Android Studio 3.0 Execution failed for task: unable to merge dex

Question

android studio was getting build error while build execution with following:

Error:Execution failed for task ':app:transformDexArchiveWithExternalLibsDexMergerForDebug'. java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.RuntimeException: com.android.builder.dexing.DexArchiveMergerException: Unable to merge dex"

My app:build.gradle file:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 26
    buildToolsVersion '26.0.2'
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.pdroid.foodieschoice"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 25
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    androidTestCompile('com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:2.2.2', {
        exclude group: 'com.android.support', module: 'support-annotations'
    })
    compile 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.0.2'
    compile 'com.firebaseui:firebase-ui-auth:2.3.0'

    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
}
configurations.all {
    resolutionStrategy {
        force 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.0.1'
        force 'com.android.support:support-compat:26.0.1'
        force 'com.android.support:support-core-ui:26.0.1'
        force 'com.android.support:support-annotations:26.0.1'
        force 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:26.0.1'
    }
}

apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'

any solutions

Edit: i have done with sample through firebase github site and solved

Solution 1

For Cordova based project, run cordova clean android before build again, as @mkimmet suggested.

Solution 2

This error happens when you add an external library which may not be compatible with your compileSdkVersion .

Be careful when you are adding an external library.

I spent 2 days on this problem and finally it got solved following these steps.

• Make sure all your support libraries are same as compileSdkVersion of your build.gradle(Module:app) in my case it is 26.

• In your defaultConfig category type multiDexEnabled true. This is the important part.

• Go to File | Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Instant Run and try to Enable/Disable Instant Run to hot swap... and click okay

• Sync Your project.

• Lastly, Go to Build | click on Rebuild Project.

• Note: Rebuild Project first cleans and then builds the project.

Solution 3

Try to add this in gradle

    android {
      defaultConfig {
        multiDexEnabled true
        }
   }

Solution 4

Resolution:

Refer to this link: As there are various options to shut the warning off depending on the minSdkVersion, it is set below 20:

 android {
     defaultConfig {
         ...
         minSdkVersion 15 
         targetSdkVersion 26
         multiDexEnabled true
     }
     ... }

 dependencies {   compile 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.3' }

If you have a minSdkVersion greater than 20 in your build.gradle set use the following to shut down the warning:

  android {
      defaultConfig {
          ...
          minSdkVersion 21 
          targetSdkVersion 26
          multiDexEnabled true
      }
      ... }

Update dependencies as follows:

     dependencies {
        implementation 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.3'
     }

Again the only difference is the keywords in dependencies:

minSdkVersion below 20: use compile

minSdkVersion above 20: use implementation

1. I hope this was helpful, please upvote if it solved your issue, Thank you for your time.
2. Also for more info, on why this occurs, please read the first paragraph in the link, it will explain thoroughly why? and what does this warning mean.

Solution 5

Simply try doing a "Build -> Clean Project". That solved the problem for me.

View more solutions

Comments

[Vineet Jain]

Hope you have cleared or invalidated your cache and restarted Android Studio ? For me Android Studio 3 seems buggy as compared to the previous versions.

[68060]

anyone ever fix this? cannot get past it!

[Ishan Fernando]

Did you tried to invalidate cache in android studio? @Anguraj

[OneCricketeer]

Not the only step to enable multidex. Also not needed in newer API levels

[Sumit Saxena]

it is helpful me , Thank you.

[Niamatullah Bakhshi]

glad to hear that. Happy Androiding.

[Paulo Linhares - Packapps]

Only that worked for me. I did not need to add force = true

[mkimmet]

Thanks this worked for me in an Ionic/Cordova project by running cordova clean android while I also had cordova-android-support-gradle-release plugin installed.

[tonejac]

Love it when something simple fixes things!! Thanks!

[Pradeep Sheoran]

its a dependency put it into gradle

[pamekar]

Someone please mark this answer right. It solves the problem.

[Michael Auderer]

This fixed it for me when working with React Native.

[Niamatullah Bakhshi]

@YajliMaclo great!

[Mr Special]

I changed minSdkVersion, it's enough

[ssz]

For me, installing the 'cordova-plugin-androidx' and 'cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter' sovled the problem

[gautamsinh mori]

Thanks, it's the easiest solution for this issue, I spent my 3 days to solve this issue and your answer solves my all problem. Once again thank you my bro!!!

[Atif]

Thanks. Helped me on Android Studio 4.1. Saved my day.

[AndroLogiciels]

For me, just add the line multiDexEnabled=true in defaultConfig