chore: task to generate properties at build time

Makefile

@@ -273,8 +273,6 @@ run-re-frisk: ##@run Start re-frisk server
 
 # TODO: Migrate this to a Nix recipe, much the same way as nix/mobile/android/targets/release-android.nix
 run-android: export TARGET := android
-# INFO: We disable hermes for local builds by default to prevent crashes with exceeding native callstack errors
-run-android: export DISABLE_HERMES := true
 # INFO: If it's empty (no devices attached, parsing issues, script error) - for Nix it's the same as not set.
 run-android: export ANDROID_ABI_INCLUDE ?= $(shell ./scripts/adb_devices_abis.sh)
 run-android: ##@run Build Android APK and start it on the device

android/app/build.gradle

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ apply from: project(':react-native-config').projectDir.getPath() + "/dotenv.grad
 import com.android.build.OutputFile
 import com.sun.org.apache.xalan.internal.xsltc.compiler.Copy
 
+def isDebugBuild = gradle.startParameter.taskNames.any { it.toLowerCase().contains('debug') }
+
 /*
  * This is the configuration block to customize your React Native Android app.
  * By default you don't need to apply any configuration, just uncomment the lines you need.
@@ -61,6 +63,8 @@ react {
  */
 def enableProguardInReleaseBuilds = false
 
+def enableHermes = hermesEnabled.toBoolean();
+
 /**
  * The preferred build flavor of JavaScriptCore (JSC)
  *
@@ -74,23 +78,6 @@ def enableProguardInReleaseBuilds = false
  */
 def jscFlavor = 'org.webkit:android-jsc:+'
 
-/*
- Enabling Hermes for debug builds is crashing the app with exceeding native callstack errors
- this flag can be used to disable Hermes while building app.
- https://github.com/status-im/status-mobile/issues/18493
- */
-
-def disableHermes = System.getenv('DISABLE_HERMES') == 'true'
-
-/**
- * Whether to enable the Hermes VM.
- *
- * This should be set on project.ext.react and mirrored here.  If it is not set
- * on project.ext.react, JavaScript will not be compiled to Hermes Bytecode
- * and the benefits of using Hermes will therefore be sharply reduced.
- */
-def enableHermes = !disableHermes;
-
 def getCommitHash = { ->
     if (project.hasProperty("commitHash")) {
         return project.commitHash
@@ -276,10 +263,10 @@ dependencies {
     implementation("com.facebook.react:react-android")
     implementation "androidx.core:core-splashscreen:1.0.0"
 
-    if (enableHermes) {
+    if (isDebugBuild) {
+        implementation jscFlavor
+    } else {
         implementation("com.facebook.react:hermes-android")
-      } else {
-      implementation jscFlavor
     }
 
     // react-native-screens
@@ -327,6 +314,30 @@ task hemroidBuild(type: Exec) {
     executable execPath
 }
 
+// We need to do this so that we could disable hermes for local builds
+// unfortunately the only way to do that is modifying a key value pair in gradle.properties
+// and to set it to false, there is no dynamic way to do this, hence we have to take this drastic measure
+// otherwise local debug builds crash frequently, ref: https://github.com/status-im/status-mobile/issues/18493
+task selectGradleProperties {
+    doLast {
+        def envPropsFile = isDebugBuild ? 'gradle.properties.local' : 'gradle.properties.ci'
+        def propsFile = file(envPropsFile)
+
+        if (propsFile.exists()) {
+            copy {
+                from propsFile
+                into project.rootDir
+                rename { 'gradle.properties' }
+            }
+            println "Copied $envPropsFile to gradle.properties"
+        } else {
+            println "$envPropsFile not found. Using existing gradle.properties."
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+preBuild.dependsOn selectGradleProperties
+
 preBuild.dependsOn hemroidBuild
 
 apply from: file("../../node_modules/@react-native-community/cli-platform-android/native_modules.gradle"); applyNativeModulesAppBuildGradle(project)

