Android Gradle cannot find symbol class Gson

Question

So I added gson-2.2.4.jar to the libs dir (I'm using android studio). My project couldn't find the Gson stuff so I added it as a library dependency to my module in the "Project Structure". When I try to run the project, the build is failing with the following errors:

Error:(12, 23) Gradle: package com.google.gson does not exist
Error:(37, 3) Gradle: cannot find symbol class Gson
Error:(37, 19) Gradle: cannot find symbol class Gson

Why can't I get this working? I read elsewhere that Gradle is supposed to handle everything automatically if it's put in the lib dir.

I'm not familiar with how Android Studio works, but what does your `build.gradle` file look like? — superEb, Jul 28 '13 at 22:51

score 97 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 27 '17 at 20:46

97

I faced the same issue. I just added a single line as shown below in my build.gradle dependencies (without adding any jar in project structure) and it worked for me.

dependencies {
    compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.2.+'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.+'
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:18.0.+'
}

Along with above, I found few more things which are required for this to work.

Make sure you have android:targetSdkVersion="18" in AndroidManifest.xml file.

<uses-sdk
    android:minSdkVersion="10"
    android:targetSdkVersion="18" />

Make sure you have targetSdkVersion 18 in build.gradle file.

defaultConfig {
    minSdkVersion 10
    targetSdkVersion 18
}

Make sure you are connected to internet; so that jars will be downloaded from online central maven repository.

edited Jan 27 '17 at 20:46

Floern

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answered Aug 10 '13 at 17:39

Pioneer

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2

#Shai Surve - Is this still working for you? I'm having to include gson in libs and referencing it with "compile files". – AndroidGuy Aug 12 '13 at 18:31
Yes it works for me. If it is not working when you are not connected to internet. Then try the same while being connected to internet. Because it fetches the jar from central maven repository which build process will download from the online central maven repository. – Pioneer Aug 27 '13 at 16:01
great! i didn't know there was an artifact for gson on google code. how do you find out what else is available to reference as a dependency in gradle. the remote libraries have to have a build.gradle file right? – speedynomads Sep 26 '13 at 15:42
Awesome! I tried the "compile files" option and couldn't get it to work. Using gradle/maven as specified above worked beautifully. – Justin Apr 11 '14 at 07:46
1

@ShaiSurve Specifying `uses-sdk` in the Manifest is unnecessary - it gets overwritten by whatever is in `build.gradle` – Melllvar Jan 31 '15 at 08:13
1

Thanks Melllvar, you are right. With the new versions of android studio and gradle Manifest uses-sdk is unnecessary. – Pioneer Mar 12 '15 at 01:15

score 43 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 28 '13 at 22:55

43

Adding it as a dependency in the Project Structure settings is not enough. That setting is only for the IDE. To actually build, Gradle also needs to be aware of it. You must add the .jar file to your build.gradle file like so...

dependencies {
    compile files('libs/gson-2.2.4.jar')
}

answered Jul 28 '13 at 22:55

Alex Fu

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Is that the build.gradle of the module or of the project? – sisko Aug 26 '13 at 19:44
21

NB, the current version of gson is 2.3, so use: `dependencies { compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.3 }` – nyxee Oct 01 '15 at 10:35

Nicks · Answer 3 · 2015-09-27T10:09:14.193

20

Just to add a point,

As of Gradle 1.7, jcenter() is a superset of mavenCentral()...so no need of adding and repositories directive.

Jars will be downloaded from online central jcenter repository. so adding just the following statement is working.

dependencies {
compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.2.+'
}

edited Sep 27 '15 at 10:09

answered Jul 06 '15 at 02:37

Nicks

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score 14 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 03 '13 at 16:02

I've faced with same issue.

To solve it be sure that you specify maven central for android plugin

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

And it should be added twice if you are defining build script

buildscript {
    repositories {
        mavenCentral()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.5+'
    } 
}


repositories {
    mavenCentral() 
}


apply plugin: 'android' dependencies {    
    compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.2.4'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:13.0.0'   
    compile project(':libraries:volley') 
}

putting the `repositories` directive once again at the top level worked for me — 3k-, Jul 03 '14 at 12:11

score 6 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 25 '17 at 14:47

6

In my case, I just added this line:

dependencies {

    compile 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.7'
}

on my app build.gradle file.

By now 2.7 is last current available version according to: https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.google.code.gson/gson

Please check this repository to be sure you are using last available version.

edited Apr 25 '17 at 14:47

amarnath

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answered Oct 03 '16 at 11:02

Juan Pablo

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score 4 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 27 '18 at 12:26

4

Try this GSON . Add this on build.gradle (Module :app)

implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.2.4'

answered Mar 27 '18 at 12:26

rhaldar

1,075
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score 4 · Answer 7 · edited May 03 '18 at 13:05

4

Add this on build.gradle (Module: app)

    dependencies {
      implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
      implementation 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:27.1.1'
      implementation 'com.android.support:design:27.1.1'
      implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.8.0'
    }

edited May 03 '18 at 13:05

Sudheesh R

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answered May 01 '18 at 04:28

Abu Nayem

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Cícero Moura · Answer 8 · 2020-08-21T18:44:36.593

2

Just to update the reference (I was searching for):

implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.8.5'

You can see the last version on its github repository

edited Aug 21 '20 at 18:44

answered Apr 10 '19 at 12:08

Cícero Moura

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score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Dec 09 '13 at 17:56

1

Create a folder name libs and add or edit build.gradle (works for any jar lib in folder)

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: '*.jar')
}

answered Dec 09 '13 at 17:56

hirigoshy

59
3

score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Dec 22 '20 at 07:08

1

Addition of following in dependencies could resolve my issues as of year:2021;

 implementation 'com.squareup.retrofit2:converter-gson:2.5.0'
 implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.2.4'

answered Dec 22 '20 at 07:08

Ank_247shbm

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score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Apr 09 '18 at 05:45

0

I have resolved the issue, by making targetSdkVersion same for all library module with the app-level module.

answered Apr 09 '18 at 05:45

Muhammad Noman

1,842
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Android Gradle cannot find symbol class Gson

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