Gradle build lintVitalRelease NullPointerException

Question

Updated Android Studio from 3.0 Canary 3 to Beta 2, and the Gradle plugin from Alpha 5 to Beta 2. Debug builds just fine, but when trying to generate a signed APK for a release build type, this error keeps coming up. Have tried deleting the .gradle folder, .idea folder, Invalidate caches & Restart and gradlew clean.

14:16:32.483 [ERROR] [system.err] Note: Recompile with -Xlint:deprecation for details.
14:16:32.483 [ERROR] [system.err] Note: Some input files use unchecked or unsafe operations.
14:16:32.483 [ERROR] [system.err] Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.
14:16:37.434 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.434 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] FAILURE: Build failed with an exception.
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] * What went wrong:
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] Execution failed for task ':app:lintVitalRelease'.
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] > java.lang.NullPointerException (no error message)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] * Exception is:
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app:lintVitalRelease'.
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:100)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:70)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.execute(SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.java:63)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.java:54)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ValidatingTaskExecuter.execute(ValidatingTaskExecuter.java:58)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.execute(SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.java:88)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.java:52)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:52)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:54)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.java:43)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:34)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker$1.run(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:248)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:197)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:107)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:241)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:230)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.processTask(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:124)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.access$200(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:80)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:105)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:99)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.java:625)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.executeWithTask(DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.java:580)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.run(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:99)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:63)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:46)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:55)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutput.getOutputPath(BuildOutput.java:222)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.lambda$load$2(BuildOutputs.java:243)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.load(BuildOutputs.java:245)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.load(BuildOutputs.java:184)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.load(BuildOutputs.java:140)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.BuildOutputsSupplier.lambda$get$1(BuildOutputsSupplier.java:55)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList.forEach(ImmutableList.java:397)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.BuildOutputsSupplier.get(BuildOutputsSupplier.java:50)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.BuildOutputsSupplier.get(BuildOutputsSupplier.java:35)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.AndroidArtifactImpl.getOutputs(AndroidArtifactImpl.java:135)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$AppGradleProject.<init>(LintGradleProject.java:206)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$AppGradleProject.<init>(LintGradleProject.java:192)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$ProjectSearch.getProject(LintGradleProject.java:949)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$ProjectSearch.getProject(LintGradleProject.java:785)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleClient.createLintRequest(LintGradleClient.java:193)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.tools.lint.LintCliClient.run(LintCliClient.java:151)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleClient.run(LintGradleClient.java:209)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.Lint.runLint(Lint.java:359)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.Lint.lintSingleVariant(Lint.java:329)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.Lint.lint(Lint.java:134)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:73)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.DefaultTaskClassInfoStore$StandardTaskAction.doExecute(DefaultTaskClassInfoStore.java:141)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.DefaultTaskClassInfoStore$StandardTaskAction.execute(DefaultTaskClassInfoStore.java:134)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.DefaultTaskClassInfoStore$StandardTaskAction.execute(DefaultTaskClassInfoStore.java:121)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.AbstractTask$TaskActionWrapper.execute(AbstractTask.java:731)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.AbstractTask$TaskActionWrapper.execute(AbstractTask.java:705)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$1.run(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:122)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:197)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:107)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:111)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:92)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   ... 27 more
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] * Get more help at https://help.gradle.org
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildResultLogger] 
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildResultLogger] BUILD FAILED in 19s

Answer 1

Option 1. Recommended. Fix the issue.

Fix the issue itself instead of disabling it.

To do so go to app/build/outputs/lint-results-release-fatal.html right click it and select open in browser. Fix the detailed error it provides. I did this, fixed my error and now it compiles the release apk.

Option 2. Disable inspection.

org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app:lintVitalRelease'.

You should add checkReleaseBuilds in build.gradle section .

  android {
    lintOptions { 
        checkReleaseBuilds false // Add this
        abortOnError false
    }
}

Then Clean-Rebuild-Run .

Answer 2

How to know what's wrong in your code?

Its simple. Open lint-results-release-fatal.html file in the browser and you will see what is exactly wrong with your code. In my case it was a missing translation. When I opened the lint-results-release-fatal.html in the browser it looked like this.

How to open lint-results-release-fatal.html in browser?

Go to this path apps/build/reports/lint-results-release-fatal.html right click and Select Open in Browser option. If you don't find it in your project then you can change the perspective to Project.

If you are still confused. Then follow these 3 steps.

1) Change the Prespective to Project

2) Go to apps/build/reports/lint-results-release-fatal.html

3) Right click and select "Open in Browser option"

Missing Translation

As Edward has mentioned that 9/10 times it is due to a missing translation. In my application, I added multi-language support by creating alternative string.xml files. But forgot to add it in other languages. I got this error when I was trying to create a Signed APK. I had no clue what went wrong until I open the lint-results-release-fatal.html(Error report). So in Laymen terms it is just like going through an error report. Which tells you the root cause, source and a possible solution. You can also open the XML version of the error report which is lint-results-release-fatal.xml.

The error report clearly shows that.

<string name="action_settings">Settings</string>