrade AGP.
AGP also displays a warning in the Build tool window if the compileSdk
used by your project isn't supported by the current version of AGP.
Lint behavior changes
Starting with Android Gradle plugin 8.3.0-alpha02, when running lint on a
module, separate lint analysis tasks are run for the main and test
components of the module. The reason for this change is to improve performance.
To revert to the earlier behavior, set
android.experimental.lint.analysisPerComponent=false in your
gradle.properties file.
Precise resource shrinking on by default
Precise resource shrinking, which removes unused entries from the
resources.arsc file and eliminates unused resource files, is on by default.
When this shrinking is enabled, your resource table is reduced and only
referenced res folder entries are included in the APK.
To turn off precise resource shrinking, set
android.enableNewResourceShrinker.preciseShrinking to false in your
project's gradle.properties file.
Fixed issues
Android Gradle plugin 8.3.0
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Android Gradle plugin 8.3.1
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Android Gradle plugin 8.3.2
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