Android Gradle Build Plugin 4.0.0 & R8 Desugaring not working on API 19

Question

I'm switching an Android application from using Proguard's desugaring to the new R8 desugaring available in Android Gradle Build Plugin 4.0.0.

I've followed the steps as detailed in the official documentation to enable Java 8 library desugaring:

gradle.properties

projectJavaVersion = 1.8
android.useAndroidX=true
android.enableJetifier=true

app build.gradle

plugins {
    id 'com.android.application'
    id 'kotlin-android'
}
android {
    buildToolsVersion '29.0.2'
    compileSdkVersion 29
    compileOptions {
        coreLibraryDesugaringEnabled true
        sourceCompatibility projectJavaVersion
        targetCompatibility projectJavaVersion
    }
    kotlinOptions {
        jvmTarget = projectJavaVersion
    }
    defaultConfig {
        multiDexEnabled true
        minSdkVersion 19
        targetSdkVersion 23
        applicationId = 'com.example.app'
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            ...
            minifyEnabled true
        }
        debug {
            debuggable true
            minifyEnabled true
        }
    }
}
dependencies {
    coreLibraryDesugaring "com.android.tools:desugar_jdk_libs:1.0.10"
    ...
}

You can see that we're supporting API 19 as a minimum. There are no build errors (using Gradle 6.1.1), but there are the following warnings:

Warning in synthesized for lambda desugaring:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$Function$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.Comparator java.time.chrono.-$$Lambda$AbstractChronology$j22w8kHhJoqCd56hhLQK1G0VLFw.thenComparing($-vivified-$.java.util.function.Function)`
Warning in synthesized for lambda desugaring:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$ToLongFunction$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.Comparator java.time.chrono.-$$Lambda$AbstractChronology$j22w8kHhJoqCd56hhLQK1G0VLFw.thenComparingLong($-vivified-$.java.util.function.ToLongFunction)`
Warning in synthesized for lambda desugaring:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$ToDoubleFunction$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.Comparator java.time.chrono.-$$Lambda$AbstractChronology$j22w8kHhJoqCd56hhLQK1G0VLFw.thenComparingDouble($-vivified-$.java.util.function.ToDoubleFunction)`
Warning in synthesized for lambda desugaring:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$ToIntFunction$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.Comparator java.time.chrono.-$$Lambda$AbstractChronology$j22w8kHhJoqCd56hhLQK1G0VLFw.thenComparingInt($-vivified-$.java.util.function.ToIntFunction)`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ConcurrentHashMap$EntryIterator.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$Consumer$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `void java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap$EntryIterator.forEachRemaining($-vivified-$.java.util.function.Consumer)`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ConcurrentHashMap$CollectionView.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$Stream$-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `$-vivified-$.java.util.stream.Stream java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap$CollectionView.parallelStream()`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ConcurrentHashMap$CollectionView.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$Spliterator$-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `$-vivified-$.java.util.Spliterator java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap$CollectionView.spliterator()`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ConcurrentHashMap$CollectionView.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$Predicate$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `boolean java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap$CollectionView.removeIf($-vivified-$.java.util.function.Predicate)`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/DesugarCollections$SynchronizedMap.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$BiFunction$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `void java.util.DesugarCollections$SynchronizedMap.replaceAll($-vivified-$.java.util.function.BiFunction)`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/DesugarCollections$SynchronizedMap.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$function$BiConsumer$-V-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `void java.util.DesugarCollections$SynchronizedMap.forEach($-vivified-$.java.util.function.BiConsumer)`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ThreadLocalRandom.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$IntStream$-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `$-vivified-$.java.util.stream.IntStream java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom.ints()`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ThreadLocalRandom.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$LongStream$-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `$-vivified-$.java.util.stream.LongStream java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom.longs()`
Warning in /Users/username/.gradle/caches/modules-2/files-2.1/com.android.tools/desugar_jdk_libs/1.0.4/961afbdb3d41eebfb63b8c8ccdc97453b869964e/desugar_jdk_libs-1.0.4.jar:java/util/concurrent/ThreadLocalRandom.class:
  Type `j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$DoubleStream$-WRP` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `$-vivified-$.java.util.stream.DoubleStream java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom.doubles(long)`

Warning: Type `java.util.OptionalConversions` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.OptionalLong j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$LongStream$-WRP.findAny()`
Warning: Type `java.util.LongSummaryStatisticsConversions` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.LongSummaryStatistics j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$LongStream$-WRP.summaryStatistics()`
Warning: Type `java.util.IntSummaryStatisticsConversions` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.IntSummaryStatistics j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$IntStream$-WRP.summaryStatistics()`
Warning: Type `java.util.DoubleSummaryStatisticsConversions` was not found, it is required for default or static interface methods desugaring of `java.util.DoubleSummaryStatistics j$.$r8$wrapper$java$util$stream$DoubleStream$-WRP.summaryStatistics()`

When I run the app, launching an activity with the following Optional in the code, the app crashes with

