How to Resolve the Gradle Daemon Error When Building Android Projects in Unity

Описание: Encountering issues with Gradle Daemon when building your Android game in Unity? This guide provides step-by-step solutions to fix the error and get your project back on track!
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/72677198/ asked by the user 'Nathan Bonelli' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/16631117/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/72774412/ provided by the user 'Lan' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/15826264/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Introduction

Are you facing trouble building your Android project in Unity? Specifically, the Gradle Daemon error can be quite a nuisance, especially when you're in the thick of game development. Whether you were adding ads or in-app purchases, it's frustrating to deal with such issues when you're trying to create an engaging gaming experience. In this guide, we'll walk you through the problem and provide an easy-to-follow solution to get your build running smoothly once again.

Understanding the Gradle Daemon Error

The Gradle Daemon is a background process that handles tasks related to building and managing your project. Errors related to the Gradle Daemon during your Android build can stem from various issues, including system configuration problems or mismanaged project settings. Here are some of the common error messages that developers encounter:

File could not be loaded: This could indicate a missing configuration file that's necessary for Gradle to run properly.

Unable to find player assembly: This suggests that certain vital components of your project are not accessible during the build process.

Deprecated options and APIs: These warnings inform you that particular settings or code segments are outdated and need updating.

These issues often culminate in a failure to build the project, leaving many developers frustrated. But don’t worry; there are several steps you can take to resolve this error effectively.

Steps to Fix the Gradle Daemon Error

1. Check Your Target API Level

One critical setting often overlooked is the target API level. Make sure it meets the minimum requirements for your Android device. You can check and adjust your target API level by following these steps:

Open your Unity project.

Navigate to Edit Project Settings Player.

In the Android tab, adjust your Target API Level accordingly.

Taking this step ensures that your project aligns with Android's requirements for building applications.

2. Set Managed Stripping Level

Managed stripping is a process that helps reduce the size of your build by removing unused code. However, incorrect settings can cause issues during the build. You should set your Managed Stripping Level to minimal. To do this:

In the same Player Settings menu, locate the Managed Stripping Level option and set it to Minimal.

This adjustment helps to avoid unnecessary stripping that may interfere with your build.

3. Create or Update link.xml

To address the Unable to find player assembly error, you may need to include certain assemblies directly in your build by creating a link.xml file. This file informs the Unity linker which assemblies should be preserved. Follow these steps:

In your Assets folder, create a new file called link.xml.

Add the following XML code to this file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This code tells Unity to include the UnityEngine.TestRunner assembly, reducing the likelihood of it being stripped away inadvertently during the build process.

4. Clean and Rebuild

Sometimes, residual data from previous builds can lead to persistent errors. To ensure a clean build, consider clearing your project's cache:

Close Unity and delete the Temp and Library folders from your project directory.

Restart Unity, which will prompt a complete re-import of your assets.

Try building the project again.

Conclusion

The Gradle Daemon error can be a significant hurdle when developing Android applications in Unity, but with the right adjustments, you can set your project back on the path to success. By carefully checking your target API level, adjusting your managed stripping settings, creating a link.xml file, and performing a clean rebuild, you can effectively re