The new Java toolchain feature cannot be used at the project level in combination with source and/or target compatibility

I am having issues building and testing my React Native app on Android. We updated RN version to 71 recently and I managed to make iOS work but on Android I am stuck with the following error : The new Java toolchain feature cannot be used at the project level in combination with source and/or target compatibility when running any ./gradlew in the android folder. Even ./gradlew clean does not work. Syncing gradle in Android Studio return the same error.

I am not using the toolchain functionality nor source and/or target compatibility.

build.gradle

// Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.
apply from: "./env.gradle"
buildscript {
    ext {
        buildToolsVersion = "30.0.2"
        minSdkVersion = 21
        compileSdkVersion = 33
        targetSdkVersion = 33
        ndkVersion = "23.1.7779620"
        kotlinVersion = '1.9.0'
        googlePlayServicesAuthVersion = "16.0.1"
        googlePlayServicesLocationVersion = "17.0.0"

        androidXCore = "1.7.0"
        RNMapboxMapsImpl = "mapbox" // required for v10

        RNMapboxMapsLibs = { // optional - only required if you want to customize it
            implementation 'com.mapbox.maps:android:10.5.0-beta1'
            implementation 'com.mapbox.mapboxsdk:mapbox-sdk-turf:5.4.1'
            implementation 'com.mapbox.mapboxsdk:mapbox-android-telemetry:6.1.0'
        }
    }
    repositories {
        google()
        mavenCentral()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath('com.android.tools.build:gradle')
        classpath("com.facebook.react:react-native-gradle-plugin")
        classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.4.0'
    }
}

def REACT_NATIVE_VERSION = new File(['node', '--print',"JSON.parse(require('fs').readFileSync(require.resolve('react-native/package.json'), 'utf-8')).version"].execute(null, rootDir).text.trim())

allprojects {

    configurations.all {
        resolutionStrategy {
            force "com.facebook.react:react-native:" + REACT_NATIVE_VERSION
        }
    }
    repositories {
        maven {
            // Required for react-native-background-geolocation
            url("${project(':react-native-background-geolocation').projectDir}/libs")
        }
        maven {
            url("${project(':react-native-background-fetch').projectDir}/libs")
        }
        maven {
            url 'https://api.mapbox.com/downloads/v2/releases/maven'
            authentication {
                basic(BasicAuthentication)
            }
            credentials {
                // Do not change the username below.
                // This should always be `mapbox` (not your username).
                username = 'mapbox'
                // Use the secret token you stored in gradle.properties as the password
                password = project.env.get('MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN') ?: ""
            }
        }
        google()
        mavenCentral()
    }
}

app/build.gradle

apply plugin: "com.android.application"
apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'
apply plugin: "com.facebook.react"

project.ext.envConfigFiles = [
  release: ".env.production",
  staging:".env.staging",
  production:".env.production",
  debug: ".env.staging",
  storybook: ".env.storybook",
]

apply from: project(':react-native-config').projectDir.getPath() + "/dotenv.gradle"


