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How can I detect in my code that I am in Release mode or Debug mode?

Sufian
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David
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8 Answers8

840

The simplest, and best long-term solution, is to use BuildConfig.DEBUG. This is a boolean value that will be true for a debug build, false otherwise:

if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
  // do something for a debug build
}

There have been reports that this value is not 100% reliable from Eclipse-based builds, though I personally have not encountered a problem, so I cannot say how much of an issue it really is.

If you are using Android Studio, or if you are using Gradle from the command line, you can add your own stuff to BuildConfig or otherwise tweak the debug and release build types to help distinguish these situations at runtime.

The solution from Illegal Argument is based on the value of the android:debuggable flag in the manifest. If that is how you wish to distinguish a "debug" build from a "release" build, then by definition, that's the best solution. However, bear in mind that going forward, the debuggable flag is really an independent concept from what Gradle/Android Studio consider a "debug" build to be. Any build type can elect to set the debuggable flag to whatever value that makes sense for that developer and for that build type.

CommonsWare
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    `BuildConfig` is located in your app's package, e.g. `import com.mycompany.myapp.BuildConfig;` – Chris Cirefice Jul 12 '15 at 20:44
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    due to a bug in AndroiStudio this does not work anymore, it is always false, even in DEBUG mode – user387184 Jul 12 '15 at 23:35
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    @user387184: In Android Studio 1.2.2, I get `public static final boolean DEBUG = Boolean.parseBoolean("true");` for a debug build. While that is a bizarre way to set `DEBUG` to `true`, it should work. If you are seeing this in one of the 1.3.0 test releases, or if you have a reproducible test case for 1.2.2, please [file an issue](http://b.android.com). I do not see any outstanding issues reporting this problem. – CommonsWare Jul 12 '15 at 23:39
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    I am using v1.2.2 and BuildConfig.DEBUG is always false, then I tried the suggestion below which works for me - I will try yours as well - many thanks! – user387184 Jul 13 '15 at 09:10
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    Doesn't seem to work, approach mentioned by Illegal Argument does work. – Peter Jul 15 '15 at 14:44
  • In Android Studio 1.3 `BuildConfig.DEBUG` can be `true` – AlvaroSantisteban Aug 05 '15 at 06:34
  • I have upgraded to AS-1.3 stable version but when I used `BuildConfig.DEBUG` in `MyApplication` class it still returned false. – Ankit Sep 15 '15 at 13:14
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    As it turns out, this won't work when using a library (always returns true) : http://stackoverflow.com/q/20176284/878126 . Wonder what's the best alternative – android developer Jun 21 '16 at 09:33
  • Works fine on AndroidStudio 2.2.3 – Kirill Karmazin Feb 27 '17 at 14:52
  • In AndroidStudio, where can I switch between DEBUG and RELEASE? – digory doo Apr 09 '17 at 06:06
  • @digorydoo: See the Build Variants tool, default docked on the left edge of the IDE. – CommonsWare Apr 09 '17 at 11:09
  • This is always false for me, have never created a release build.. In every android studio version – behelit Jun 13 '17 at 00:18
  • @behelit: Then perhaps ask a separate Stack Overflow question, seeking help for your issue, with a [mcve]. – CommonsWare Jun 13 '17 at 10:51
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    This answer will not work for library project (.aar) – Lavekush Agrawal Oct 26 '17 at 09:47
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    What about `Build.gradle` I want to check if debug in gradle and not in java – user924 Oct 06 '18 at 09:27
  • @user924: That does not really work. `build.gradle` does not build Android apps. It builds a set of objects that describe how to build Android apps. So, `build.gradle` is used for every build type. At the time the `build.gradle` script is run, we are not yet building anything, and so there is no build type yet. That is why if you want different behavior for different build types you need to create custom tasks for *every* build type. – CommonsWare Oct 06 '18 at 10:44
66

Try the following:

boolean isDebuggable =  ( 0 != ( getApplicationInfo().flags & ApplicationInfo.FLAG_DEBUGGABLE ) );

Kotlin:

val isDebuggable = 0 != applicationInfo.flags and ApplicationInfo.FLAG_DEBUGGABLE

It is taken from bundells post from here

amorenew
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Illegal Argument
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    This answer will work in all cases regardless of library project or application project. – Lavekush Agrawal Oct 26 '17 at 09:48
  • What needs to be imported for `getApplicationInfo().flags` to work? – A1m Feb 28 '19 at 22:00
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    ok it just doesn't work in static context, see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10641144/difference-between-getcontext-getapplicationcontext-getbasecontext-and – A1m Feb 28 '19 at 22:06
61

Yes, you will have no problems using:

if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
   //It's not a release version.
}

Unless you are importing the wrong BuildConfig class. Make sure you are referencing your project's BuildConfig class, not from any of your dependency libraries.

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Vansuita Jr.
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Due to the mixed comments about BuildConfig.DEBUG, I used the following to disable crashlytics (and analytics) in debug mode :

update /app/build.gradle

android {
    compileSdkVersion 25
    buildToolsVersion "25.0.1"

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "your.awesome.app"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 25
        versionCode 100
        versionName "1.0.0"
        buildConfigField 'boolean', 'ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS', 'true'
    }
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            debuggable true
            minifyEnabled false
            buildConfigField 'boolean', 'ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS', 'false'
        }
        release {
            debuggable false
            minifyEnabled true
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

then, in your code you detect the ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS flag as follows:

    if (BuildConfig.ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS)
    {
        // enable crashlytics and answers (Crashlytics by default includes Answers)
        Fabric.with(this, new Crashlytics());
    }

use the same concept in your app and rename ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS to anything you want. I like this approach because I can see the flag in the configuration and I can control the flag.

Someone Somewhere
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  • You shouldn't call Crashlytics and Answers separately. Just use: Fabric.with(this, new Crashlytics()); to include Crashlytics and Answers. – Mike Bonnell Dec 13 '16 at 14:10
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    Thanks, @MikeBonnell, I made the code change to the example code – Someone Somewhere Jul 22 '17 at 12:56
  • I don't see how this is any different from using BuildConfig.DEBUG - if you only set BuildConfig.ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS for your debug builds then BuildConfig.DEBUG and BuildConfig.ENABLE_CRASHLYTICS will always have the same value right? – k2col Sep 23 '17 at 12:28
  • I think dev's working on library projects had problems detecting debug/release builds using BuildConfig.DEBUG. There might have been an early Android Studio bug involved too... – Someone Somewhere Sep 26 '17 at 13:54
13

Alternatively, you could differentiate using BuildConfig.BUILD_TYPE;

If you're running debug build BuildConfig.BUILD_TYPE.equals("debug"); returns true. And for release build BuildConfig.BUILD_TYPE.equals("release"); returns true.

Prudhvi
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6

I am using this solution in case to find out that my app is running on debug version.

if (BuildConfig.BUILD_TYPE.equals("debug")){
   //Do something
}
Giedrius Šlikas
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0

Make sure that you are importing the correct BuildConfig class And yes, you will have no problems using:

if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
   //It's not a release version.
}
Salim Lachdhaf
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0

Build.IS_DEBUGGABLE could be all right. It comes from "ro.debuggable"

duskrivermoon
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