Android Studio: Error while generating the main dex list

Question

I was trying to completely remove firebase dependencies from my project but I have manage somehow to completely screw my gradle and I need help in order to make it work again. I need to have the google play service dependencies because I am working with google maps and geofencing. This is the error that I am getting each time am trying to rebuild the project.

java.lang.RuntimeException: com.android.build.api.transform.TransformException: Error while generating the main dex list.
    at com.android.builder.profile.Recorder$Block.handleException(Recorder.java:55)
    at com.android.builder.profile.ThreadRecorder.record(ThreadRecorder.java:104)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.pipeline.TransformTask.transform(TransformTask.java:212)
    at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor896.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:73)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.IncrementalTaskAction.doExecute(IncrementalTaskAction.java:46)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:39)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.StandardTaskAction.execute(StandardTaskAction.java:26)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$1.run(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:121)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:199)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:110)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:110)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:92)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:70)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.OutputDirectoryCreatingTaskExecuter.execute(OutputDirectoryCreatingTaskExecuter.java:51)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.execute(SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.java:62)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.java:54)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ValidatingTaskExecuter.execute(ValidatingTaskExecuter.java:60)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.execute(SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.java:97)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.execute(CleanupStaleOutputsExecuter.java:87)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:52)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:54)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.java:43)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:34)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker$1.run(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:248)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:199)
    at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:110)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:241)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:230)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.processTask(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:123)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.access$200(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:79)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:104)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:98)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.java:626)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.executeWithTask(DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.java:581)
    at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.run(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:98)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:63)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:46)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:55)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Caused by: com.android.build.api.transform.TransformException: Error while generating the main dex list.
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.transforms.D8MainDexListTransform.transform(D8MainDexListTransform.kt:127)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.pipeline.TransformTask$2.call(TransformTask.java:221)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.pipeline.TransformTask$2.call(TransformTask.java:217)
    at com.android.builder.profile.ThreadRecorder.record(ThreadRecorder.java:102)
    ... 47 more
Caused by: com.android.builder.multidex.D8MainDexList$MainDexListException: com.android.tools.r8.errors.CompilationError: Program type already present: com.google.firebase.FirebaseApiNotAvailableException
    at com.android.builder.multidex.D8MainDexList.generate(D8MainDexList.java:87)
    at com.android.build.gradle.internal.transforms.D8MainDexListTransform.transform(D8MainDexListTransform.kt:114)
    ... 50 more
Caused by: com.android.tools.r8.errors.CompilationError: Program type already present: com.google.firebase.FirebaseApiNotAvailableException
    at com.android.tools.r8.utils.ProgramClassCollection.resolveClassConflictImpl(ProgramClassCollection.java:64)
    at com.android.tools.r8.utils.ProgramClassCollection.lambda$create$0(ProgramClassCollection.java:25)
    at java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap.merge(ConcurrentHashMap.java:1990)
    at com.android.tools.r8.utils.ProgramClassCollection.create(ProgramClassCollection.java:24)
    at com.android.tools.r8.graph.LazyLoadedDexApplication$Builder.build(LazyLoadedDexApplication.java:121)
    at com.android.tools.r8.dex.ApplicationReader.read(ApplicationReader.java:122)
    at com.android.tools.r8.dex.ApplicationReader.read(ApplicationReader.java:86)
    at com.android.tools.r8.GenerateMainDexList.run(GenerateMainDexList.java:40)
    at com.android.tools.r8.GenerateMainDexList.run(GenerateMainDexList.java:110)
    at com.android.builder.multidex.D8MainDexList.generate(D8MainDexList.java:83)
    ... 51 more

This is what my gradle file looks like:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 26
    defaultConfig {
        multiDexEnabled true
        applicationId "com1032.cw1.tm00591.tm00591_todolist"
        minSdkVersion 19
        targetSdkVersion 26
        versionCode 5
        versionName "5.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    implementation 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.1.0'
    implementation 'com.android.support:mediarouter-v7:26.1.0'
    implementation 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.0.2'
    implementation 'com.android.support:design:26.1.0'
    testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.12'
    androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test:runner:1.0.1'
    androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.0.1'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:9.0.0'
    compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:15.0.0'

}

Answer 1

I believe it is because you are mixing play-services versions 9.0.0 and 15.0.0. You should always use the same version.

In my case it happened because I was mixing AndroidX libraries androidx.* with the old support libraries com.android.support*.

A migration guide can be found here.

As a side note, play-services-location is included in play-services so there is no need to have both dependencies. However, it is better to use play services sub dependencies instead of using the whole package.