import com.android.build.OutputFile

/**
 * The react.gradle file registers a task for each build variant (e.g. bundleDebugJsAndAssets
 * and bundleReleaseJsAndAssets).
 * These basically call `react-native bundle` with the correct arguments during the Android build
 * cycle. By default, bundleDebugJsAndAssets is skipped, as in debug/dev mode we prefer to load the
 * bundle directly from the development server. Below you can see all the possible configurations
 * and their defaults. If you decide to add a configuration block, make sure to add it before the
 * `apply from: "../../node_modules/react-native/react.gradle"` line.
 *
 * project.ext.react = [
 *   // the name of the generated asset file containing your JS bundle
 *   bundleAssetName: "index.android.bundle",
 *
 *   // the entry file for bundle generation. If none specified and
 *   // "index.android.js" exists, it will be used. Otherwise "index.js" is
 *   // default. Can be overridden with ENTRY_FILE environment variable.
 *   entryFile: "index.android.js",
 *
 *   // https://reactnative.dev/docs/performance#enable-the-ram-format
 *   bundleCommand: "ram-bundle",
 *
 *   // whether to bundle JS and assets in debug mode
 *   bundleInDebug: false,
 *
 *   // whether to bundle JS and assets in release mode
 *   bundleInRelease: true,
 *
 *   // whether to bundle JS and assets in another build variant (if configured).
 *   // See http://tools.android.com/tech-docs/new-build-system/user-guide#TOC-Build-Variants
 *   // The configuration property can be in the following formats
 *   //         'bundleIn${productFlavor}${buildType}'
 *   //         'bundleIn${buildType}'
 *   // bundleInFreeDebug: true,
 *   // bundleInPaidRelease: true,
 *   // bundleInBeta: true,
 *
 *   // whether to disable dev mode in custom build variants (by default only disabled in release)
 *   // for example: to disable dev mode in the staging build type (if configured)
 *   devDisabledInStaging: true,
 *   // The configuration property can be in the following formats
 *   //         'devDisabledIn${productFlavor}${buildType}'
 *   //         'devDisabledIn${buildType}'
 *
 *   // the root of your project, i.e. where "package.json" lives
 *   root: "../../",
 *
 *   // where to put the JS bundle asset in debug mode
 *   jsBundleDirDebug: "$buildDir/intermediates/assets/debug",
 *
 *   // where to put the JS bundle asset in release mode
 *   jsBundleDirRelease: "$buildDir/intermediates/assets/release",
 *
 *   // where to put drawable resources / React Native assets, e.g. the ones you use via
 *   // require('./image.png')), in debug mode
 *   resourcesDirDebug: "$buildDir/intermediates/res/merged/debug",
 *
 *   // where to put drawable resources / React Native assets, e.g. the ones you use via
 *   // require('./image.png')), in release mode
 *   resourcesDirRelease: "$buildDir/intermediates/res/merged/release",
 *
 *   // by default the gradle tasks are skipped if none of the JS files or assets change; this means
 *   // that we don't look at files in android/ or ios/ to determine whether the tasks are up to
 *   // date; if you have any other folders that you want to ignore for performance reasons (gradle
 *   // indexes the entire tree), add them here. Alternatively, if you have JS files in android/
 *   // for example, you might want to remove it from here.
 *   inputExcludes: ["android/**", "ios/**"],
 *
 *   // override which node gets called and with what additional arguments
 *   nodeExecutableAndArgs: ["node"],
 *
 *   // supply additional arguments to the packager
 *   extraPackagerArgs: []
 * ]
 */

project.ext.react = [
    enableHermes: false,  // clean and rebuild if changing
]

apply from: "../../node_modules/@sentry/react-native/sentry.gradle"

/**
 * Set this to true to create two separate APKs instead of one:
 *   - An APK that only works on ARM devices
 *   - An APK that only works on x86 devices
 * The advantage is the size of the APK is reduced by about 4MB.
 * Upload all the APKs to the Play Store and people will download
 * the correct one based on the CPU architecture of their device.
 */
def enableSeparateBuildPerCPUArchitecture = false

/**
 * Run Proguard to shrink the Java bytecode in release builds.
 */
def enableProguardInReleaseBuilds = false

/**
 * The preferred build flavor of JavaScriptCore.
 *
 * For example, to use the international variant, you can use:
 * `def jscFlavor = 'org.webkit:android-jsc-intl:+'`
 *
 * The international variant includes ICU i18n library and necessary data
 * allowing to use e.g. `Date.toLocaleString` and `String.localeCompare` that
 * give correct results when using with locales other than en-US.  Note that
 * this variant is about 6MiB larger per architecture than default.
 */
def jscFlavor = 'org.webkit:android-jsc:+'

/**
 * Whether to enable the Hermes VM.
 *
 * This should be set on project.ext.react and that value will be read here. If it is not set
 * on project.ext.react, JavaScript will not be compiled to Hermes Bytecode
 * and the benefits of using Hermes will therefore be sharply reduced.
 */
def enableHermes = project.ext.react.get("enableHermes", false);

/**
 * Architectures to build native code for in debug.
 */
def nativeArchitectures = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeDebugArchitectures")

android {
    namespace 'com.surlo.surloapp'

    ndkVersion rootProject.ext.ndkVersion

    externalNativeBuild {
        cmake {
            version "3.22.1"
        }
    }

    productFlavors {
        staging {
            applicationIdSuffix = ".staging"
            resValue "string", "build_config_package", "com.surlo.surloapp"
        }
        production {}
        storybook {
            applicationIdSuffix = ".staging"
            resValue "string", "build_config_package", "com.surlo.surloapp"
        }
    }

