How to add library project generated files(.aar) as a dependency to the application project

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1

Hi

I am using Gradle with android studio.

I have a project structure like below.

Base - this is library project. App - this is application project.

I want refer Base library as a jar or aar dependency, means I want to add the generated files of Base library as a dependency to the App project.

Please help me how to achieve this using gradle and android studio.

2

You’ll want to add a project dependency on your library project.

dependencies {

compile project(’:Base’)

}

Take a look at the Android plugin documentation for more information.

3

Thanks for you reply.

My situation is like below,

Library -1 (Base) Library -2 (Home) Library -3 (Data) Application - App.

App

|

|…Base

|…Data

|…Home

|

Data

|

|…Base (This need to be provided files dependancy or jar dependancy).

|

Home

|

|…Base (This need to be provided files dependancy or jar dependancy).

|

Library -1 (Base) is a common library which is refered in Home, Data and App.

If I use the below code to refer the Base library

dependencies {
      compile project(':Base')
  }

I am getting dex error limit exeed number of methods.

So I have to refer the Base library as a jar by giving the dependency as below for Home and Data library to resolve compile time errors.

dependencies{
      provided files('../Base/libs/base.jar')
}

and will include Base as a library for the App like below as you mentioned.

dependencies {
      compile project(':Base')
  }

But my problem here is Gradle in android studio will generate .aar files and that files cannot refer as provided files dependency.

I wanted the solution like below

dependencies {
    compile files("$buildDir/classes") {
        builtBy 'compile'
    }
}
  task compile << {
    println 'compiling classes'
}

but this is not supporting in gradle with android studio.

4

Any reason why you can’t just use the multidex support to get around the method limit?

5

Alternatively, if the library you are creating doesn’t need to be packaged as an AAR, why not just make it a regular Java library project?

6

Enable multidex is one option but I am worried about performance. Is there any trade off between multidex enebaled apk and multidex disabled apk?

7

I don’t think there are any runtime performance impacts. You may however end up with a larger APK and longer install times. You may want to look here for considerations when using multidex.