How to configure build types vs. product flavors?

Question

Based on this answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/27908019/5156317 I have a follow up question: What makes an app different that speaks for product flavours? I am trying to compare this with my XCode setup which is as follows:

• Dev App that uses test backend
• Dev App that uses production backend
• Test App that uses test backend (enterprise distribution)
• Test App that uses production backend (enterprise distribution
• Live App that uses production backend (app store distribution)

My thoughts for the android setup:

buildTypes: debug_test debug_production // no need of enterprise apps since it is possible unsigned apps on any device release

flavors: myApp

Thanks for your support!

Answer 1

Well, I wouldn't specify more build types than debug and release in order to use different backend. Instead, I would use some of these techniques:

• more flavors,
• custom build config fields (documentation here),
• combine multiple product flavors (documentation here).

You can access build types, build flavors and custom fields in the application code using BuildConfig class.

Approach with simple flavors

• Build types:

  • debug
  • release

• Flavors:

  • dev
  • test
  • live

Which would result in these build variants (you don't have to use all of them):

• devDebug
• devRelease
• testDebug
• testRelease
• liveDebug
• liveRelease

Approach with combining multiple flavors using dimensions

• Flavor dimensions:

  • backend
  • target

• Build types:

  • debug
  • release

• Flavors:

  • target dimension:
    • dev
    • test
    • live
  • backend dimension:
    • production
    • test

Which would result in these build variants (again, you don't have to use all of them):

• productionDevDebug
• productionDevRelease
• productionTestDebug
• productionTestRelease
• productionLiveDebug
• productionLiveRelease
• testDevDebug
• testDevRelease
• testTestDebug
• testTestRelease
• testLiveDebug
• testLiveRelease

Using build field

Use additional value in build types and build flavors declarations, for example:

buildConfigField "boolean", "production_backend", "false"

or

buildConfigField "String", "backend", "\"production\""