How do I install the R8 Analyzer skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add unliftedq/r8-analyzer in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is R8 Analyzer safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with R8 Analyzer?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is R8 Analyzer free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free. This skill is licensed under Complete terms in LICENSE.

Who published R8 Analyzer?

unliftedq (@unliftedq) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

R8 Analyzer by unliftedq — Agent Skill

Name: R8 Analyzer
Author: unliftedq

R8 Analyzer

Analyzes Android build files and R8 keep rules to identify redundancies, broad package-wide rules, and rules that subsume library consumer keep rules. Use when developers want to optimize their app's size, remove redundant or overly broad keep rules, or troubleshoot Proguard configurations.

unliftedq 7ad9e5e 10 files · 66.8 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Step 1. Setup and configuration check

Inspect build.gradle, build.gradle.kts, and gradle.properties.
Use references/CONFIGURATION.md to identify missing optimizations.
AGP : If < 9.0, suggest migration to 9.0 for build time improvement performance
Full Mode : Verify android.enableR8.fullMode=false is removed from gradle.properties.

Step 2. Analysis path selection

Inspect build.gradle, build.gradle.kts, and gradle.properties and libs.versions.toml to get the R8 version
If R8 >= 9.3.7-dev : Proceed to Path A (Quantitative).
If R8 < 9.3.7-dev : Proceed to Path B (Heuristic).

Path A: Quantitative data generation (R8 >= 9.3.7-dev)

Check requirements : Python and protobuf package are mandatory.
Generate and analyze : You MUST run the shell commands described in references/CONFIGURATION-ANALYZER.md to generate the proto file using R8 configuration analyzer, convert it to json and analyze the result.
Report : Rely entirely on the generated file analysis.txt for scores and rule impact metrics. Proceed to Step 3.

Path B: Heuristic evaluation and recommendation (R8 < 9.3.7-dev)

(Use ONLY if quantitative data generation is not possible)

Manual evaluation : Inspect proguard-rules.pro.
Library check : Compare rules against references/REDUNDANT-RULES.md. Suggest Remove for bundled rules.
Custom rule check : Use references/KEEP-RULES-IMPACT-HIERARCHY.md and references/REFLECTION-GUIDE.md to prioritize and evaluate. Suggest Refine for broad rules (for example, package-wide).
Validation : Suggest Macrobenchmark tests using UI Automator for any proposed changes. Proceed to Step 3.

Step 3. Report generation

Format : Follow references/REPORT_FORMAT.md strictly.
Input: Extract metrics (Scores, Impacts, Example Classes) directly from generated file analysis.txt if using Path A, or from manual findings if using Path B.
Output : Output ONLY the raw Markdown report in the chat. Do NOT output conversational filler (for example, "Here is your report..."). Do NOT provide recommendations, next steps, or any other text outside of the sections defined in references/REPORT_FORMAT.md Do NOT mention the path used for analysis of the configuration

Constraints

Strict output limit: The final output MUST strictly be the Markdown report and nothing else.
No code changes: Research and suggest only; Do not modify files.
No redundancy: Do not explain R8 benefits or reference skill internal files in the report.
Focus: Omit sections (for example, Subsumed Rules, Configuration) if no issues or items are found.

---name: r8-analyzerdescription: Analyzes Android build files and R8 keep rules to identify redundancies, broad package-wide rules, and rules that subsume library consumer keep rules. Use when developers want to optimize their app's size, remove redundant or overly broad keep rules, or troubleshoot Proguard configurations.license: Complete terms in LICENSE.txt---## Step 1. Setup and configuration check- Inspect `build.gradle`, `build.gradle.kts`, and `gradle.properties`.- Use [references/CONFIGURATION.md](references/CONFIGURATION.md) to identify missing optimizations.- **AGP** : If \< 9.0, suggest migration to 9.0 for [build time improvement performance](references/android/topic/performance/app-optimization/enable-app-optimization.md)- **Full Mode** : Verify `android.enableR8.fullMode=false` is removed from gradle.properties.## Step 2. Analysis path selection- Inspect `build.gradle`, `build.gradle.kts`, and `gradle.properties` and `libs.versions.toml` to get the R8 version- **If R8 \>= 9.3.7-dev** : Proceed to **Path A (Quantitative)**.- **If R8 \< 9.3.7-dev** : Proceed to **Path B (Heuristic)**.### Path A: Quantitative data generation (R8 \>= 9.3.7-dev)- **Check requirements** : Python and `protobuf` package are mandatory.- **Generate and analyze** : You MUST run the shell commands described in [references/CONFIGURATION-ANALYZER.md](references/CONFIGURATION-ANALYZER.md) to generate the proto file using R8 configuration analyzer, convert it to json and analyze the result.- **Report** : Rely entirely on the generated file `analysis.txt` for scores and rule impact metrics. Proceed to Step 3.### Path B: Heuristic evaluation and recommendation (R8 \< 9.3.7-dev)*(Use ONLY if quantitative data generation is not possible)*- **Manual evaluation** : Inspect `proguard-rules.pro`.- **Library check** : Compare rules against [references/REDUNDANT-RULES.md](references/REDUNDANT-RULES.md). Suggest **Remove** for bundled rules.- **Custom rule check** : Use [references/KEEP-RULES-IMPACT-HIERARCHY.md](references/KEEP-RULES-IMPACT-HIERARCHY.md) and [references/REFLECTION-GUIDE.md](references/REFLECTION-GUIDE.md) to prioritize and evaluate. Suggest **Refine** for broad rules (for example, package-wide).- **Validation** : Suggest Macrobenchmark tests using [UI Automator](references/android/training/testing/other-components/ui-automator.md) for any proposed changes. Proceed to Step 3.## Step 3. Report generation- **Format** : Follow [references/REPORT_FORMAT.md](references/REPORT_FORMAT.md) strictly.- **Input**: Extract metrics (Scores, Impacts, Example Classes) directly from generated file analysis.txt if using Path A, or from manual findings if using Path B.- **Output** : Output ONLY the raw Markdown report in the chat. Do NOT output conversational filler (for example, "Here is your report..."). Do NOT provide recommendations, next steps, or any other text outside of the sections defined in [references/REPORT_FORMAT.md](references/REPORT_FORMAT.md) Do NOT mention the path used for analysis of the configuration## Constraints- **Strict output limit**: The final output MUST strictly be the Markdown report and nothing else.- **No code changes**: Research and suggest only; Do not modify files.- **No redundancy**: Do not explain R8 benefits or reference skill internal files in the report.- **Focus**: Omit sections (for example, Subsumed Rules, Configuration) if no issues or items are found.

Frequently asked questions