Android: Managing different server URL for development and release

Question

I am developing an Android application that interacts with server via REST APIs. Obviously I need to use different URL for development and release builds. Commenting and un-

Answer 1

If you are using Android Studio, use buildConfigField to add custom fields to your BuildConfig class.

buildTypes {
        debug {
          buildConfigField "String", "SERVER_URL", '"http://test.this-is-so-fake.com"'
        }

        release {
          buildConfigField "String", "SERVER_URL", '"http://prod.this-is-so-fake.com"'
        }

        mezzanine.initWith(buildTypes.release)

        mezzanine {
            buildConfigField "String", "SERVER_URL", '"http://stage.this-is-so-fake.com"'
        }
    }

Here, I have three build types: the standard debug and release, plus a custom mezzanine one. Each defines a SERVER_URL field on BuildConfig.

Then, in Java code, you just refer to BuildConfig.SERVER_URL. That field will have a value based on what build type you used to build that particular edition of the app.