[hooks] Don't require NDK for Android targets by dcharkes · Pull Request #180594 · flutter/flutter

dcharkes · 2026-01-06T17:43:30Z

When targeting Android, don't fail in Flutter tools if the NDK is not installed. Instead, pass a null c compiler config to the hooks. The hooks can then decide to fail if they need the NDK. If no hook happened to require the NDK, Flutter for Android apps can be built without the NDK installed.

Bug: #180163

Pre-launch Checklist

I read the [Contributor Guide] and followed the process outlined there for submitting PRs.
I read the [Tree Hygiene] wiki page, which explains my responsibilities.
I read and followed the [Flutter Style Guide], including [Features we expect every widget to implement].
I signed the [CLA].
I listed at least one issue that this PR fixes in the description above.
I updated/added relevant documentation (doc comments with ///).
I added new tests to check the change I am making, or this PR is [test-exempt].
I followed the [breaking change policy] and added [Data Driven Fixes] where supported.
All existing and new tests are passing.

gemini-code-assist

Code Review

This pull request updates the Flutter tools to avoid failing immediately when the Android NDK is not found. Instead, it passes a null C compiler configuration to the native asset build hooks, allowing them to decide whether to fail. This is a sensible change that increases flexibility. The implementation is straightforward, changing cCompilerConfigAndroid to return a nullable type and updating the corresponding test. My review includes suggestions to update an outdated doc comment and rename a test for clarity, ensuring the codebase remains maintainable.

gemini-code-assist · 2026-01-06T17:44:44Z

  final Uri? linker = _toOptionalFileUri(androidSdk.getNdkLdPath());
  if (compiler == null || archiver == null || linker == null) {
-    throwToolExit('Android NDK Clang could not be found.');
+    return null;


With this change, the function now returns null instead of exiting. The doc comment for cCompilerConfigAndroid on lines 93-95 is now outdated and should be updated to reflect this new behavior. It currently says "Tool-exits if the NDK cannot be found.".

Additionally, there's a typo on line 93: 'Looks the' should be 'Looks for the'.

A suggested update for the doc comment:

/// Looks for the NDK clang compiler tools. /// /// Returns `null` if the NDK cannot be found.

gemini-code-assist · 2026-01-06T17:44:44Z

          buildRunner: _BuildRunnerWithoutNdk(packagesWithNativeAssetsResult: <String>['bar']),
        ),
-        throwsToolExit(message: 'Android NDK Clang could not be found.'),
+        isA<DartHooksResult>(),


Since this test now asserts that runFlutterSpecificHooks succeeds, the test name on line 144, 'throw if NDK not present and there are native assets', has become misleading. To improve clarity and maintainability, please rename the test to reflect its new purpose. For example: 'does not throw if NDK not present and there are native assets'.

…r#180594)

