16KB memory page size Flutter

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Summary

The issue at hand is related to the 16KB memory page size requirement for Android apps, which is causing compatibility issues with older Android versions, such as Android 12. The app is built using Flutter and is being uploaded to the Google Play Store. Despite attempts to update Gradle and YAML configurations, the issue persists.

Root Cause

The root cause of this issue is due to the memory page size of the app’s native libraries, which is not compatible with older Android versions. The libflutter.so and libapp.so files have a memory page size of 64KB, which is larger than the 16KB required by older Android versions.

Why This Happens in Real Systems

This issue occurs in real systems because of the following reasons:

  • Incompatible native libraries: The app’s native libraries are not built with the correct memory page size, causing compatibility issues with older Android versions.
  • Incorrect Gradle configuration: The Gradle configuration may not be set up correctly to handle the memory page size requirement.
  • Outdated YAML configuration: The YAML configuration may not be up-to-date, leading to compatibility issues.

Real-World Impact

The real-world impact of this issue includes:

  • Incompatibility with older Android versions: The app may not be compatible with older Android versions, such as Android 12.
  • Installation issues: Users may experience installation issues or errors when trying to install the app on older Android versions.
  • App crashes: The app may crash or malfunction on older Android versions due to the incompatible memory page size.

Example or Code

To fix this issue, the Android.mk file can be modified to set the memory page size to 16KB. Here is an example:

LOCAL_CFLAGS += -Wl,--section-start=.text=0x10000
LOCAL_CFLAGS += -Wl,--section-start=.rodata=0x30000

Alternatively, the Gradle configuration can be updated to include the following:

android {
   ...
    defaultConfig {
       ...
        ndk {
            abiFilters "armeabi-v7a"
        }
    }
}

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers can fix this issue by:

  • Updating the native libraries: Rebuilding the native libraries with the correct memory page size.
  • Configuring Gradle: Updating the Gradle configuration to handle the memory page size requirement.
  • Updating YAML configuration: Ensuring the YAML configuration is up-to-date and compatible with the app’s requirements.

Why Juniors Miss It

Junior engineers may miss this issue because:

  • Lack of experience: Limited experience with Android and Flutter development.
  • Insufficient knowledge: Limited knowledge of native libraries and memory page size requirements.
  • Overlooking configuration files: Failing to review and update configuration files, such as Gradle and YAML files.