/onboardingv2

Android — SDK detail

• Official docs: Android SDK reference · Set up Android SDK (onboarding)
• Recipe (detect / install): SDK Recipes (Android)

Install the dependency: Install the SDK documents two Gradle styles—the same Maven coordinate, different syntax. Pick the one that matches your app module:

// Gradle Groovy — typically app/build.gradle
implementation 'com.launchdarkly:launchdarkly-android-client-sdk:5.+'

// Gradle Kotlin DSL — typically app/build.gradle.kts
implementation("com.launchdarkly:launchdarkly-android-client-sdk:5.+")

Import the SDK: Use the imports that match your language (Import the SDK). Observability is optional (separate launchdarkly-observability-android dependency; requires Android client SDK v5.9+).

Kotlin:

import com.launchdarkly.sdk.*
import com.launchdarkly.sdk.android.*

// Optional observability plugin, requires LaunchDarkly Android Client SDK v5.9+
// import com.launchdarkly.observability.plugin.Observability
// import com.launchdarkly.sdk.android.integrations.Plugin

Java:

import com.launchdarkly.sdk.*;
import com.launchdarkly.sdk.android.*;

// Optional observability plugin, requires LaunchDarkly Android Client SDK v5.9+
// import com.launchdarkly.observability.plugin.Observability;
// import com.launchdarkly.sdk.android.integrations.Plugin;

The init snippet below matches the onboarding initialization example: use a placeholder mobile key first, then wire a real value from build configuration (see optional Gradle section). BuildConfig.LAUNCHDARKLY_MOBILE_KEY is not defined unless you add buildConfigField yourself—do not paste it without the Gradle setup.

Includes: Copy-paste onboarding sample below (Kotlin). Place inside your Application subclass (for example onCreate()); this refers to that Application instance.

import com.launchdarkly.sdk.*
import com.launchdarkly.sdk.android.*

// Optional observability plugin, requires LaunchDarkly Android Client SDK v5.9+
// import com.launchdarkly.observability.plugin.Observability
// import com.launchdarkly.sdk.android.integrations.Plugin

val ldConfig = LDConfig.Builder(AutoEnvAttributes.Enabled)
    .mobileKey("YOUR_MOBILE_KEY")
    .build()

// A "context" is a data object representing users, devices, organizations, and other entities.
val context = LDContext.create("EXAMPLE_CONTEXT_KEY")

// If you don't want to block execution while the SDK tries to get
// latest flags, move this code into an async IO task and await on its completion.
val client: LDClient = LDClient.init(this, ldConfig, context, 5)

Replace "YOUR_MOBILE_KEY" with your Mobile key from LaunchDarkly Project settings > Environments (see Apply: environment configuration). Never commit real keys in source.

Optional — BuildConfig + Gradle (Kotlin DSL): Enable BuildConfig and pass the key from a non-committed gradle.properties or local.properties value:

// app/build.gradle.kts — excerpt
android {
    buildFeatures {
        buildConfig = true
    }
    defaultConfig {
        val key = (project.findProperty("LAUNCHDARKLY_MOBILE_KEY") as String?)?.trim().orEmpty()
        buildConfigField("String", "LAUNCHDARKLY_MOBILE_KEY", "\"$key\"")
    }
}

Then change .mobileKey("YOUR_MOBILE_KEY") to .mobileKey(BuildConfig.LAUNCHDARKLY_MOBILE_KEY) and set LAUNCHDARKLY_MOBILE_KEY=… where Gradle can read it (for example ~/.gradle/gradle.properties or a CI secret), not in a committed file.