AndroidX MAUI app cannot resolve androidx.compose.ui.platform.ComposeView from Android Binding Library

Android framework version

net9.0-android

Affected platform version

VS Enterprise 2022 17.12.4, .NET 9.0.102,

Description

I have kotlin code that needs androidx.compose.ui to work. I build an android library from this kotlin code, then import it in an Android Binding Library in VS, and I add the dependencies in the .csproj, with notably

<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />

among a lot of other packages

I then import this library in a MAUI application, and when launching a ComponentActivity, there is a runtime error

Java.Lang.NoClassDefFoundError: 'Failed resolution of: Landroidx/compose/ui/platform/ComposeView;'

see also https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79421004/maui-java-class-resolution-fails-even-with-dependencie-added

Steps to Reproduce

create a new android studio project
add an android library module
create a custom class extending ComponentActivity()
in setContentView, add a ComposeView
add a composable in the content

open class ExampleActivity : ComponentActivity() {

    @Composable
    fun Greeting(name: String) {
        Text(text = "Hello $name!")
    }

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)

        setContentView(
            ComposeView(this).apply {
                setContent {
                    MaterialTheme {
                        Greeting(name = "compose")
                    }
                }
            }
        )
    }
}

build the library
create a new Android Binding Library in VS
add the .AAR
add all xamarin.androix dependencies

<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Activity" Version="1.10.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Activity.Compose" Version="1.10.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Activity.Ktx" Version="1.10.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Annotation" Version="1.9.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Annotation.Experimental" Version="1.4.1.8" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Annotation.Jvm" Version="1.9.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.AppCompat" Version="1.7.0.5" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Collection.Jvm" Version="1.4.5.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Foundation" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Material3" Version="1.3.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Material3Android" Version="1.3.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.LiveData" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.RxJava2" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.RxJava3" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.Saveable" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.Runtime.Saveable.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Geometry" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Geometry.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Graphics" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Graphics.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Text" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Text.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Unit" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Unit.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Util" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI.Util.Android" Version="1.7.6.1" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Lifecycle.Runtime.Compose" Version="2.8.7.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Lifecycle.Runtime.Compose.Android" Version="2.8.7.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Jetbrains.Annotations" Version="26.0.1.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib.Common" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib.Jdk7" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.Kotlin.StdLib.Jdk8" Version="2.0.21.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.KotlinX.Coroutines.Android" Version="1.9.0.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.KotlinX.Coroutines.Core" Version="1.9.0.2" />
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.KotlinX.Coroutines.Core.Jvm" Version="1.9.0.2" /> 
<PackageReference Include="Xamarin.AndroidX.Compose.UI" Version="1.7.6.1" />

build the library
create a new MAUI application
add a reference to the Binding Library
launch the custom activity, with for example a button

 public static void StartComposeActivity(Context context, string param)
 {
     var intent = new Intent(
         context,
         typeof(Com.Example.Composebind.ExampleActivity));
     //intent.PutExtra("param", param);
     context.StartActivity(intent);
 }

and

        private void OpenCompose_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
#if ANDROID
            if (Platform.CurrentActivity is MainActivity mainActivity)
            {
                MainActivity.StartComposeActivity(mainActivity, "test");
            }
#endif
        }

and

            <Button
                Text="Open Compose"
                Clicked="OpenCompose_Clicked"/>

admire the crash

Did you find any workaround?

no :(

Relevant log output

Feb 07 '25 14:02 tunsinge

@TheFoxan12 Thanks for the feedback

AndroidX.Compose is not officialy supported in .NET Android. Thus not supported in MAUI too.

please see

https://github.com/dotnet/android-libraries/issues/984#issuecomment-2379804524

Feb 09 '25 10:02 moljac

OK. I am sorry - did not read everything and carefully.

So you have

Kotlin library using Compose
C# bindings library that binds #1
MAUI app using #2

Is that right?

I need to check bindings, but did you check proguard?

Checked:

yup. Back then (in 2021) I didn't have time to tackle huge amount of errors so I removed managed code

https://github.com/dotnet/android-libraries/blob/main/source/androidx.compose.ui/ui-android/Transforms/Metadata.xml

Feb 09 '25 12:02 moljac

Hey, thank you for answering.

I didn't really understand your answer with the links even if you seem to have understood, I will summarize it again clearly:

I have

Kotlin library using Compose
Android Binding Library, in C#, binding the kotlin library, and referencing the package Xamarin.Androidx.Compose.UI
MAUI app using the Android Binding Library

I'm pretty beginner in Kotlin and Android libs, so what do you mean by checking proguard ? Assuming you're talking about proguard rules in my android library, what should I look for ?

Regarding your last check, what does it mean ? xd Will I be able to use Compose ? Or will it really be impossible ? Is there maybe a workaround I could use ?

Feb 09 '25 12:02 tunsinge

I didn't really understand your answer with the links even if you seem to have understood, I will summarize it again clearly:

I have

Kotlin library using Compose

Android Binding Library, in C#, binding the kotlin library, and referencing the package Xamarin.Androidx.Compose.UI

MAUI app using the Android Binding Library

OK. I got it right.

I'm pretty beginner in Kotlin and Android libs, so what do you mean by checking proguard ? Assuming you're talking about proguard rules in my android library, what should I look for ?

Today it is R8. proguard is predecessor of R8. It is optimizer.

https://developer.android.com/build/shrink-code

Regarding your last check, what does it mean ? xd

I will have to redo the bindings.

Will I be able to use Compose ?

I hope so.

Or will it really be impossible ?

Nothing is impossible, just limited right now.

Is there maybe a workaround I could use ?

Not that I know of right now.

Feb 09 '25 16:02 moljac

Thanks, So, do you think it will be available soon ? Like a few weeks ? Or maybe a few month ?

Feb 09 '25 16:02 tunsinge

Thanks, So, do you think it will be available soon ? Like a few weeks ? Or maybe a few month ?

Hard to tell. I need to check 1st. I would say - weeks.

Feb 11 '25 07:02 moljac

@TheFoxan12

WIP

https://github.com/dotnet/android-libraries/pull/1094

There are few subborn artifacts with lot of errors, but I think it will be few weeks (this is not our highest pirority)

In the meantime would you be so kind and create minimal repro sample, so I can test against something, please?

Feb 12 '25 20:02 moljac

Thanks for working on it,

I'll create a sample project as soon as I can.

I am also happy to inform you that I found and alternative temporary solution, which is adding every dependencie file in .aar/.jar downloaded directly from the maven repository of androidx, in the android binding library But having nuget packages would be really better for maintenability

Feb 13 '25 15:02 tunsinge