All com.android.support libraries must use the exact same version specification

😱 All com.android.support libraries must use the exact same version specification

If you're an Android developer, you may have come across this error message after updating to Android Studio 2.3. It can be frustrating, but don't worry - I'm here to help you understand and solve this problem.

When you see the error message "All com.android.support libraries must use the exact same version specification", it means that there is a mismatch in the versions of the com.android.support libraries you're using in your project. Mixing different versions of these libraries can cause runtime crashes, so it's important to resolve this issue.

In the provided context, the error message specifically states that there is a mix of versions 25.1.1 and 24.0.0 in the com.android.support:animated-vector-drawable and com.android.support:mediarouter-v7 libraries, respectively.

To fix this problem, you need to ensure that all the com.android.support libraries in your project are using the same version. In this case, you have a few options:

Solution 1: Update dependencies

The first and recommended solution is to update all the com.android.support libraries in your build.gradle file to the same version.

Looking at your build.gradle file, you can see that most of your com.android.support libraries are already using version 25.1.1. However, there are a few dependencies that are still on version 24.0.0.

To fix this, update the following dependencies to version 25.1.1:

compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:25.1.1'
compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:25.1.1'

Solution 2: Exclude problematic dependency

If updating the dependencies is not feasible in your case, you can exclude the problematic library (com.android.support:mediarouter-v7:24.0.0) from the com.android.support libraries by modifying the build.gradle file as follows:

compile ('com.android.support:mediarouter-v7:24.0.0') {
    exclude group: 'com.android.support'
}

This will exclude com.android.support:mediarouter-v7:24.0.0 from the com.android.support group, allowing you to use the updated version for other libraries.

Solution 3: Force all dependencies to use the same version

If neither of the above solutions work for you, you can force all dependencies to use the same version by adding the below code to your build.gradle file:

configurations.all {
    resolutionStrategy {
        force 'com.android.support:mediarouter-v7:25.1.1'
    }
}

This code forces com.android.support:mediarouter-v7 to use version 25.1.1, ensuring that all libraries have the same version.

✅ Take action now!

Now that you understand how to resolve the "All com.android.support libraries must use the exact same version specification" error, it's time to take action!

Go through your build.gradle file and make the necessary changes based on the solutions provided. Once you've done that, rebuild your project and run it. The error should be resolved, and your app will run smoothly without any runtime crashes.

💡 Pro tip: It's always a good practice to regularly update your dependencies to the latest versions to avoid such compatibility issues.

If you found this guide helpful, share it with fellow Android developers who may be facing the same problem. And don't hesitate to leave a comment if you have any questions or need further assistance. Happy coding! 🚀