I/ApplicationBase: Testing Java 8
E/AndroidRuntime: FATAL EXCEPTION: AsyncTask #1
    Process: com.example.app.DEV, PID: 8265
    java.lang.RuntimeException: An error occured while executing doInBackground()
        at android.os.AsyncTask$3.done(AsyncTask.java:300)
        at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.finishCompletion(FutureTask.java:355)
        at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.setException(FutureTask.java:222)
        at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:242)
        at android.os.AsyncTask$SerialExecutor$1.run(AsyncTask.java:231)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1112)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:587)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:841)
     Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: j$.util.Optional
        at com.example.app.ApplicationBase.launch(ApplicationBase.java:251)
        at com.example.app.LaunchTask.doInBackground(LaunchTask.java:19)
        at com.example.app.LaunchTask.doInBackground(LaunchTask.java:6)
        at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:288)

ApplicationBase.java

import androidx.multidex.MultiDexApplication
import java.util.Optional;

public class ApplicationBase extends MultiDexApplication implements LaunchTask.Launcher {
  @SuppressLint("NewApi")
  @Override
  public void launch() throws IOException {
    IOHandler ioHandler = new AndroidAppIOHandler(getApplicationContext());
    Logger.i(TAG, "Testing Java 8");
    Optional.of("xyz").ifPresent(__ -> Logger.i(TAG, "Good"));
    Logger.i(TAG, "Tested Java 8");
    ...
  }
  ...
}

What am I missing?

---

After reading @sgjesse's answer, which seemed to identify a problem with just the launch() method, we did some further investigation. I can confirm that MultiDex.install() is being called before launch().

If I add an Optional in AndroidAppIoHandler, like this:

public AndroidAppIOHandler(Context context) {
  this.context = context;
  final Optional<Context> context1 = Optional.of(context);
  Log.d("TESTMULTIDEX1", context1.getClass() + "  " + context1.get().getClass() + " " + context1.toString());
}

then I see:

D/TESTMULTIDEX1( 2826): class j$.util.Optional  class com.example.app.ApplicationBase Optional[com.example.app.ApplicationBase@9d006a00]

Which is called from the first line of launch().

If I add an Optional to to the next line of the launch() method, like so:

public void launch() throws IOException {
  IOHandler ioHandler = new AndroidAppIOHandler(getApplicationContext());
  final Optional<IOHandler> ioHandler1 = Optional.of(ioHandler);
  ...

then I see:

java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: j$.util.Optional

on the same execution, after printing the other message above!

Answer 1

This was solved by upgrading to Android Gradle Build Plugin 4.2.0, where R8 desugars correctly.

Answer 2

I faced the same issue on our legacy app, which still supports Android 4.1. After I've created a sample project and tried to reproduce the error, I've found the problem (or bug?).

Unfortunately it seems that Android devices with 4.4 or lower can't use any Java 8 class or interface which will be touched by Core Library Desugaring inside the onCreate method of the application.

It seems like a weird multi dexing issue/bug.

I tried the following:

class CoreApplication : MultiDexApplication() {
    override fun attachBaseContext(base: Context?) {
        //adding the new GMS causes to many Methods in APK, therefore configure Application as MultiDex
        super.attachBaseContext(base)
        MultiDex.install(this)
    }

    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        Optional.of("TEst")
    }
}

Which will result in your mentioned crash:

03-22 18:36:09.231 657-657/com.plauzeware.CoreLibraryDesugeringCrashOnAndroidKitkat E/AndroidRuntime: FATAL EXCEPTION: main
    Process: com.plauzeware.CoreLibraryDesugeringCrashOnAndroidKitkat, PID: 657
    java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: j$.util.Optional
        at com.plauzeware.corelibrarydesugeringcrashonandroidkitkat.CoreApplication.onCreate(Application.kt:17)
        at android.app.Instrumentation.callApplicationOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1030)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.handleBindApplication(ActivityThread.java:4409)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1500(ActivityThread.java:139)
        at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1270)
        at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
        at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:136)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5086)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:785)
        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:601)
        at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

But when I wrap the call to Optional inside a helper class

class Loader {
    companion object {
        fun load() {
            Optional.of("TEst")
        }
    }
}

and call it inside my onCreate function

class CoreApplication : MultiDexApplication() {
    override fun attachBaseContext(base: Context?) {
        //adding the new GMS causes to many Methods in APK, therefore configure Application as MultiDex
        super.attachBaseContext(base)
        MultiDex.install(this)
    }

    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        Loader.load()
    }
}

it will work. I think it's a bug and I will file a bug report and will update this answer with a Link to it.

Because the multidexing issue touches also basic interfaces like Iterable it's really painful to resolve those errors. Especially because we still use OrmLite and it will use Iterable all the time.

I've added my code for reference to my Github

UPDATE:

Here is the link to the bug report.

Answer 3

I was facing quite a similar issue and in my case, it turned out that it is a bug in Android Gradle Plugin. Long story short AGP generates a few the same wrapper classes in different DEX files that blow Dalvik/ART on old Android versions. And the problem was only on debug build because R8/ProGuard deduplicates that classes in release builds.

And there is a workaround for that issue:

buildscript {

    repositories {
        maven {
            url "https://storage.googleapis.com/r8-releases/raw/master" // NOTICE 'master' here!
        }
    }

    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools:r8:f03be11f11b8405b69876d05337e917a5519e52a'  // Must be before the Gradle Plugin for Android.
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:X.Y.Z'     // Your current AGP version.
     }
}

Hopefully, this will help you.