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Tech riderRev. 21 Sept 2026

R8

Ch 166.3of 33 Code Obfuscation Software
  1. 1Runs onLinux
  2. 2CostsNot stated by the maker
  3. 3Supported targetsAndroid DEX; Java class files
  4. 4Deployment modelself hosted
  5. 5Build integrationcli
4 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: r8.googlesource.com
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The R8 homepage

Overview

R8 is ranked #16 of 33 in code obfuscation software on Specifiction. It runs on Linux.

Compared on code obfuscation software

Supported targets
Android DEX; Java class filesr8.googlesource.com
Deployment model
self_hostedr8.googlesource.com
Build integration
clir8.googlesource.com

Facts

What it does
R8 is a Java program shrinking and minification tool that converts Java bytecode to optimized DEX code; the same repository includes D8, which converts Java bytecode to DEX.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Optimization
R8 removes unreachable code and can optimize execution through method inlining and class merging.developer.android.com · 4 Oct 2026
Obfuscation
R8 shortens class, field, and method names to reduce DEX file size.developer.android.com · 4 Oct 2026
Resource optimization
R8 optimizes resources as part of its optimization phases with Android Gradle Plugin 8.12.0 and later.developer.android.com · 4 Oct 2026
Integration
Android Gradle Plugin ships with R8 embedded, and users can override the embedded version with a prebuilt or locally built JAR.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Other build systems
R8 can be integrated into a Bazel build pipeline, though the Android Developers page says Bazel is not officially supported for Android app development.developer.android.com · 4 Oct 2026
Input and output
R8 consumes class files and can produce DEX for Android apps or class files for Java apps.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Configuration
R8 uses the ProGuard configuration format, and keep rules are passed in a configuration file using the --pg-conf option.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Distribution
Stable and development builds are available from Google Maven, and the project also documents CI archive downloads.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Build requirements
Building from source requires depot_tools and a Java 8 compiler and runtime; the documented IntelliJ setup points to a Linux JDK path.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Notable limitation
The R8 command line is not compatible with ProGuard in every respect; for example, keep rules must be supplied in a file rather than on the command line.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Support
The project directs users to [email protected] for questions and to separate issue trackers for D8 and R8.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Security and compliance
The opened R8 project page contains no security or compliance claims.r8.googlesource.com · 4 Oct 2026
Intended users
The documentation describes R8 as an app optimizer and recommends enabling it for a tested release build, while warning that optimization can increase build time and make debugging harder.developer.android.com · 4 Oct 2026

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Where it ranks on Specifiction

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Sources