Integrating libgdx into an android project

This demo project on GitHub.

How to add libgdx to a native Android project

I suggested generating a libgdx project, that way it’s easier.

So, you have an android project.

Update your app’s build.gradle file:

 1. Add the properties after the line apply plugin: 'com.android.application' (alternatively, you can copy them from your libgdx project):

ext {
    appName = "AndroidLibgdx"
    gdxVersion = '1.9.9'
    roboVMVersion = '2.3.6'
    box2DLightsVersion = '1.4'
    ashleyVersion = '1.7.0'
    aiVersion = '1.8.0'
}

 2. Inside android paste this code:

android{
    //other code
    sourceSets {
        main {
            jniLibs.srcDirs = ['libs']
        }
    }
}

 3. Add this line before dependecies:

configurations { natives }

 4. Add libgdx dependencies:

dependencies {
    //Other dependencies you have

    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-backend-android:$gdxVersion"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-armeabi"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-armeabi-v7a"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-arm64-v8a"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-x86"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-x86_64"
    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d:$gdxVersion"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-armeabi"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-armeabi-v7a"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-arm64-v8a"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-x86"
    natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-x86_64"

    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx:$gdxVersion"
    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d:$gdxVersion"

    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-backend-lwjgl:$gdxVersion"
    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-desktop"
    implementation "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-box2d-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-desktop"
}

And look up other dependencies you need by either generating a new libgdx project and copying them or you can look them up here.

 5. Add this task to the end of your file:

task copyAndroidNatives() {
    file("libs/armeabi/").mkdirs()
    file("libs/armeabi-v7a/").mkdirs()
    file("libs/arm64-v8a/").mkdirs()
    file("libs/x86/").mkdirs()
    file("libs/x86_64/").mkdirs()

    configurations.getByName("natives").copy().files.each { jar ->
        def outputDir = null
        if (jar.name.endsWith("natives-armeabi-v7a.jar")) outputDir = file("libs/armeabi-v7a")
        if (jar.name.endsWith("natives-armeabi.jar")) outputDir = file("libs/armeabi")
        if (jar.name.endsWith("natives-arm64-v8a.jar")) outputDir = file("libs/arm64-v8a")
        if (jar.name.endsWith("natives-x86.jar")) outputDir = file("libs/x86")
        if (jar.name.endsWith("natives-x86_64.jar")) outputDir = file("libs/x86_64")
        if (outputDir != null) {
            copy {
                from zipTree(jar)
                into outputDir
                include "*.so"
            }
        }
    }
}

 6. Open your gradle.properties file and paste this line:

org.gradle.configureondemand=false

Now, you should have libgdx integrated.

How to use libgdx in your Android project

 1. You should add the android launcher for libgdx. In my demo it looks like this:

public class Launcher extends AndroidApplication {
    @Override
    protected void onCreate (Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        AndroidApplicationConfiguration config = new AndroidApplicationConfiguration();
        initialize(new MyGame(), config);
    }
}

 2. Then, you should copy your ApplicationAdapter class, which is basically your libgdx game. In my demo I used the default:

public class MyGame extends ApplicationAdapter {
    SpriteBatch batch;
    Texture img;

    @Override
    public void create () {
        batch = new SpriteBatch();
        img = new Texture("badlogic.jpg");
    }

    @Override
    public void render () {
        Gdx.gl.glClearColor(1, 0, 0, 1);
        Gdx.gl.glClear(GL20.GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
        batch.begin();
        batch.draw(img, 0, 0);
        batch.end();
    }

    @Override
    public void dispose () {
        batch.dispose();
        img.dispose();
    }
}

 3. Don’t forget to add the launcher to your manifest:

    <application>
        //other code
        <activity android:name=".Launcher" />
    </application>

 4. Lauch your libgdx game as an Intent in your main activity:

startActivity(new Intent(this, Launcher.class));

Hope everything worked. Good luck developing!