Android Studio: Need to know which folders/files to backup

Question

I have to take backup of Android project. But the entire folder structure size is very big (goes upto few hundreds of MBs) for periodical backups. Basically I want to take backup of only source and configuration files (so that I should be able to build project successfully just with backup). I don't care generated and intermediate files.

But when I've look at folder structure, it looks too confusing and cannot make which folders/files I should backup and which should discard (Yes, I can find out my own written source files, but which are config and other files needed by Android Studio?)

Can someone please guide?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Actually, it is very simple in the android studio. Only you have to do is just

File ->Export to Zip File This will create a zip file of your project. This Zip file will only contain the files that are necessary, to import the project back into Android studio again.

Edit: From the new Android Studio Version Export to Zip flow changed(My Version: Android studio 4.1, Running in Mac Os Catalina). Now it is File->Manage IDE Settings ->Export to Zip FIle.

Answer 2

You backup whatever is important. For each project or library, do backup these:

1. src folder (contains source code, resource files)
2. build.gradle file (contains info about dependencies, libs)

Do not need to backup:

1. build folder
2. gen folder
3. .gradle folder

Note: Clean Project sometimes does not remove generated files.