Roll Flutter from 13b2b91 to 01d37bc (74 revisions) flutter/flutter@13b2b91...01d37bc 2026-01-07 [email protected] Replace Hybrid Composition wiki page with dev-facing content (flutter/flutter#180642) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Improve code quality in `FlutterActivityTest.java` (flutter/flutter#180585) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK to 3.11.0-296.1.beta (flutter/flutter#180633) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Bump target Windows version to 10 (flutter/flutter#180624) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Run hook_user_defines and link_hook integration tests on CI (flutter/flutter#180622) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Fix division by zero in RenderTable intrinsic size methods (flutter/flutter#178217) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Remove more `requires 24` anotations (flutter/flutter#180116) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from 3971dbb85d45 to c5359a4d720e (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180631) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Fix TabBar.image does not render at initialIndex for the first time (flutter/flutter#179616) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from 1e7ad625f6f7 to 3971dbb85d45 (3 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180627) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Unpin DDS (flutter/flutter#180571) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Fix DropdownMenuEntry.style not resolved when entry is highlighted (flutter/flutter#178873) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Remove unnecessary `@RequiresApi24` annotations from FlutterFragment methods (flutter/flutter#180117) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from 7fc63228056b to 1e7ad625f6f7 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180616) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Fuchsia Linux SDK from QfR2ZFZ5kGTD3raO3... to dTvN_JVSCfGFRasvH... (flutter/flutter#180612) 2026-01-07 [email protected] [ Widget Preview ] Add support for `dart:ffi` imports (flutter/flutter#180586) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from eec90000a899 to 7fc63228056b (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180608) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Add --web-define flag for template variable injection in Flutter web builds (flutter/flutter#175805) 2026-01-07 [email protected] docs(engine): update rbe notes (flutter/flutter#180599) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from b6249496c230 to eec90000a899 (3 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180602) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Forward proxy 404 responses to client (flutter/flutter#179858) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from 40a8c6188f7f to d2e3ce177270 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180598) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Restore CLI precedence for web headers and HTTPS over web_dev_config.yaml (flutter/flutter#179639) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from f5d9da13d56d to b6249496c230 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180596) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Enable misc leak tracking (flutter/flutter#176992) 2026-01-06 [email protected] [hooks] Don't require NDK for Android targets (flutter/flutter#180594) 2026-01-06 [email protected] [skia] Disable legacy non-const SkData APIs (flutter/flutter#179684) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Fix/ios share context menu (flutter/flutter#176199) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from b970aeffa66f to f5d9da13d56d (5 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180588) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Manually bump dependencies (flutter/flutter#180509) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from 8150be8a0e48 to 40a8c6188f7f (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180582) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Packages from 12eb764 to d3f860d (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180581) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Fuchsia Test Scripts from MHF-UAfO6sVKqSEYk... to nR2ESa1Gd8yPcWo06... (flutter/flutter#180578) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Add tooltip support to PlatformMenuItem and PlatformMenu. (flutter/flutter#180069) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Add DropdownMenuFormField.errorBuilder (flutter/flutter#179345) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from 1845397e11ba to b970aeffa66f (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180566) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Don't embed unreferenced assets (flutter/flutter#179251) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Improve documentation about ValueNotifier's behavior (flutter/flutter#179870) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from 904ba00331ca to 1845397e11ba (5 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180558) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from 2fb9ad834c4d to 8150be8a0e48 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180557) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from 98c042dde68c to 904ba00331ca (3 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180550) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from ba9f7f790966 to 2fb9ad834c4d (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180548) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Fuchsia Linux SDK from ubBGcRaAKWKihQ4ac... to QfR2ZFZ5kGTD3raO3... (flutter/flutter#180547) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Make sure that a DraggableScrollableSheet doesn't crash in 0x0 enviro… (flutter/flutter#180433) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Make sure that a ColorFiltered doesn't crash 0x0 environment (flutter/flutter#180307) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Make sure that a FadeInImage doesn't crash in 0x0 environment (flutter/flutter#180495) ...

…r#180594)

