Android Strictmode Expert

Android StrictMode Expert

1. Quick Decision Tree

What is target issue?
├── Block UI thread (dropped frames, ANR) ── ThreadPolicy (read references/thread_policy.md)
│   ├── SharedPreferences waitToFinish / commit ── Migrate to Jetpack DataStore
│   ├── WebView database initialization ───────── Wrap allowThreadDiskWrites / allowThreadDiskReads
│   └── DNS query or network TLS handshake ────── Dispatch background threads (Retrofit/Coroutines)
├── Memory/Security/Intent violations ────────── VmPolicy (read references/vm_policy.md)
│   ├── Unclosed SQLite Cursor or Closeable ────── Wrap in kotlin-stdlib .use block
│   ├── Application context used for layout ────── Use Activity / createWindowContext API
│   ├── Sharing raw file:// URI ───────────────── Use FileProvider + FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION
│   └── Android 15 background activity blocked ── Use ActivityOptions background start modes
└── Whitelist / Custom penalties needed ───────── StrictPro library (read references/strictpro.md)

Use strict coding paradigms. Restrict main-thread blocking operations. Route all background operations through Kotlin Coroutines (Dispatchers.IO for I/O, Dispatchers.Default for CPU-bound tasks). Wrap unavoidable main thread I/O in allowThreadDiskReads / allowThreadDiskWrites.

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2. Core Policies Reference Index

Read these detailed guides for code-level diagnostics and resolutions:

• [threadpolicy.md](file:///Users/jsanjaya/.gemini/config/skills/android-strictmode-expert/references/threadpolicy.md): Direct analysis of thread-level diagnostics (disk reads, disk writes, unbuffered I/O, network sockets, custom slow calls, resource mismatches).
• [vmpolicy.md](file:///Users/jsanjaya/.gemini/config/skills/android-strictmode-expert/references/vmpolicy.md): Direct analysis of VM-level diagnostics (closable resource leaks, activity context leaks, BroadcastReceiver/ServiceConnection leaks, incorrect display context, File URI exposure, unsafe intent launches, Direct Boot storage bounds, blocked background activity launches).
• [strictpro.md](file:///Users/jsanjaya/.gemini/config/skills/android-strictmode-expert/references/strictpro.md): Structure of the StrictPro library, whitelisting stack signatures, and customizing penalty executors.
• [bestpractices.md](file:///Users/jsanjaya/.gemini/config/skills/android-strictmode-expert/references/bestpractices.md): Setup templates, phased rollout protocol, remote observability telemetry, LeakCanary conflicts, and CI/CD automated test verification.

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3. Essential Config Templates

Scoped Thread I/O Bypass

val oldPolicy = StrictMode.allowThreadDiskReads()
try {
    // Unavoidable sub-millisecond configuration reads on startup
} finally {
    StrictMode.setThreadPolicy(oldPolicy)
}

StrictPro Setup DSL

class MainApplication : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
            StrictPro.listenActivities(this)
            StrictPro.setThreadPolicy(
                StrictPro.ThreadPolicy.Builder()
                    .detectAll()
                    .penaltyLog()
                    .penaltyDeath() // Crash on UI thread I/O
                    .setWhiteList {
                        contains("android.webkit.WebViewDatabase", null) // ignore WebView database load
                    }
                    .build()
            )
            StrictPro.setVmPolicy(
                StrictPro.VmPolicy.Builder()
                    .detectAll()
                    .penaltyLog() // Log only (prevent GC non-deterministic crashes)
                    .build()
            )
        }
    }
}

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4. Operational Scanner Script

Automated Python script [scanstrictmodeviolations.py](file:///Users/jsanjaya/.gemini/config/skills/android-strictmode-expert/scripts/scanstrictmodeviolations.py) scans directories recursively to flag common violations (e.g. .commit(), unbuffered I/O, file:// intents, raw socket requests).

Run audit check:

python3 /Users/jsanjaya/.gemini/config/skills/android-strictmode-expert/scripts/scan_strictmode_violations.py 

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5. Key Safeguards

> [!IMPORTANT] > Phased Rollout Rule: > - Phase 1: Enable log-only .penaltyLog() process-wide to record all issues in strictmode.md. > - Phase 2: Upgrade ThreadPolicy to .penaltyDeath() for deterministic developer loop. Keep VmPolicy at .penaltyLog() to avoid non-deterministic process termination during GC sweeps.

> [!WARNING] > LeakCanary False Positives: > - Android StrictMode static fields retain the last seen Activity. Exclude android.os.StrictMode in LeakCanary referenceMatchers configuration to prevent false memory leak reports.

MUST maintain compatibility with targetSdk 35 (Android 15) guidelines. MUST avoid cleartext network payloads. MUST expose files strictly via FileProvider content:// URIs. Format all Android code output as clean Kotlin or Java with explicit lifecycle and dispatcher mappings.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: JosephSanjaya
• Source: JosephSanjaya/skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.