Is it possible to use multiple manifest files for different gradle builds/flavors?

Question

Lets say I have a white label app that Im converting to be built in android studio from eclipse. This app has about 10 iterations which all use mostly the same code base with different resources that all use the same name convention how ever some of the iterations have extra activities or services that arent needed in all builds.

I want to scrap the entire lot of old hard to maintain code bases which are all essentially the same and just use one android studio project. I understand the base of this set up with all the source files and res files but I'm stuck on how to handle the different manifest files.

Can I use flavors or buildtypes to handle the switching of multiple manifest files?

Answer 1

Lets say I have a white label app that Im converting to be built in android studio from eclipse.

I have a white label app that Im converting to be built in android studio from eclipse.

Oh, no, wait — you didn't mean that literally...

:-)

Can I use flavors or buildtypes to handle the switching of multiple manifest files?

Absolutely. You can have manifests in the flavor and/or build type sourcesets (e.g., src/debug/AndroidManifest.xml). Their contents will be merged in with the manifest in main, the manifests in any attached AARs/Android library projects, and the various settings in build.config to create The One True Manifest for any given build. There is a page that describes the merger process and how various attributes can help control it, though it's a trifle confusing.