Reuse modules in Android Studio

Question

Whenever I add a android library-project as module to my Android Studio project, the sources get copied to the Android Studio project folder.

Is there a way to solve it like in eclipse, where there is only one copy of library project, any many projects can reference it?

Answer 1

You have different ways to achieve it:

1. using a local module referring the right path
2. adding an aar file
3. using a maven repo

CASE 1:
Using gradle and a local library, inside a project you can refer an external module.

Just use:

Project
|__build.gradle
|__settings.gradle
|__app (application module)
   |__build.gradle

In settings.gradle:

include ':app' 
include ':myLib'
project(':myLib').projectDir=new   File('pathLibrary')

In app/build.gradle:

dependencies {
    compile project(':myLib')
}

Pay attention to myLib.
You have to use the path of the library inside the other project, not the root of the project.

CASE 2:
Compile the library module, get the aar file, and then add to the main project:

Add the folder where you put the aar file as repository:

repositories {
    jcenter()
    flatDir {
        dirs 'libs'
    }
}

Then add the dependency:

dependencies {
    compile(name:'nameOfAarFile', ext:'aar')
}

CASE 3: Another way is to to publish your module into a maven repository.

In this way, just use:

dependencies {
    compile ('mypackage:mymodule:X.Y.Z')
}