Unable to run Oppia Android locally due to Bazel build setup issues

[akkicodes-dev]

Hello Oppia Android Team,

I am a new contributor currently working on PR #6204
(Fix part of #5661: Add styles to TextViews).

I am writing to seek guidance regarding a runtime issue
I am experiencing while setting up the Oppia Android
project locally on Windows.

Current Status of My Setup:

• The project builds successfully using Bazel.
• The unresolved reference: R issue I had earlier
  has been resolved.
• Command used: bazel mobile-install //app:app --start_app
• Sometimes Bazel outputs:
  "Target //app:app up-to-date (nothing to build)"
  which I understand means no changes were detected.

Issue Being Faced:
Despite a successful build, the app exhibits the
following runtime behavior:

1. The app launches but gets stuck on a loading
   screen (e.g., "Searching…")
2. No data or content is displayed within the app.

Environment Details:

• Operating System : Windows
• Bazel Build Status : Successful
• Build Command : bazel mobile-install //app:app --start_app

My Queries:

1. Is any additional setup required after a successful
   build? (e.g., backend configuration, emulator
   settings, or network configuration)
2. What is the recommended approach to debug runtime
   issues in Oppia Android?
3. Are there any known issues or prerequisites specific
   to Windows that I should be aware of?

I would greatly appreciate any guidance or
documentation pointers that could help me resolve
this issue and run the app correctly.

Thank you for your time and support.

Best regards,
Akkicodes-dev

[BenHenning]

Hi @akkicodes-dev.

As explained in https://github.com/oppia/oppia-android/wiki/Installing-Oppia-Android and https://github.com/oppia/oppia-android/wiki/Bazel-User-Guide, the target that should be used is either //:oppia_dev or //:oppia_dev_binary depending on your device's SDK version. //app:app is an android_library target, not a binary.

Where did you find instructions for trying to install //app:app? We definitely shouldn't have any documentation indicating that is an installable binary target since it isn't (and I think never has been).

As for the app starting, I'm not actually sure how you'd be starting the app if you aren't installing the correct top-level target. A video would be helpful along with logcat error logs, otherwise we'd probably just be guessing at what's going wrong.

[akkicodes-dev]

Hi @BenHenning,

Thank you for the clarification!

I found the //app:app command from a third-party blog post while searching for Bazel setup guides for Oppia Android. I should have referred to the official wiki instead — my mistake.

I will now try using //:oppia_dev or //:oppia_dev_binary as mentioned in the wiki and update this thread with the results.

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!

[adhiamboperes]

@akkicodes-dev, please share any updates on this when you have them.

[akkicodes-dev]

Hi @BenHenning and @adhiamboperes,

Thank you for the guidance!

I followed the official wiki and used the correct targets:

• bazel build //:oppia_dev_binary
• Installed the generated .apk on my physical device via adb install

]The app is now successfully installed and launching on my device.

The issue is now resolved. The earlier confusion was due to incorrect instructions from a third-party blog post. I will strictly follow the official wiki going forward.

Thank you both for your time and support!

Best regards,
Akkicodes-dev