The New Standard in Android Studio Panda: Automating JDK Management with Foojay Resolver

As an Android developer, are you still wasting time managing JDK versions?

"I cloned a new project and the build failed,"
"Updating JDK settings in CI is a pain,"
"Different team members are using different JDK vendors..."

These headaches are now a thing of the past thanks to the combination of Android Studio Panda (2025.3.1), AGP 9.1, and the Foojay Resolver plugin.

🤔 1. What is org.gradle.toolchains.foojay-resolver-convention?

In short, it is a plugin that allows Gradle to automatically find, download, and configure the required JDK from the internet.

Normally, even if you define a Java Toolchain in your build.gradle, the build will fail if that specific JDK isn't already installed on your local machine.

By adding this plugin, Gradle communicates with the Foojay (Friends Of OpenJDK) database (via the Disco API) to automatically fetch and set up the correct JDK for you.

🤔 2. What Changed in Android Studio Panda?

With the release of Android Studio Panda, JDK management has shifted from "IDE-driven" to "Project-driven (Gradle-driven)."

Gradle Daemon JVM Criteria: Instead of manually selecting a JDK in the IDE settings, Android Studio now reads the toolchain configuration directly from your project files. It automatically switches the JVM used to run Gradle itself (the Daemon) to match your project.
Synchronized Environment: This eliminates the common "it works in the terminal but fails in the IDE" issue. The JDK used by ./gradlew and the "Run" button in Android Studio will now always be 100% identical.

🤔 3. Critical Notes for AGP 9.1

If you are using AGP 9.1 or higher, keep these points in mind:

Java 21 Requirement: AGP 9.x series strictly requires JDK 21.
Consistency is Key: Since AGP 9.1 strongly encourages the Gradle Daemon and the compilation JVM to be the same, the benefits of automatic resolution via foojay-resolver are more significant than ever. It ensures your entire pipeline stays on JDK 21 without manual intervention.

🤔 4. Implementation Guide (Quick Steps)

Step 1: Update settings.gradle.kts

Add the plugin to the very top of your root settings.gradle.kts file. This enables the automatic download capability.


plugins {
    // The magic line for automatic JDK downloads
    id("org.gradle.toolchains.foojay-resolver-convention") version "0.8.0"
}

Step 2: Configure build.gradle.kts

Define the Java version in your app module’s build.gradle.kts (or within a convention plugin).


android {
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
    }
    
    kotlinOptions {
        jvmTarget = "21"
    }

    // Java Toolchain configuration
    java {
        toolchain {
            languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(21))
            // Optional: Specify a vendor if needed
            // vendor.set(JvmVendorSpec.ADOPTIUM)
        }
    }
}

🤔 5. Key Benefits at a Glance

🤔 Conclusion

In the era of Android Studio Panda and AGP 9.1, foojay-resolver-convention is no longer just a "nice-to-have" option—it is core infrastructure for modern Android development.

When upgrading your legacy projects, make this plugin your first priority. Stop fighting with environment variables and start focusing on what matters most: writing great code.