"Manifest merger failed with multiple errors, see logs" error in android studio

Question

I'm new to kotlin, I'm practicing the basics. Anytime I run a simple code it refuses it run and I get a

Execution failed for task ':app:processDebugAndroidTestManifest'.
> Manifest merger failed with multiple errors, see logs

error.

I don't know what is the cause, please note I am literally running a print("Hello") function

Here's my manifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.hellokotlin">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/Theme.HelloKotlin">
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:exported="true">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

And Here's my gradle.build:

plugins {
    id 'com.android.application'
    id 'kotlin-android'
}

android {
    compileSdk 31

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.example.hellokotlin"
        minSdk 21
        targetSdk 31
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"

        testInstrumentationRunner "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }

    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
        targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
    }
    kotlinOptions {
        jvmTarget = '1.8'
    }
}

dependencies {

    implementation 'androidx.core:core-ktx:1.3.2'
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.2.0'
    implementation 'com.google.android.material:material:1.3.0'
    implementation 'androidx.constraintlayout:constraintlayout:2.0.4'
    testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.+'
    androidTestImplementation 'androidx.test.ext:junit:1.1.2'
    androidTestImplementation 'androidx.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.3.0'
}

I get this from the build output (as logcat is empty)

Executing tasks: [:app:generateDebugSources, :app:createMockableJar, :app:generateDebugAndroidTestSources, :app:compileDebugUnitTestSources, :app:compileDebugAndroidTestSources, :app:compileDebugSources] in project C:\Users\user\AndroidStudioProjects\HelloKotlin

> Task :app:preBuild UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:preDebugBuild UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:compileDebugAidl NO-SOURCE
> Task :app:compileDebugRenderscript NO-SOURCE
> Task :app:compileLintChecks UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:generateDebugBuildConfig UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:generateDebugSources UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:createMockableJar UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:preDebugAndroidTestBuild SKIPPED
> Task :app:compileDebugAndroidTestAidl NO-SOURCE

> Task :app:processDebugAndroidTestManifest FAILED
C:\Users\user\AndroidStudioProjects\HelloKotlin\app\build\intermediates\tmp\manifest\androidTest\debug\tempFile1ProcessTestManifest1728079930965623012.xml Error:
    android:exported needs to be explicitly specified for <activity>. Apps targeting Android 12 and higher are required to specify an explicit value for `android:exported` when the corresponding component has an intent filter defined. See https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/activity-element#exported for details.
C:\Users\user\AndroidStudioProjects\HelloKotlin\app\build\intermediates\tmp\manifest\androidTest\debug\tempFile1ProcessTestManifest1728079930965623012.xml Error:
    android:exported needs to be explicitly specified for <activity>. Apps targeting Android 12 and higher are required to specify an explicit value for `android:exported` when the corresponding component has an intent filter defined. See https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/activity-element#exported for details.
C:\Users\user\AndroidStudioProjects\HelloKotlin\app\build\intermediates\tmp\manifest\androidTest\debug\tempFile1ProcessTestManifest1728079930965623012.xml Error:
    android:exported needs to be explicitly specified for <activity>. Apps targeting Android 12 and higher are required to specify an explicit value for `android:exported` when the corresponding component has an intent filter defined. See https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/activity-element#exported for details.

See http://g.co/androidstudio/manifest-merger for more information about the manifest merger.


> Task :app:checkDebugAarMetadata UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:generateDebugResValues UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:generateDebugResources UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:mergeDebugResources UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:createDebugCompatibleScreenManifests UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:extractDeepLinksDebug UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:processDebugMainManifest UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:processDebugManifest UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:processDebugManifestForPackage UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:processDebugResources UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:compileDebugKotlin
> Task :app:javaPreCompileDebug UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:compileDebugJavaWithJavac UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:preDebugUnitTestBuild UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:javaPreCompileDebugUnitTest UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:processDebugJavaRes NO-SOURCE
> Task :app:processDebugUnitTestJavaRes NO-SOURCE
> Task :app:checkDebugAndroidTestAarMetadata UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:generateDebugAndroidTestResValues UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:javaPreCompileDebugAndroidTest UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:compileDebugSources UP-TO-DATE
> Task :app:bundleDebugClasses

> Task :app:compileDebugUnitTestKotlin
w: C:\Users\user\AndroidStudioProjects\HelloKotlin\app\src\test\java\com\example\hellokotlin\ExampleUnitTest.kt: (15, 25): This expression will be resolved to Int in further releases. Please add explicit convention call

> Task :app:compileDebugUnitTestJavaWithJavac NO-SOURCE
> Task :app:compileDebugUnitTestSources UP-TO-DATE

FAILURE: Build failed with an exception.

* What went wrong:
Execution failed for task ':app:processDebugAndroidTestManifest'.
> Manifest merger failed with multiple errors, see logs

* Try:
Run with --stacktrace option to get the stack trace. Run with --info or --debug option to get more log output. Run with --scan to get full insights.

* Get more help at https://help.gradle.org

Deprecated Gradle features were used in this build, making it incompatible with Gradle 8.0.
Use '--warning-mode all' to show the individual deprecation warnings.
See https://docs.gradle.org/7.0.2/userguide/command_line_interface.html#sec:command_line_warnings

BUILD FAILED in 13s
20 actionable tasks: 4 executed, 16 up-to-date

Thanks for your help in advance.

UPDATE:

I created a new project, a no activity project, and it seems to be going fine. Unlike before I was using a project that has an activity. BUT, I have notice that this is a common issue so I would love if you could explain this to me for future references, thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Even i found the same issue so i have updated my junit library in build.gradle file so it's working as expected.

androidTestImplementation "androidx.test.ext:junit:1.2.1"

Answer 2

Just update your androidx.test.ext:junit dependency to 1.1.3 or later. This should solve your problem.

androidTestImplementation "androidx.test.ext:junit:1.1.3"

Answer 3

It might be due to deprecated gradle features used is incompatible with your Gradle version 8.0

Try running the Gradle build with this command line argument --warning-mode=all.

It will give detailed description of what exactly the deprecated features are used along with links to documentation regarding the fix.