build.gradle dependencies auto updates itself

Question

compile \'com.google.android.gms:play-services:8.3.0\'
compile \'com.android.support:support-v4:22.2.1\'
compile \'com.android.support:design:22.2.1\'

Answer 1

I just ran into this with another developer who had checked out my project, and then started getting build errors shortly thereafter. When I looked, my support library versions had appeared to have been updated as well.

Turns out this was happening after they had added a new Activity via the Android Studio add an activity wizard. This was automatically updating the build.gradle file to use the latest support library versions, and also adding the 'com.android.support:design:23.2.0' library as well which I wasn't even using.

I'm wondering if something similar is happening to you, as you are indicating it seems to be periodically happening.

Answer 2

Android Studio doesn't update the dependencies if you specify the version

Example:

compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:8.3.0'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:22.2.1'
compile 'com.android.support:design:22.2.1'

In this case AS will tell you when there is a newer version without updating them.

If you the + in your dependencies gradle updates with the latest version according to the build.gradle.
For example:

compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:22.2.+'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:22.+'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:+'

It is a good practice to avoid it.

Answer 3

Instead of:

compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:8.3.0'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:22.2.1'
compile 'com.android.support:design:22.2.1'

try:

playVersion = '8.3.0'
supportVersion = 'support-v4:22.2.1'
designVersion = '22.2.1'
compile "com.google.android.gms:play-services:$playVersion"
compile "com.android.support:$supportVersion"
compile "com.android.support:design:$designVersion"

Remember to replace the 's with "s.