android/app/gradle.properties.ci

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Project-wide Gradle settings.
+
+# IDE (e.g. Android Studio) users:
+# Gradle settings configured through the IDE *will override*
+# any settings specified in this file.
+
+# For more details on how to configure your build environment visit
+# http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/build_environment.html
+
+# Specifies the JVM arguments used for the daemon process.
+# The setting is particularly useful for tweaking memory settings.
+# Default value: -Xmx10248m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m
+# org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -XX:MaxPermSize=512m -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
+
+# When configured, Gradle will run in incubating parallel mode.
+# This option should only be used with decoupled projects. More details, visit
+# http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/multi_project_builds.html#sec:decoupled_projects
+# org.gradle.parallel=true
+
+# To create a new keystore for development purposes (https://developer.android.com/studio/publish/app-signing.html)
+# $keytool -genkey -v -keystore ./status-keystore.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias status
+
+# Version requirements used throughout the Gradle scripts
+minSdkVersion=24
+compileSdkVersion=33
+targetSdkVersion=33
+buildToolsVersion=33.0.0
+supportLibVersion=28.0.0
+# This should match version from nix/pkgs/aapt2/default.nix
+gradlePluginVersion=7.4.2
+kotlinPluginVersion=1.9.0
+
+android.useAndroidX=true
+android.enableJetifier=true
+
+KEYSTORE_PATH=~/.gradle/status-im.keystore
+KEYSTORE_PASSWORD=password
+KEYSTORE_ALIAS=status
+KEYSTORE_KEY_PASSWORD=password
+
+# By default we build a mostly universal APK
+ANDROID_ABI_SPLIT=false
+# Some platforms are excluded though
+ANDROID_ABI_INCLUDE=armeabi-v7a;arm64-v8a;x86;x86_64
+
+org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx8704M
+
+versionCode=9999
+commitHash=unknown
+
+# Use this property to enable support to the new architecture.
+# This will allow you to use TurboModules and the Fabric render in
+# your application. You should enable this flag either if you want
+# to write custom TurboModules/Fabric components OR use libraries that
+# are providing them.
+newArchEnabled=false
+
+# Use this property to enable or disable the Hermes JS engine.
+# If set to false, you will be using JSC instead.
+hermesEnabled=true

android/app/gradle.properties.local

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Project-wide Gradle settings.
+
+# IDE (e.g. Android Studio) users:
+# Gradle settings configured through the IDE *will override*
+# any settings specified in this file.
+
+# For more details on how to configure your build environment visit
+# http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/build_environment.html
+
+# Specifies the JVM arguments used for the daemon process.
+# The setting is particularly useful for tweaking memory settings.
+# Default value: -Xmx10248m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m
+# org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -XX:MaxPermSize=512m -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
+
+# When configured, Gradle will run in incubating parallel mode.
+# This option should only be used with decoupled projects. More details, visit
+# http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/multi_project_builds.html#sec:decoupled_projects
+# org.gradle.parallel=true
+
+# To create a new keystore for development purposes (https://developer.android.com/studio/publish/app-signing.html)
+# $keytool -genkey -v -keystore ./status-keystore.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias status
+
+# Version requirements used throughout the Gradle scripts
+minSdkVersion=24
+compileSdkVersion=33
+targetSdkVersion=33
+buildToolsVersion=33.0.0
+supportLibVersion=28.0.0
+# This should match version from nix/pkgs/aapt2/default.nix
+gradlePluginVersion=7.4.2
+kotlinPluginVersion=1.9.0
+
+android.useAndroidX=true
+android.enableJetifier=true
+
+KEYSTORE_PATH=~/.gradle/status-im.keystore
+KEYSTORE_PASSWORD=password
+KEYSTORE_ALIAS=status
+KEYSTORE_KEY_PASSWORD=password
+
+# By default we build a mostly universal APK
+ANDROID_ABI_SPLIT=false
+# Some platforms are excluded though
+ANDROID_ABI_INCLUDE=armeabi-v7a;arm64-v8a;x86;x86_64
+
+org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx8704M
+
+versionCode=9999
+commitHash=unknown
+
+# Use this property to enable support to the new architecture.
+# This will allow you to use TurboModules and the Fabric render in
+# your application. You should enable this flag either if you want
+# to write custom TurboModules/Fabric components OR use libraries that
+# are providing them.
+newArchEnabled=false
+
+# Use this property to enable or disable the Hermes JS engine.
+# If set to false, you will be using JSC instead.
+hermesEnabled=false