Release build variant failed with debugImplementation for "androidx.fragment:fragment-testing" library

Question

Expected

Debug and release build variants of the app to build and compile successfully.

Observed

In the release build variant the app does not compile due to the androidx.fragment:fragment-testing library.

Library implementation

build.gradle (:app)

debugImplementation "androidx.fragment:fragment-testing:1.2.2"

The full implementation can be found in the GitHub repository for Coinverse.

Error

The build fails due to unresolved references to androidx libraries.

i.e. import androidx.activity.viewModels, import androidx.lifecycle.AbstractSavedStateViewModelFactory, import androidx.lifecycle.SavedStateHandle, import androidx.lifecycle.lifecycleScope, import androidx.fragment.app.activityViewModels, and etc.

Environment details

• Gradle version: 3.6.1
• Android Studio: 3.6.1
• Build #AI-192.7142.36.36.6241897
• Runtime version: 1.8.0_212-release-1586-b4-5784211 x86_64
• VM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
• macOS 10.15.3
• GC: ParNew, ConcurrentMarkSweep
• Memory: 1979M
• Cores: 16
• Registry: ide.new.welcome.screen.force=true
• Non-Bundled Plugins: com.android.tool.sizereduction.plugin, mobi.hsz.idea.gitignore, org.jetbrains.kotlin, cn.wjdghd.unique.plugin.id, com.developerphil.adbidea, com.google.services.firebase

Answer 1

The app builds and compiles as expected in the release build variant when adding the following library.

implementation "androidx.fragment:fragment-ktx:$fragment_version"

This library was present in earlier releases, but recently removed as everything was working as expected in the debug build variant without it.

Now fragment-testing may be edited to use debugImplementation.

debugImplementation "androidx.fragment:fragment-testing:1.2.2"