Organizing dependencies effectively is a critical aspect of maintaining a clean, scalable, and efficient Android project. As applications grow in complexity—especially with the adoption of multi-module architectures—managing dependencies becomes more challenging. Without proper organization, developers risk bloated builds, version conflicts, and maintenance nightmares. Here are some best practices to keep your Android project’s dependencies well-structured and manageable.
1. Use Version Catalogs for Centralized Dependency Management
Android Studio now defaults to using version catalogs as the recommended way to manage dependencies. This approach allows you to define all your dependencies—including their versions—in a single file (libs.versions.toml), making it easier to maintain consistency across modules . With version catalogs, you can group related dependencies under meaningful names and avoid repetition, which is especially useful in large projects with multiple modules.
2. Group Dependencies by Functionality
A well-organized dependency structure should reflect the architecture and responsibilities of your app. Grouping dependencies by functionality—such as networking, database, or UI components—makes it easier to understand what each part of the app requires and helps prevent unnecessary duplication . This also simplifies debugging when conflicts arise, as you can quickly identify which set of dependencies might be causing issues.
3. Leverage Build-Time Scanning to Remove Unused Libraries
According to recent research, nearly 40% of libraries included in Android projects go unused . These unused dependencies increase build times and app size unnecessarily. Tools like ./gradlew dependencies or plugins such as Dependency Analysis for Java (DA4J) can help identify unused or transitive dependencies that can be safely removed from your project.
4. Implement a Shared Module for Common Dependencies
In multi-module projects, it’s common for several modules to rely on the same libraries. To avoid redundancy and version mismatches, consider creating a shared module or a buildSrc file that defines common dependencies used across multiple modules . This ensures consistency and makes future updates much more manageable, as you only need to change the version in one place.
5. Utilize BOM (Bill of Materials) for Consistent Library Versions
When working with libraries that offer a Bill of Materials (BOM), such as Google’s Firebase or AndroidX, use them to ensure consistent versions across related components. A BOM provides a centralized list of compatible versions, reducing the risk of runtime crashes caused by incompatible library pairings .
6. Optimize Repository Access with Internal Artifact Management
Using tools like Nexus or Artifactory to manage internal repositories can significantly improve build performance by caching remote dependencies locally and speeding up retrieval times. In fact, organizations have reported up to a 50% reduction in build times after implementing this strategy .
7. Adopt Dependency Management Plugins
Gradle offers several plugins that enhance dependency management, such as nebula.dependency-recommender, gradle-dependency-analyze, and versions-plugin. These tools help enforce version consistency, detect outdated dependencies, and analyze usage patterns across modules . Integrating them into your CI/CD pipeline ensures that dependency health is continuously monitored .
Conclusion
Properly organizing dependencies in an Android project not only improves maintainability but also enhances performance and stability. By adopting version catalogs, grouping dependencies logically, removing unused libraries, and leveraging tools designed for dependency analysis and optimization, you can create a scalable and robust foundation for your app. Whether you’re managing a small single-module application or a complex multi-module architecture, these practices will help streamline your workflow and reduce technical debt over time.
