How to configure Build Variants with Android Studio

Definition
What is the purpose of using Build Variant? We can use it to create different versions of your app from a single project, and how to properly manage your dependencies and signing configurations.

Note:
buildType configure how we package our app
• shrinkResources
• progaurdFile
• etc.

Flavor configure different classes and resources.
• in Flavor1 your MainActivity can do something, and in Flavor2 different implementation
• difference App name
• etc.

Each product flavor can have its own values of the following properties, among others, which are based on the same properties from default config:

• applicationId
• minSdkVersion
• targetSdkVersion
• versionCode
• versionName

Example

For example, you can do like:
- One app can build into free version and paid version (without creating 2 projects)
- We can limit contents and configuration instead of building multiple APK

Implementation

1. How to recognize which product flavor we are using

Step 1: Add below code into gradle in "android" section:
Step 2: In your MainActivity, let's check if the app is production or development, you will also notice that there is a constant:

Constant :

Step 3: If you chose productionDebug mode from Build Variant it will print like below:

Output:

2. Make app have different's name:

You can add more code into Gradle like below and please remove app_name in file string.xml (if not it will duplicate):

Output :

3. Make different app icon:

It's pretty easy, I have 2 icons :

ic_launcher.png & ic_launcher_test.png

Please add some code like below:

Don't forget edit appIcon in the manifest to "${appIcon}" :

If you chose "developmentDebug" from Build Variant on the left of Android Studio, you will see your icon like below:

Here is the source in github.