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.surlo.surloapp"
        minSdkVersion rootProject.ext.minSdkVersion
        targetSdkVersion rootProject.ext.targetSdkVersion
        compileSdkVersion rootProject.ext.compileSdkVersion
        versionName "2.2.19"
        versionCode 111
    }
    splits {
        abi {
            reset()
            enable enableSeparateBuildPerCPUArchitecture
            universalApk false  // If true, also generate a universal APK
            include "armeabi-v7a", "x86", "arm64-v8a", "x86_64"
        }
    }
    signingConfigs {
        debug {
            storeFile file('debug.keystore')
            storePassword 'android'
            keyAlias 'androiddebugkey'
            keyPassword 'android'
        }
         release {
            storeFile file(project.env.get('UPLOAD_STORE_FILE'))
            storePassword project.env.get('UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD')
            keyAlias project.env.get('UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS')
            keyPassword project.env.get('UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD')
        }
    }
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
            if (nativeArchitectures) {
                ndk {
                    abiFilters nativeArchitectures.split(',')
                }
            }
        }
        release {
            // Caution! In production, you need to generate your own keystore file.
            // see https://reactnative.dev/docs/signed-apk-android.
            signingConfig signingConfigs.release
            minifyEnabled enableProguardInReleaseBuilds
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile("proguard-android.txt"), "proguard-rules.pro"
        }
    }

    // applicationVariants are e.g. debug, release
    applicationVariants.all { variant ->
        variant.outputs.each { output ->
            // For each separate APK per architecture, set a unique version code as described here:
            // https://developer.android.com/studio/build/configure-apk-splits.html
            // Example: versionCode 1 will generate 1001 for armeabi-v7a, 1002 for x86, etc.
            def versionCodes = ["armeabi-v7a": 1, "x86": 2, "arm64-v8a": 3, "x86_64": 4]
            def abi = output.getFilter(OutputFile.ABI)
            if (abi != null) {  // null for the universal-debug, universal-release variants
                output.versionCodeOverride =
                        defaultConfig.versionCode * 1000 + versionCodes.get(abi)
            }

        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    // Import the Firebase BoM
    implementation platform('com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:30.1.0')

    // Add the dependency for the Firebase SDK for Google Analytics
    // When using the BoM, don't specify versions in Firebase dependencies
    implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics'

    // Add the dependencies for any other desired Firebase products
    // https://firebase.google.com/docs/android/setup#available-libraries


    implementation ("androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.3.1") {
      version {
          strictly '1.3.1'
      }
    }
    
    implementation fileTree(dir: "libs", include: ["*.jar"])
    //noinspection GradleDynamicVersion
    // implementation "com.facebook.react:react-native:+"  // From node_modules
    implementation("com.facebook.react:react-android")
    implementation "com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:4.9.1"
    implementation "androidx.swiperefreshlayout:swiperefreshlayout:1.0.0"
    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads-identifier:17.1.0+'
    implementation 'androidx.browser:browser:1.0.0'
    implementation 'androidx.work:work-runtime-ktx:2.7.0'
    implementation "com.android.billingclient:billing:6.0.1"


    if (enableHermes) {
        def hermesPath = "../../node_modules/hermes-engine/android/";
        debugImplementation files(hermesPath + "hermes-debug.aar")
        releaseImplementation files(hermesPath + "hermes-release.aar")
    } else {
        implementation jscFlavor
    }
}

// Run this once to be able to run the application with BUCK
// puts all compile dependencies into folder libs for BUCK to use
task copyDownloadableDepsToLibs(type: Copy) {
    from configurations.implementation
    into 'libs'
}

apply from: file("../../node_modules/@react-native-community/cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle"); applyNativeModulesAppBuildGradle(project)

Config

❯ java --version
openjdk 11.0.11 2021-04-20
OpenJDK Runtime Environment AdoptOpenJDK-11.0.11+9 (build 11.0.11+9)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM AdoptOpenJDK-11.0.11+9 (build 11.0.11+9, mixed mode)

❯ ./gradlew --version

------------------------------------------------------------
Gradle 7.6.2
------------------------------------------------------------

Build time:   2023-06-30 15:42:51 UTC
Revision:     dab132169006b16e7ada4ab2456e0c9d6415b52a

Kotlin:       1.7.10
Groovy:       3.0.13
Ant:          Apache Ant(TM) version 1.10.11 compiled on July 10 2021
JVM:          11.0.11 (AdoptOpenJDK 11.0.11+9)
OS:           Mac OS X 10.16 x86_64

