How to configure build types vs. product flavors?

问题

Based on this answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/27908019/5156317 I have a follow up question: What makes an app different that speaks for product flavours? I am trying to compare this with my XCode setup which is as follows:

Dev App that uses test backend
Dev App that uses production backend
Test App that uses test backend (enterprise distribution)
Test App that uses production backend (enterprise distribution
Live App that uses production backend (app store distribution)

My thoughts for the android setup:

buildTypes: debug_test debug_production // no need of enterprise apps since it is possible unsigned apps on any device release

flavors: myApp

Thanks for your support!

回答1:

Well, I wouldn't specify more build types than debug and release in order to use different backend. Instead, I would use some of these techniques:

more flavors,
custom build config fields (documentation here),
combine multiple product flavors (documentation here).

You can access build types, build flavors and custom fields in the application code using BuildConfig class.

Approach with simple flavors

Build types:
- debug
- release
Flavors:
- dev
- test
- live

Which would result in these build variants (you don't have to use all of them):

devDebug
devRelease
testDebug
testRelease
liveDebug
liveRelease

Approach with combining multiple flavors using dimensions

Flavor dimensions:
- backend
- target
Build types:
- debug
- release
Flavors:
- target dimension:
  - dev
  - test
  - live
- backend dimension:
  - production
  - test

Which would result in these build variants (again, you don't have to use all of them):

productionDevDebug
productionDevRelease
productionTestDebug
productionTestRelease
productionLiveDebug
productionLiveRelease
testDevDebug
testDevRelease
testTestDebug
testTestRelease
testLiveDebug
testLiveRelease

Using build field

Use additional value in build types and build flavors declarations, for example:

buildConfigField "boolean", "production_backend", "false"

buildConfigField "String", "backend", "\"production\""

回答2:

build.gradle

android {

    buildTypes {
        debug {}
        qa {}
        release {}
    }

    flavorDimensions "client", "backend"
    productFlavors { 

//          First Product (FP)
        FP_dev {    
            dimension 'backend'
            buildConfigField("String", "TEST", "\"FP_dev\"")
        }
        FP_staging {
            dimension 'backend'
            buildConfigField("String", "TEST", "\"FP_staging\"")
        }
        FP_prod {
            dimension 'backend'
            buildConfigField("String", "TEST", "\"FP_prod\"")
        }
        firstproduct {
            dimension 'client'
            ...
        }


//          Second Product (SP)
        SP_dev {    
            dimension 'backend'
            buildConfigField("String", "TEST", "\"SP_dev\"")
        }
        SP_staging {
            dimension 'backend'
            buildConfigField("String", "TEST", "\"SP_staging\"")
        }
        SP_prod {
            dimension 'backend'
            buildConfigField("String", "TEST", "\"SP_prod\"")
        }
        secondproduct {
            dimension 'client'
            ...
        }
}

    variantFilter {
        variant ->
            def devDebug = "_devDebug"
            def stagingQA = "_stagingQa"
            def prodRelease = "_prodRelease"

            def firstproduct = "firstproductFP"
            def secondproduct = "secondproductFP"

            def needed = variant.name in [
                    firstproduct + devDebug,
                    firstproduct + stagingQA,
                    firstproduct + prodRelease,

                    secondproduct + devDebug,
                    secondproduct + stagingQA,
                    secondproduct + prodRelease
            ]
            variant.setIgnore(!needed)
    }

}

The approach of this solution allows to have multiple client compilations and backend environments for multiple product flavors.

What I did was to associate the development environment of the backend with the compilation of debug android, staging of the backend with qa of android and production of the backend with release of android. Bear in mind that there will be cases in which you need to debug the production environment or obfuscate the development environment, this solution allows it.

firstproductFP_devDebug
firstproductFP_stagingQa
firstproductFP_prodRelease
secondproductSP_devDebug
secondproductSP_stagingQa
secondproductSP_prodRelease

An example when compiling firstproductFP_devDebug:

BuildConfig.java

public static final String FLAVOR = "firstproductFP_dev";
public static final String FLAVOR_client = "firstproduct";
public static final String FLAVOR_backend = "FP_dev";
public static final String BUILD_TYPE = "debug";

It should be noted that within the scope of variantFilter{} you cannot use buildConfigField() to compile values based on the build type and product flavor. This forces us to use flavorDimensions and a larger quantity productsFlavors. Nor can the active build variant be renamed.