Ensure public interface reliability: Tracking API compatibility for Android and Kotlin

Maintaining stable public APIs is crucial for developers building open-source libraries, SDKs, or common modules, as unintentional changes can disrupt dependent projects and require developers to adapt to new APIs. To manage this, tools like Binary Compatibility Validator and Metalava can be integrated into projects to automatically track and monitor API changes, ensuring developers are aware of modifications before releasing new versions. These tools help maintain a consistent and reliable developer experience by preventing unintended API changes, which can lead to breaking changes and frustrated users. Binary Compatibility Validator is suited for Kotlin projects without complex flavor configurations, while Metalava offers greater flexibility, especially for projects with multiple product flavors or those based on the JVM. Integrating these checks into CI pipelines can further safeguard against unchecked changes reaching production, providing a real-world application model exemplified by RevenueCat’s SDKs. Even in non-library projects, these tools are useful for tracking and managing public API exposure, ensuring clean internal and external API boundaries.