Instrument Android apps

The process of monitoring the user experience of native mobile apps is different from monitoring browser-based web applications. This is because mobile-app monitoring involves the compilation, packaging, and shipment of a monitoring library along with your own mobile application package.

Starting with OneAgent SDK for Android version 8.245, we're ending support for the following versions of Android and Gradle plugin:

Android 4.0.3 - 4.4 (API level 15 - 19)
Android Gradle plugin 3.1 - 3.6.

After the release, we'll support the following versions:

Android 5.0+ (API level 21+)
Android Gradle plugin 4.0+

To auto-instrument your Android project, use the Dynatrace Android Gradle plugin. If you are unable to use the plugin due to technical limitations, try manual instrumentation.

For technical information and references, check the following pages:

To learn how to monitor Xamarin apps with Dynatrace OneAgent, see Xamarin.

Get started with Android monitoring

To successfully monitor an Android app, perform the following steps:

Step 1: Create a mobile application in Dynatrace

Before you begin instrumenting your Android app, create a mobile application in your monitoring environment. This mobile app will be used to monitor your Android app.

In the Dynatrace menu, go to Deploy Dynatrace.
Scroll down, and select Set up mobile monitoring.
Enter a name for your app, and select Create mobile app.

Step 2: Obtain configuration settings from your mobile app

When you create a mobile app in Dynatrace, an applicationId is generated and the beaconUrl value of your environment is determined. These values can be accessed on the Instrumentation page.

In the Dynatrace menu, go to Mobile.
Select the mobile app that you want to configure.
Select More (…) > Edit in the upper-right corner of the tile with your app name.

From the app settings, go to Instrumentation wizard.

Select Android, and then go to either the Groovy (build.gradle) or the Kotlin (build.gradle.kts) tab.

The Gradle snippet is already populated with the applicationId and beaconUrl configuration values from your mobile application.

Step 3: Instrument your application

Your application is now ready for instrumentation. The Dynatrace Android Gradle plugin integrates the auto-instrumentation process into your Android build. Follow these steps to begin instrumenting.

Step 4: Adjust OneAgent communication

After you have finished instrumenting your application, you must adjust OneAgent communication.

Instrument Android apps

Step 1: Create a mobile application in Dynatrace

Step 2: Obtain configuration settings from your mobile app

Step 3: Instrument your application

Step 4: Adjust OneAgent communication

Dynatrace Android Gradle plugin

Troubleshooting

OneAgent SDK for Android