Optimizing Android App Performance using Gradle and CMake

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Are you tired of your apps running like a snail on juice?

First things first, Gradle. This is the build system that Android Studio uses by default, and it’s pretty ***** good at what it does. But did you know that there are ways to make it even better? One of these ways involves using a plugin called ‘com.android.tools.build:gradle-profiler’.

This plugin allows you to profile your app during the build process, which can help identify performance bottlenecks and optimize them before they become an issue in production. To use it, simply add this line to your project’s Gradle file:

// This script adds the 'com.android.tools.build:gradle-profiler' plugin to the project's Gradle file, allowing for performance profiling during the build process.

// The 'buildscript' block is used to configure the build script classpath and repositories.
buildscript {
    // The 'repositories' block specifies where to find the plugin dependencies.
    repositories {
        google() // Adds the Google Maven repository.
        mavenCentral() // Adds the Maven Central repository.
    }
    // The 'dependencies' block specifies the plugin dependencies.
    dependencies {
        // The 'classpath' keyword indicates that the dependency is a plugin.
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle-profiler:4.2.0' // Adds the 'com.android.tools.build:gradle-profiler' plugin with version 4.2.0.
    }
}

Once you have this plugin installed, you can run the following command to profile your app during a build:

# This script uses the gradle wrapper to run the assembleDebug task and generate a profile report.
# The --profile flag enables profiling during the build process.

# Use the gradle wrapper to run the assembleDebug task
./gradlew assembleDebug

# Enable profiling during the build process
--profile

This will generate a report in the ‘build/reports’ directory that shows you where your app is spending most of its time. From there, it’s up to you to identify any performance issues and fix them.

Did you know that CMake can also be used to optimize Android app performance? That’s right, this popular build system for C/C++ projects can actually be used with Android as well. The key is using a plugin called ‘com.android.tools.cmake:try-cmake’.

This plugin allows you to use CMake to generate Gradle files that can then be used to build your app. This can result in faster builds and better performance, especially for large or complex projects. To use it, simply add this line to your project’s Gradle file:

// This script adds the necessary dependencies to use the CMake plugin for Gradle builds.

// The buildscript block is used to configure the dependencies and repositories for the build.
buildscript {
    // The repositories block specifies where to find the necessary dependencies.
    repositories {
        // The google() repository is used to access Google's Maven repository.
        google()
        // The mavenCentral() repository is used to access the Maven Central repository.
        mavenCentral()
    }
    // The dependencies block specifies the necessary dependencies for the build.
    dependencies {
        // The classpath is used to specify the plugin to be used for the build.
        classpath 'com.android.tools.cmake:try-cmake:1.0.2'
    }
}

Once you have this plugin installed, you can run the following command to generate Gradle files using CMake:

# This script uses the Gradle wrapper to run the 'cmakeGenerate' task with the 'android_useCmake' property set to true.
# This will generate Gradle files using CMake.

# Use the 'gradlew' command to run the Gradle wrapper.
# The './' indicates that the command should be run from the current directory.
gradlew cmakeGenerate \

# Use the '-P' flag to set a Gradle property.
# In this case, the 'android_useCmake' property is set to true.
-Pandroid_useCmake=true

This will create a ‘build.gradle’ file in your project directory that uses CMake to build your app. From there, you can use Gradle to build and run your app as usual.

Give them a try and see if they make a difference in your app’s speed and efficiency. And remember, always code with love and laughter!

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