Roll Flutter from 13b2b91 to 01d37bc (74 revisions) flutter/flutter@13b2b91...01d37bc 2026-01-07 [email protected] Replace Hybrid Composition wiki page with dev-facing content (flutter/flutter#180642) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Improve code quality in `FlutterActivityTest.java` (flutter/flutter#180585) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK to 3.11.0-296.1.beta (flutter/flutter#180633) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Bump target Windows version to 10 (flutter/flutter#180624) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Run hook_user_defines and link_hook integration tests on CI (flutter/flutter#180622) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Fix division by zero in RenderTable intrinsic size methods (flutter/flutter#178217) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Remove more `requires 24` anotations (flutter/flutter#180116) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from 3971dbb85d45 to c5359a4d720e (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180631) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Fix TabBar.image does not render at initialIndex for the first time (flutter/flutter#179616) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from 1e7ad625f6f7 to 3971dbb85d45 (3 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180627) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Unpin DDS (flutter/flutter#180571) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Fix DropdownMenuEntry.style not resolved when entry is highlighted (flutter/flutter#178873) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Remove unnecessary `@RequiresApi24` annotations from FlutterFragment methods (flutter/flutter#180117) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from 7fc63228056b to 1e7ad625f6f7 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180616) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Fuchsia Linux SDK from QfR2ZFZ5kGTD3raO3... to dTvN_JVSCfGFRasvH... (flutter/flutter#180612) 2026-01-07 [email protected] [ Widget Preview ] Add support for `dart:ffi` imports (flutter/flutter#180586) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Roll Skia from eec90000a899 to 7fc63228056b (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180608) 2026-01-07 [email protected] Add --web-define flag for template variable injection in Flutter web builds (flutter/flutter#175805) 2026-01-07 [email protected] docs(engine): update rbe notes (flutter/flutter#180599) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from b6249496c230 to eec90000a899 (3 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180602) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Forward proxy 404 responses to client (flutter/flutter#179858) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from 40a8c6188f7f to d2e3ce177270 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180598) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Restore CLI precedence for web headers and HTTPS over web_dev_config.yaml (flutter/flutter#179639) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from f5d9da13d56d to b6249496c230 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180596) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Enable misc leak tracking (flutter/flutter#176992) 2026-01-06 [email protected] [hooks] Don't require NDK for Android targets (flutter/flutter#180594) 2026-01-06 [email protected] [skia] Disable legacy non-const SkData APIs (flutter/flutter#179684) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Fix/ios share context menu (flutter/flutter#176199) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from b970aeffa66f to f5d9da13d56d (5 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180588) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Manually bump dependencies (flutter/flutter#180509) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from 8150be8a0e48 to 40a8c6188f7f (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180582) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Packages from 12eb764 to d3f860d (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180581) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Fuchsia Test Scripts from MHF-UAfO6sVKqSEYk... to nR2ESa1Gd8yPcWo06... (flutter/flutter#180578) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Add tooltip support to PlatformMenuItem and PlatformMenu. (flutter/flutter#180069) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Add DropdownMenuFormField.errorBuilder (flutter/flutter#179345) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from 1845397e11ba to b970aeffa66f (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180566) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Don't embed unreferenced assets (flutter/flutter#179251) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Improve documentation about ValueNotifier's behavior (flutter/flutter#179870) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from 904ba00331ca to 1845397e11ba (5 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180558) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from 2fb9ad834c4d to 8150be8a0e48 (1 revision) (flutter/flutter#180557) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Skia from 98c042dde68c to 904ba00331ca (3 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180550) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Dart SDK from ba9f7f790966 to 2fb9ad834c4d (2 revisions) (flutter/flutter#180548) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Roll Fuchsia Linux SDK from ubBGcRaAKWKihQ4ac... to QfR2ZFZ5kGTD3raO3... (flutter/flutter#180547) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Make sure that a DraggableScrollableSheet doesn't crash in 0x0 enviro… (flutter/flutter#180433) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Make sure that a ColorFiltered doesn't crash 0x0 environment (flutter/flutter#180307) 2026-01-06 [email protected] Make sure that a FadeInImage doesn't crash in 0x0 environment (flutter/flutter#180495) ...

[hooks] Don't require NDK for Android targets

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dcharkes requested a review from a team as a code owner January 6, 2026 17:43

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dcharkes requested a review from gmackall January 6, 2026 17:43

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Roll Flutter from 13b2b912c909 to 20fc4107d61f (67 revisions) flutter/packages#10740

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Roll Flutter from 13b2b912c909 to a73c1002a6fa (68 revisions) flutter/packages#10741

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Roll Flutter from 13b2b912c909 to b2d157623eeb (69 revisions) flutter/packages#10742

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Roll Flutter from 13b2b912c909 to 6acc84ee2ce9 (71 revisions) flutter/packages#10743

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dcharkes mentioned this pull request Jan 16, 2026

[Android] Build fails on Flutter 3.38.5: "Android NDK Clang could not be found" #180163

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