package.json

{
  "name": "surlomobile",
  "version": "0.0.1",
  "private": true,
  "scripts": {
    "replace": "node ./replace-gradle.js",
    "android": "react-native run-android --variant=stagingDebug",
    "android:production": "react-native run-android --variant=productionDebug",
    "build:android:staging": "(cd android && ./gradlew bundleStagingRelease); (yarn android:open:bundle:staging)",
    "android:storybook": "react-native run-android --variant=storybookDebug",
    "build:android:staging:apk": "(cd android && ./gradlew assembleStagingRelease); (yarn android:open:apk)",
    "build:android:production": "(cd android && ./gradlew bundleProductionRelease); (yarn android:open:bundle:production)",
    "build:android:production:apk": "(cd android && ./gradlew assembleProductionRelease); (yarn android:open:apk)",
    "android:clean": "ENVFILE=.env.staging cd android && ./gradlew clean",
    "android:open:bundle:production": "open android/app/build/outputs/bundle/productionRelease",
    "android:open:bundle:staging": "open android/app/build/outputs/bundle/stagingRelease",
    "android:open:apk": "open android/app/build/outputs/apk/production/release",
    "ios": "react-native run-ios --scheme 'surloMobile-staging'",
    "ios:production": "react-native run-ios --scheme 'surloMobile'",
    "start": "react-native start",
    "test": "jest",
    "precommit": "yarn lint && yarn tsc",
    "postinstall": "jetify; (cd ios; pod install); exit 0;",
    "lint": "eslint . --ext .js,.jsx,.ts,.tsx",
    "clean": "npx react-native-clean-project",
    "prestorybook": "rnstl",
    "quality": "yarn lint --fix && yarn tsc -p .",
    "increment-version": "bash scripts/update_version.sh"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@babel/plugin-proposal-export-namespace-from": "^7.18.9",
    "@hookform/resolvers": "^3.3.1",
    "@miblanchard/react-native-slider": "^2.3.1",
    "@react-native-async-storage/async-storage": "^1.19.3",
    "@react-native-clipboard/clipboard": "^1.12.1",
    "@react-native-community/datetimepicker": "^7.6.0",
    "@react-native-community/netinfo": "^9.4.1",
    "@react-native-community/slider": "^4.4.3",
    "@react-native-firebase/app": "^18.5.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/messaging": "^18.5.0",
    "@react-native-mapbox-gl/maps": "8.6.0-beta.0",
    "@react-native-masked-view/masked-view": "^0.2.9",
    "@react-native-picker/picker": "^2.5.1",
    "@react-native/gradle-plugin": "^0.73.1",
    "@react-native/metro-config": "^0.73.1",
    "@react-navigation/bottom-tabs": "^6.5.9",
    "@react-navigation/elements": "^1.3.19",
    "@react-navigation/native": "^6.1.8",
    "@react-navigation/stack": "^6.3.18",
    "@rematch/core": "^2.2.0",
    "@rematch/loading": "^2.1.2",
    "@rematch/persist": "^2.1.2",
    "@sentry/react-native": "^5.9.2",
    "@trivago/prettier-plugin-sort-imports": "^4.2.0",
    "@turf/turf": "^6.5.0",
    "@twotalltotems/react-native-otp-input": "^1.3.11",
    "@types/geojson": "^7946.0.11",
    "async-mutex": "^0.4.0",
    "axios": "1.5.1",
    "babel-plugin-module-resolver": "^5.0.0",
    "camelcase-keys": "^9.0.0",
    "chroma-js": "^2.4.2",
    "dayjs": "^1.11.10",
    "eslint-plugin-prettier": "^5.0.0",
    "eslint-plugin-react-hooks": "^4.6.0",
    "expo": "^49.0.12",
    "expo-image-manipulator": "^11.5.0",
    "expo-location": "^16.3.0",
    "i18n-iso-countries": "^7.7.0",
    "i18next": "^23.5.1",
    "intl": "^1.2.5",
    "libphonenumber-js": "^1.10.45",
    "lodash": "^4.17.21",
    "lottie-ios": "^4.3.2",
    "lottie-react-native": "^6.3.1",
    "luxon": "^3.4.3",
    "moment": "^2.29.4",
    "normalize-strings": "^1.1.1",
    "react": "^18.2.0",
    "react-hook-form": "^7.46.2",
    "react-i18next": "^13.2.2",
    "react-native": "^0.71.0",
    "react-native-animatable": "^1.3.3",
    "react-native-background-fetch": "^4.2.1",
    "react-native-background-geolocation": "^4.13.3",
    "react-native-branch": "^5.9.0",
    "react-native-chart-kit": "^6.12.0",
    "react-native-codegen": "^0.71.6",
    "react-native-config": "^1.5.1",
    "react-native-device-info": "^10.11.0",
    "react-native-document-picker": "^9.0.1",
    "react-native-error-boundary": "^1.2.3",
    "react-native-flash-message": "^0.4.2",
    "react-native-geolocation-service": "^5.3.1",
