An Alternative Method for importing Android Library Projects

When working on Android library and app simultaneously, you often need to import library projects into your workspace. While there’s a common method for doing this, there’s also an alternative way that offers some unique advantages. Let’s explore both methods and see when you might prefer one over the other.

Standard Method: Typically, you’d import an Android library project using these steps:

1. Navigate to File->Import Module
2. Specify the library directory and provide a module name
3. The library is imported into your project and an entry is added to your settings.gradle file:

include(':app')
include(':moduleName')

4. An entry is also added to your build.gradle file

implementation project(':moduleName')

This method creates a copy of your library project within your current workspace, which works well in most scenarios.

Alternative Method: What if you’re actively developing and testing the library alongside your Android app? You might want to make real-time changes to the library project without switching workspaces. Here’s how to achieve this:

1. Open your settings.gradle file and add the following

On Mac

include(':moduleName')
project(':moduleName').projectDir = new File('/Users/sj/AndroidStudioProjects/TestLibrary', 'app')

On Windows

include(':moduleName')
project(':moduleName').projectDir = new File('C:\\Users\\sj\\AndroidStudioProjects\\TestLibrary', 'app')

For Kotlin DSL projects, add this to your settings.gradle.kts .

include(":moduleName")
project(":moduleName").projectDir = File("/Users/sj/AndroidStudioProjects/TestLibrary", "app")

2. In your build.gradle file, add the dependency as usual:

implementation project(':moduleName')

3. Sync your project, and the library repository will be included directly.

Comparing the Two Methods:

Standard Method:

Pros: Simple, automated process

Cons: Creates a duplicate copy of the library

Alternative Method:

Pros:

• No duplicate copy of the library repository
• Allows direct changes to the library from your app’s workspace
• Commits can be made to the library repo without switching projects

Cons: Requires manual configuration in settings.gradle and build.gradle

When to Use the Alternative Method:

Consider this approach when:

• Actively developing both the library and the app simultaneously
• Need to make frequent changes to the library
• Want to avoid maintaining multiple copies of the same library

⚠️ Avoid pushing this change to the server since it includes your local workspace paths.

Conclusion: While the standard method of importing Android libraries works well for most cases, the alternative method offers more flexibility for active library development. By understanding both approaches, you can choose the one that best fits your workflow and project needs.