What are .iml files in Android Studio?

Question

What are .iml files in Android Studio project? I read that it is configuration file for modules. I do not understand how it works, and can't I just use gradle scripts to integrate with external modules that you add to your project.

Also, most of the time AS generates them, so I cannot control project behaviour. If I have a team that works in different IDEs like Eclipse and AS, is it possible to setup my project so it's IDE agnostic?

I don't fully understand how this system works.

Answer 1

What are iml files in Android Studio project?

A Google search on iml file turns up:

IML is a module file created by IntelliJ IDEA, an IDE used to develop Java applications. It stores information about a development module, which may be a Java, Plugin, Android, or Maven component; saves the module paths, dependencies, and other settings.

(from this page)

why not to use gradle scripts to integrate with external modules that you add to your project.

You do "use gradle scripts to integrate with external modules", or your own modules.

However, Gradle is not IntelliJ IDEA's native project model — that is separate, held in .iml files and the metadata in .idea/ directories. In Android Studio, that stuff is largely generated out of the Gradle build scripts, which is why you are sometimes prompted to "sync project with Gradle files" when you change files like build.gradle. This is also why you don't bother putting .iml files or .idea/ in version control, as their contents will be regenerated.

If I have a team that work in different IDE's like Eclipse and AS how to make project IDE agnostic?

To a large extent, you can't.

You are welcome to have an Android project that uses the Eclipse-style directory structure (e.g., resources and manifest in the project root directory). You can teach Gradle, via build.gradle, how to find files in that structure. However, other metadata (compileSdkVersion, dependencies, etc.) will not be nearly as easily replicated.

Other alternatives include:

• Move everybody over to another build system, like Maven, that is equally integrated (or not, depending upon your perspective) to both Eclipse and Android Studio

• Hope that Andmore takes off soon, so that perhaps you can have an Eclipse IDE that can build Android projects from Gradle build scripts

• Have everyone use one IDE

Answer 2

Add .idea and *.iml to .gitignore, you don't need those files to successfully import and compile the project.

Answer 3

Those files are created and used by Android Studio editor.

You don't need to check in those files to version control.

Git uses .gitignore file, that contains list of files and directories, to know the list of files and directories that don't need to be checked in.

Android studio automatically creates .gitingnore files listing all files and directories which don't need to be checked in to any version control.

Answer 4

They are project files, that hold the module information and meta data.

Just add *.iml to .gitignore.

In Android Studio: Press CTRL + F9 to rebuild your project. The missing *.iml files will be generated.