How to check debuggable or debug build type in android library?

Question

I have an Android AAR library. One security policy I want to impose on the consumer application of my library, is that it must not be able to use my library when debuggable is true or the apk is created using the debug buildType.

How can I check this programmatically in android ?

you can check your library's `build.gradle` to detect if its debug or not but how are you going to check the consumer's `build.gradle`? — matrix, May 02 '17 at 07:52
@FarhadFaghihi but what is the reason? The important point is that your library is not in debug. Everyone develop the app in debug mode. — Gabriele Mariotti, May 02 '17 at 08:06
@GabrieleMariotti this is a security check for the release of the consumer application, which is going to be distributed to end users. — Farhad, May 02 '17 at 08:51
You can get the value in buildconfig like this `getApplicationContext().getResources().getString("BuildConfig Res Value")` — Madhukar Hebbar, May 02 '17 at 08:53

score 11 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 07 '20 at 14:30

11

Check debuggable tag on AndroidManifest file is the better way:

public static boolean isDebuggable(Context context) {
    return ((context.getApplicationInfo().flags 
            & ApplicationInfo.FLAG_DEBUGGABLE) != 0);
}

answered Mar 07 '20 at 14:30

duyhungws

321
4
9

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered May 02 '17 at 08:05

There is a workaround with reflection in order to get the project's(not library's) BuildConfig value like this:

/**
 * Gets a field from the project's BuildConfig. This is useful when, for example, flavors
 * are used at the project level to set custom fields.
 * @param context       Used to find the correct file
 * @param fieldName     The name of the field-to-access
 * @return              The value of the field, or {@code null} if the field is not found.
 */
public static Object getBuildConfigValue(Context context, String fieldName) {
    try {
        Class<?> clazz = Class.forName(context.getPackageName() + ".BuildConfig");
        Field field = clazz.getField(fieldName);
        return field.get(null);
    } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } catch (NoSuchFieldException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    return null;
}

To get the DEBUG field, for example, just call this from library Activity:

boolean debug = (Boolean) getBuildConfigValue(this, "DEBUG");

I have not tried this yet and cannot guarantee it will work all the time but you can go ahead!!!

This will not work and return null if minifyEnabled is set to true in app's build.gradle. This is not a recommended method to use in a library. — Ashwin, Jan 18 '18 at 14:17

How to check debuggable or debug build type in android library?

2 Answers2