AndroidLX: From an app to a library

Some insights and tips on the difference between Android application and library development, from someone who has been on both sides

Transcript

1. sergiomarquesmoura Android: From an app to a library Sérgio Moura
2. Onfido is an identity verification solution, helping over 1,500 businesses work out who they can trust in a digital world. Hole19 offers accurate GPS distances for 40,000+ courses worldwide, along with digital scorecards and the possibility to connect with all your golf buddies.
3. Tricks and tips for Android library development
4. 1. Keep it dev-friendly ➔ Take care of your README... ◆ What does this do? ◆ Simple, well-documented API ◆ Add pictures/videos ➔ Maintain a sample app ➔ Deprecate-then-remove ➔ … and CHANGELOG ◆ Follow a versioning scheme ◆ Update it during the development
5. 1. Keep it dev-friendly ➔ Easy to use ➔ Enforce validation ➔ Hard to misuse ➔ Use custom exceptions
6. 2. Watch your dependencies ➔ “Can I do this myself?” ➔ Teach how to squeeze it ◆ ProGuard ◆ Multi-APK split
7. 2. Watch your dependencies ➔ Constantly look at method count + APK size ◆ dexcount-gradle-plugin (gitub.com/KeepSafe) ◆ Sample app APK size
8. 2. Watch your dependencies ➔ Ask for optional dependencies
9. 3. Some “edge cases” ➔ Host app can override XML resources by name ◆ strings.xml ◆ colors.xml ◆ dimens.xml
10. 3. Some “edge cases” ➔ Use buildConfigField to fetch configuration info ◆ flavor ◆ build time ◆ versionName
11. 5. Putting all together ➔ Library development is challenging ◆ Dev-friendly ◆ Maintain library + sample app ◆ Some “edge cases” ➔ Efficient library development is even more ◆ Watch your dependencies ◆ Make them optional if possible
12. Thank you for coming! Questions? AndroidLX