ACRA: Android Crash Reporting Assistant

Introduction

ACRA (Application Crash Reports for Android) is a powerful library that helps Android developers to collect crash reports when an application crashes. It provides real-time crash reporting, which is essential for effective debugging and maintenance of an Android app.

This article aims to introduce ACRA, its features, and how to integrate it into an Android application using code examples.

Features of ACRA

ACRA offers several features that make it a popular choice among Android developers:

  1. Real-time crash reporting: ACRA collects crash reports when an application crashes and sends them to the developer or a specified backend server in real-time. This allows developers to be notified immediately about crashes and take necessary actions.

  2. Customizable crash reports: ACRA allows developers to customize crash reports by adding additional information such as device information, application version, stack trace, etc. This helps developers to understand the cause of the crash and debug it effectively.

  3. Flexible backend integration: ACRA supports various backend integrations, including email, Google Forms, HTTP, and more. Developers can choose the most suitable backend for their needs and easily integrate it with ACRA.

Integrating ACRA into an Android Application

The following steps demonstrate how to integrate ACRA into an Android application:

Step 1: Add ACRA to Project Dependencies

To use ACRA, add the following dependency to your project's build.gradle file:

dependencies {
    implementation 'ch.acra:acra:4.11.2'
}

Step 2: Create an Application Class

Create a new class that extends android.app.Application and annotate it with the @ReportsCrashes annotation. This annotation defines the settings for ACRA:

import org.acra.ACRA;
import org.acra.annotation.*;

@ReportsCrashes(
    formUri = "
    mode = ReportingInteractionMode.DIALOG,
    resDialogTitle = R.string.crash_dialog_title,
    resDialogText = R.string.crash_dialog_text,
    resDialogIcon = android.R.drawable.ic_dialog_info
)
public class MyApplication extends Application {
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        ACRA.init(this);
    }
}

Step 3: Update Manifest File

Update your app's AndroidManifest.xml file to use the custom application class:

<application
    android:name=".MyApplication"
    <!-- Other application settings -->
>
    <!-- Activities, services, etc. -->
</application>

Step 4: Test and Verify

Now, whenever your application crashes, ACRA will collect crash reports and send them to the specified backend server. You can test it by intentionally causing a crash in your application and verifying if the crash reports are received.

Conclusion

ACRA is a valuable tool for Android developers to collect crash reports and debug their applications effectively. It provides real-time crash reporting, customizable crash reports, and flexible backend integration. By integrating ACRA into your Android application, you can be notified immediately about crashes and take necessary actions to improve your app's stability and user experience.

ACRA's easy integration process and extensive documentation make it a popular choice among developers. Start using ACRA today and make your Android app more robust and reliable.

References

  • ACRA GitHub Repository: [
  • ACRA Documentation: [