How to change app name per Gradle build type

Question

I am trying to figure out a way to be able to change my application\'s app name per build type in gradle.

For instance, I would like the debug version to have

Answer 1

You can use something like this

 buildTypes {
    debug {
        applicationIdSuffix '.debug'
        versionNameSuffix '-DEBUG'
        resValue "string", "app_name", "AppName debug"
    }
    release {
        minifyEnabled true
        shrinkResources true
        proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        signingConfig signingConfigs.release
        zipAlignEnabled true
        resValue "string", "app_name", "AppName"
    }
}

You can use @string/app_name in AndroidManifest.xml files.

Make sure you remove app_name from values/ folder (no entry by this name).

Answer 2

To support translations make this:

1. remove string "app_name"

2. add to gradle

 buildTypes {
    admin {
       resValue "string", "app_name", "@string/app_name_admin"
    }
    release {
        resValue "string", "app_name", "@string/app_name_release"
    }
    debug {
        resValue "string", "app_name", "@string/app_name_debug"
    }
}

3. Set app name in Manifest as "@string/app_name"

4. Add to strings.xml values

<string name="app_name_admin">App Admin</string>
<string name="app_name_release">App  release</string>
<string name="app_name_debug">App debug</string>

Answer 3

You can do this with gradle:

android {
    buildTypes {
        release {
            manifestPlaceholders = [appName: "My Standard App Name"]
        }
        debug {
            manifestPlaceholders = [appName: "Debug"]
        }
    }
}

Then in your AndroidManifest.xml put:

<application
    android:label="${appName}"/>
    <activity
        android:label="${appName}">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>

Note: it also works with productFlavors.

Answer 4

You can use strings.xml in different folders, see Android separate string values for release and debug builds.

So, create this file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="app_name">Your app name</string>
</resources>

Then paste it to app\src\debug\res\values\ and app\src\release\res\values\ folders. Replace "Your app name" in debug and release files. Remove app_name item from strings.xml in app\src\main\res\values\ folder.

In AndroidManifest you will have the same

<application
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    ...

No changes at all. Even if you added a library with it's AndroidManifest file and strings.xml.

Answer 5

If by "app name", you mean android:label on <application>, the simplest solution is to have that point at a string resource (e.g., android:label="@string/app_name"), then have a different version of that string resource in a src/debug/ sourceset.

You can see that in this sample project, where I have a replacement for app_name in src/debug/res/values/strings.xml, which will be applied for debug builds. release builds will use the version of app_name in src/main/.

Answer 6

There are multiple ways you can do.

you can create manifestPlaceholders OR resValue in app level build.gradle. e.g.

buildTypes {
     release {
          ...
          manifestPlaceholders = [appLabel: "My App"]
          //resValue "string", "appLabel", '"My App"'
     }
     debug {
          ...
          manifestPlaceholders = [appLabel: "My App - Debug"]
          //resValue "string", "appLabel", '"My App - Debug"'
     }
}

OR

If you have productFlavors, you can create there

flavorDimensions "env"
productFlavors {
    dev {
        dimension "env"
        ...
        manifestPlaceholders = [appLabel: "My App - Development"]
        //resValue "string", "appLabel", '"My App - Development"'
    }
    prod {
        dimension "env"
        ...
        manifestPlaceholders = [appLabel: "My Awesome App"]
        //resValue "string", "appLabel", '"My Awesome App"'
    }
}

Then in AndroidManifest.xml if you are using manifestPlaceholders, just change android:label="${appLabel}" as below OR if you are using resValue, just change android:label=@string/appLabel

<application
    ...
    android:label="${appLabel}"> //OR `android:label=@string/appLabel`
    
    <activity
        ...
        android:label="${appLable}">

        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>

NOTE: Make sure to change android:lable as well in <activity> of LAUNCHER category. If it doesn't require to use android:label in <activity>, just remove this.

---

If you do not want to add in build.gradle directly, you can add in values/string.xml of selected ProductFlavors. e.g.

Add

<string name="appLabel">My App - Development</string> 

in app/src/dev/res/values/string.xml

and

<string name="appLabel">My Awesome App</string> 

in app/src/prod/res/values/string.xml