Crashlytics in Android Kotlin - Build, Publish & Deploy

Build & Publish - Crashlytics

Performance Impact of Crashlytics

Crashlytics runs in the background to monitor app crashes and errors. It uses minimal CPU and memory, so it does not affect your app's frame rate or battery life noticeably. However, excessive logging or sending large crash reports can slightly increase network usage and delay app startup if not configured properly.

💻

Optimizing Crashlytics for Smooth Performance

To keep your app running smoothly at 60fps, initialize Crashlytics asynchronously during app startup. Avoid heavy logging on the main thread. Use Crashlytics' built-in logging methods sparingly and only log essential information. Disable debug logging in production builds to reduce overhead.

Impact on App Bundle Size and Startup Time

Adding Crashlytics increases your app size by a few megabytes, typically under 5MB. This is considered small to medium impact. The SDK is optimized to load quickly, so startup time impact is minimal if initialized correctly. Avoid initializing Crashlytics multiple times or on heavy UI threads to prevent startup delays.

iOS vs Android Differences for Crashlytics

Crashlytics is available on both iOS and Android with similar features. On Android, it integrates with Kotlin or Java and uses Firebase SDK. On iOS, it integrates with Swift or Objective-C and uses Firebase iOS SDK. Both platforms require proper configuration of Google services files and permissions. Crash reporting behavior and network usage are consistent across platforms.

Store Review Guidelines and Requirements

Both Google Play and Apple App Store require apps to handle user data responsibly. When using Crashlytics, disclose crash data collection in your privacy policy. Ensure you comply with data protection laws like GDPR by allowing users to opt out if needed. Crashlytics does not collect personal user data by default, but review your logging to avoid sensitive info.

Self-Check: Your App Takes 5 Seconds to Load This Screen. What's Likely Wrong?

If Crashlytics is causing slow load, you might be initializing it on the main thread or logging too much data synchronously. Check that Crashlytics initialization is done asynchronously and logging calls are minimal and off the UI thread. Also, verify network connectivity and SDK version to avoid delays.

Key Result

Crashlytics provides lightweight crash reporting with minimal impact on app performance and size when properly configured. Initialize it asynchronously and limit logging to maintain smooth 60fps UI and fast startup times. Follow store guidelines by disclosing crash data use and protecting user privacy.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of Crashlytics in an Android app?

easy

A. To automatically track and report app crashes

B. To improve app UI design

C. To manage app navigation

D. To optimize app performance speed

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Crashlytics functionality

   Crashlytics is a tool designed to detect and report app crashes automatically.

2. Step 2: Compare options with Crashlytics purpose

   Only To automatically track and report app crashes matches the core function of Crashlytics, which is crash tracking and reporting.

3. Final Answer:

   To automatically track and report app crashes -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Crashlytics = crash tracking [OK]

Hint: Crashlytics = crash reports automatically [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Crashlytics with UI or navigation tools
• Thinking Crashlytics improves app speed
• Assuming Crashlytics manages app content

2. Which of the following is the correct way to add Crashlytics dependency in your app's build.gradle file?

easy

A. apply plugin: 'com.google.firebase.crashlytics'

B. compile 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics:18.3.7'

C. implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics:18.3.7'

D. implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics:18.3.7'

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct dependency syntax

   Modern Gradle uses 'implementation' to add dependencies, not 'compile' which is deprecated.

2. Step 2: Match Crashlytics dependency artifact

   The correct artifact for Crashlytics is 'firebase-crashlytics', not 'firebase-analytics'.

3. Final Answer:

   implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics:18.3.7' -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Use implementation + firebase-crashlytics [OK]

Hint: Use 'implementation' with firebase-crashlytics artifact [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using deprecated 'compile' keyword
• Confusing Crashlytics with Analytics dependency
• Using plugin apply instead of dependency line

3. Given this Kotlin code snippet, what will Crashlytics record when the app crashes?

try {
  val result = 10 / 0
} catch (e: Exception) {
  Firebase.crashlytics.recordException(e)
}

medium

A. Crashlytics records the division by zero exception

B. No crash recorded because exception is caught

C. App will crash without any report

D. Crashlytics records a null pointer exception

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze exception handling

   The division by zero throws an ArithmeticException, which is caught in the catch block.

2. Step 2: Check Crashlytics exception recording

   The caught exception is passed to Firebase.crashlytics.recordException(e), so Crashlytics logs it even without app crash.

3. Final Answer:

   Crashlytics records the division by zero exception -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   recordException logs caught exceptions [OK]

Hint: recordException logs caught errors even if app doesn't crash [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking caught exceptions are ignored by Crashlytics
• Assuming app crashes without report
• Confusing exception types

4. You added Crashlytics to your app but no crash reports appear in the Firebase console. What is a common mistake causing this?

medium

A. Adding Crashlytics dependency in the wrong module

B. Using the wrong package name in build.gradle

C. Not initializing Firebase in the Application class

D. Calling recordException outside a try-catch block

Solution

1. Step 1: Check Firebase initialization

   Firebase must be initialized early, usually in the Application class, for Crashlytics to work.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Wrong package name or dependency module can cause issues but the most common is missing Firebase initialization.

3. Final Answer:

   Not initializing Firebase in the Application class -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Initialize Firebase early for Crashlytics [OK]

Hint: Always initialize Firebase in Application class [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting FirebaseApp.initializeApp(context)
• Misplacing dependencies in modules
• Assuming recordException needs try-catch

5. You want to log a custom message and a user ID to Crashlytics before a crash happens. Which code snippet correctly does this?

hard

A. Firebase.crashlytics.log("User clicked the crash button")
throw RuntimeException("Test crash")
Firebase.crashlytics.setCustomKey("userId", "12345")

B. Firebase.crashlytics.setCustomKey("userId", "12345")
Firebase.crashlytics.log("User clicked the crash button")
throw RuntimeException("Test crash")

C. throw RuntimeException("Test crash")
Firebase.crashlytics.setCustomKey("userId", "12345")

D. Firebase.crashlytics.recordException(RuntimeException("Test crash"))
Firebase.crashlytics.setCustomKey("userId", "12345")

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Crashlytics logging order

   Custom keys and logs must be set before the crash to be included in the report.

2. Step 2: Check code snippet order

   Firebase.crashlytics.setCustomKey("userId", "12345") Firebase.crashlytics.log("User clicked the crash button") throw RuntimeException("Test crash") sets the user ID and logs the message before throwing the crash, so data is captured correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   Set custom key and log before crash throw -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Set keys and logs before crash [OK]

Hint: Set keys/logs before crash throw to capture data [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Setting keys after crash throw (too late)
• Using recordException instead of throwing crash
• Not logging custom messages