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So maven { url "https://jitpack.io" } is used to link github libraries to your android project. My question is what would happen if you create an app with implementations of github projects like "implementation 'com.github.authorproject:version'" and that project one day is deleted by the author. Would the app continue to work as before? Or if the app deppended of that github repository and that repository is deleted by the author your app will be obsolete? Thanks

Trompeto
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If an external dependency is removed, you will fail to be able to build your app unless the dependency is still in cache on your local machine.

Existing apps will still work but once you do a clean build with an empty local gradle cache, the build will fail.

If a dependency's source code is hosted on git, it makes sense to fork it if you think that the code could disappear.

Alexander Hoffmann
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  • So imagine this case: I create an app with a dependece of a github project and this dependence stills works and I upload it to the play store. So if the app was uploaded when the github library was working and after 2 months the library does not exist/is down, will the users that download the app form the play store will have installed an app that doesn´t work beause the git library was deleted or the app will work perfectly because the app was uploaded when the library was working? Thanks, I hope you understand what I am trying to say :) – Trompeto Feb 13 '22 at 22:14
  • The dependency is only relevant at compile time. Once you have created an app bundle or APK, your app will continue to work even if the dependency is deleted. – Alexander Hoffmann Feb 13 '22 at 22:15
  • And if I want to make an update of the app if the library is deleted, I can´t do it? Would it be a good idea to create my private repositories cloning those repositories of other authors so I am sure that they won´t be deleted? Or maybe I can download those repositories instead of linking them with maven, can it be done downloading the libraries and including them in the android project form local files instead of linking them from the cloud of github? Thank you very much again :) – Trompeto Feb 13 '22 at 22:23
  • @Trompeto Fork it if you want to be safe. – Alexander Hoffmann Feb 13 '22 at 23:10