Less Guessing, More Fixing: Mastering Diagnostic Stack Traces in Jetpack Compose 1.10 🛠️

 Stop chasing ghost crashes in the Compose runtime. Learn how to use the new diagnostic mode to pinpoint errors directly in your source code

Mastering Diagnostic Stack Traces in Jetpack Compose 1.10

If you’ve ever stared at a 200-line crash report consisting entirely of androidx.compose.ui.node.LayoutNode.onMeasure, only to realize the bug was a simple Modifier error in your own code, you know the "Compose Debugging Fog."

Because Jetpack Compose executes in distinct phases — Composition, Layout, and Drawing — the link between a crash and your source code often gets severed.

With Jetpack Compose 1.10, we can finally pierce through that fog. Let’s look at the new Diagnostic Stack Trace Mode and how to set it up correctly.

Why Standard Stack Traces Fail in Compose

Compose doesn’t run your code in a straight line. It optimizes UI updates by skipping parts of functions (recomposition) or running layout logic separately from drawing logic. When a crash occurs during these “detached” phases, the JVM stack trace shows the internal engine calls but loses the context of which @Composable triggered it.

In minified (R8/ProGuard) builds, this becomes even more frustrating, as function names are replaced with obfuscated letters like a() or b().

The Solution: A Two-Part System 🚀

Enabling enhanced stack traces is a “handshake” between the Compose Compiler and the Compose Runtime.

1. The Compiler Metadata

For the runtime to show you a trace, the compiler first needs to embed metadata into your app.

Note: In Compose 1.10+, this metadata is often emitted by default. However, if you are using specific custom bridges or older configurations, you may need to explicitly enable it in your build.gradle.kts:

android {
    kotlinOptions {
        // Only add if your setup doesn't emit metadata by default
        freeCompilerArgs += "-P"
        freeCompilerArgs += "plugin:androidx.compose.compiler.plugins.kotlin:diagnosticStackTrace=true"
    }
}

2. The Runtime Activation

The most important step happens at startup. You must tell the Compose Runtime which mode to use. This should be done in your Application class before any UI renders.

class MyApplication : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()

        if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
            // Provides exact line numbers - perfect for local dev
            Composer.setDiagnosticStackTraceMode(ComposeStackTraceMode.SourceInformation)
        } else {
            // Safe for production: Uses mapping keys to find the Composable name
            Composer.setDiagnosticStackTraceMode(ComposeStackTraceMode.GroupKeys)
        }
    }
}

Understanding the Four Modes



Understanding the Four Modes


Real-World Impact: Before vs. After 💥

Imagine a crash inside a LaunchedEffect.

  • Before 1.10: Your logs show a generic crash in CoroutineStackFrame. You have to hunt through every effect in your file to find the culprit.
  • With 1.10: The stack trace includes a “Compose Trace” section that explicitly points to ProfileScreen.kt:88. Fixed in seconds, not minutes.

🙋‍♂️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does this work with R8/ProGuard?

Yes! When using GroupKeys, the runtime uses R8 mapping files to reconstruct the Composable name, making production crashes human-readable again.

Which versions do I need?

You need Compose Runtime 1.10+ and a Kotlin version compatible with that compiler bridge (typically Kotlin 2.x).

Should I ship this to the Play Store?

You should not ship SourceInformation to production due to the binary size increase. However, GroupKeys is designed to be safe for production, providing a massive boost to your crash reporting without hurting performance.

💬 Let’s Discuss!

  • Will you be adding GroupKeys to your production builds to help with your crash reporting?
  • Does your team currently spend a lot of time de-obfuscating Compose traces?
  • What other debugging “pain points” are you hoping the Jetpack team solves next?

Helpful Resources

📘 Master Your Next Technical Interview

Since Java is the foundation of Android development, mastering DSA is essential. I highly recommend “Mastering Data Structures & Algorithms in Java”. It’s a focused roadmap covering 100+ coding challenges to help you ace your technical rounds.


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