Java android architecture

Java Android Clean Architecture & Modularization

Instructions

When designing or refactoring a Java-based Android app, follow Clean Architecture principles. Dependencies must flow inwards toward pure Java domain code. The repository standard is Java 17 with AndroidX + Hilt.

1. High-Level Layers

• Presentation Layer
  • Responsibility: Rendering views and handling user input.
  • Components: Activity, Fragment, ViewModel (Jetpack), LiveData, adapters.
  • Dependencies: Domain interfaces only (UseCases or repository interfaces).
• Domain Layer (Pure Java)
  • Responsibility: Business rules and domain entities.
  • Components: UseCases (e.g. GetArticles), immutable entities (prefer records), repository interfaces.
  • Rule: MUST NOT import android.* or androidx.*. Keep under :domain module or com.example.app.domain.
• Data Layer
  • Responsibility: Fetching, caching, and persisting data.
  • Components: Repository implementations, Retrofit services, Room DAOs, DTOs + mappers.

2. Package-by-Feature vs Package-by-Layer

For anything larger than a sample, prefer package-by-feature at the top level, with internal layering:

com.example.app/
├── core/                 // shared: theme, errors, network, DI
├── di/                   // Hilt @Module classes
├── features/
│   ├── articles/
│   │   ├── data/         // ArticleRepositoryImpl, ArticleApi, ArticleDao
│   │   ├── domain/       // Article (record), ArticleRepository, GetArticles
│   │   └── ui/           // ArticleListFragment, ArticleListViewModel
│   └── profile/
│       └── ...
└── App.java              // @HiltAndroidApp

Package-by-layer (ui/, domain/, data/ at the root) is acceptable for small apps but does not scale past ~3 features.

3. Dependency Injection with Hilt

@HiltAndroidApp
public class App extends Application { }

@Module
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent.class)
public abstract class RepositoryModule {
    @Binds
    abstract ArticleRepository bindArticleRepository(ArticleRepositoryImpl impl);
}

@HiltViewModel
public class ArticleListViewModel extends ViewModel {
    private final GetArticles getArticles;

    @Inject
    public ArticleListViewModel(GetArticles getArticles) {
        this.getArticles = getArticles;
    }
}

Never use service locators in production code. @Inject on the constructor is the default; @Provides modules are only for types you do not own.

4. Modularization Strategy

For apps with more than ~5 features, split into Gradle modules:

settings.gradle
├── :app              // wiring, Application class, navigation host
├── :core:ui          // common widgets, theme resources
├── :core:network     // OkHttp, Retrofit, interceptors
├── :core:database    // Room database + base DAOs
├── :feature:articles
│   ├── :feature:articles:api       // public interfaces
│   └── :feature:articles:impl      // implementation, UI
└── :domain           // pure-Java module (no android plugin)

:domain uses apply plugin: 'java-library' so it cannot accidentally depend on Android types. Feature impl modules depend on feature api modules, never on each other.

5. Enforcing Architecture

Use com.tngtech.archunit:archunit-junit5 to fail the build on violations:

@AnalyzeClasses(packages = "com.example.app")
class ArchitectureTest {

    @ArchTest
    static final ArchRule domainHasNoAndroidDeps =
        noClasses().that().resideInAPackage("..domain..")
            .should().dependOnClassesThat()
            .resideInAnyPackage("android..", "androidx..");

    @ArchTest
    static final ArchRule featuresDoNotDependOnEachOther =
        noClasses().that().resideInAPackage("..features.articles..")
            .should().dependOnClassesThat()
            .resideInAPackage("..features.profile..");
}

Checklist

• Domain layer has zero android.* / androidx.* imports (enforced by ArchUnit or a pure-Java Gradle module).
• Repositories expose domain entities; never leak Retrofit Response or Room entities to the UI.
• ViewModels receive dependencies via @Inject constructor, never via static singletons.
• Features do not import sibling features; communication goes through :core or navigation.
• :domain module is a java-library module, not an android-library.