    "react-native-gesture-handler": "^2.13.1",
    "react-native-image-crop-picker": "^0.40.0",
    "react-native-keyboard-aware-scroll-view": "^0.9.5",
    "react-native-linear-gradient": "^2.8.3",
    "react-native-linear-gradient-text": "^0.3.1",
    "react-native-localize": "^3.0.2",
    "react-native-modal": "^13.0.1",
    "react-native-permissions": "^3.9.2",
    "react-native-picker-select": "^8.1.0",
    "react-native-reanimated": "^3.5.4",
    "react-native-safe-area-context": "^4.7.2",
    "react-native-screens": "^3.25.0",
    "react-native-snap-carousel": "^3.9.1",
    "react-native-splash-screen": "^3.3.0",
    "react-native-storybook-loader": "^2.0.5",
    "react-native-svg": "^13.14.0",
    "react-native-svg-transformer": "^1.1.0",
    "react-native-webview": "^13.6.0",
    "react-query": "^3.39.3",
    "react-redux": "^8.1.2",
    "redux": "^4.2.1",
    "redux-persist": "^6.0.0",
    "snakecase-keys": "^5.4.7",
    "zod": "^3.22.2"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@babel/core": "^7.23.0",
    "@babel/runtime": "^7.23.1",
    "@jest/globals": "29.7.0",
    "@react-native-community/eslint-config": "^3.2.0",
    "@storybook/addon-actions": "^7.4.5",
    "@storybook/addon-backgrounds": "^7.4.5",
    "@storybook/addon-knobs": "^7.0.2",
    "@storybook/addon-links": "^7.4.5",
    "@storybook/addon-ondevice-actions": "^6.5.6",
    "@storybook/addon-ondevice-backgrounds": "^6.5.6",
    "@storybook/addon-ondevice-knobs": "^6.5.6",
    "@storybook/react-native": "^6.5.6",
    "@storybook/react-native-server": "^6.5.6",
    "@testing-library/jest-native": "^5.4.3",
    "@types/camelcase-keys": "^5.1.1",
    "@types/chroma-js": "^2.4.1",
    "@types/jest": "^29.5.5",
    "@types/lodash": "^4.14.199",
    "@types/luxon": "^3.3.2",
    "@types/react": "^18.2.23",
    "@types/react-native": "^0.72.3",
    "@types/react-native-snap-carousel": "^3.8.6",
    "@types/react-test-renderer": "^18.0.3",
    "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^6.7.3",
    "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^6.7.3",
    "babel-jest": "^29.7.0",
    "babel-loader": "9.1.3",
    "babel-plugin-dynamic-import-node": "2.3.3",
    "eslint": "^8.50.0",
    "eslint-config-derniercri": "https://git@github.com/derniercri/eslint-config-derniercri.git#commit=02fd4c713505902ec314f9d528f03c4327410ae9",
    "jest": "^29.7.0",
    "metro-react-native-babel-preset": "^0.77.0",
    "prettier": "^3.0.3",
    "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
    "react-test-renderer": "18.2.0",
    "replace-in-files": "3.0.0",
    "ts-jest": "^29.1.1",
    "typescript": "^5.2.2"
  },
  "resolutions": {
    "@types/react": "^17"
  },
  "jest": {
    "preset": "react-native",
    "testEnvironment": "jsdom",
    "transformIgnorePatterns": [
      "/node_modules/(?!(@react-native|@react-native-.+|react-native|@react-navigation|react-native-.+|.+/react-native-.+|@sentry|expo-image-manipulator|expo-modules-core|expo-location)/)"
    ],
    "moduleNameMapper": {
      "^@internals/(.*)$": "<rootDir>/src/$1"
    },
    "setupFiles": [
      "./jest-setup/jestGlobalSetup.js"
    ],
    "globals": {
      "ts-jest": {
        "babelConfig": true
      },
      "__DEV__": true
    },
    "setupFilesAfterEnv": [
      "@react-native-mapbox-gl/maps/setup-jest"
    ]
  },
  "config": {
    "react-native-storybook-loader": {
      "searchDir": [
        "./src"
      ],
      "pattern": "**/*.stories.tsx",
      "outputFile": "./storybook/storyLoader.js"
    }
  },
  "packageManager": "yarn@3.6.3"
}

https://www.linen.dev/s/gradle-community/t/15890211/hi-everyone-i-am-having-issues-with-the-gradle-command-in-my#30010735-10f3-4508-b1ee-8bce8204ee11

As @NielsDoucet already told you on Slack, somewhere you do both, defining a toolchain on project level and defining source- / targetcompatibility on project level.

If you don’t do it directly, then either some of those legacy discouraged script plugins you “apply from” do it, or some of the plugins you apply do it.

If you would provide an MCVE we could maybe see the problem and help you. Or you could just set a breakpoint to where the error is thrown and / or where those values are set and debug your build to see where the error is coming from exactly.