'dependencies' cannot be applied to '(groovy.lang.Closure)'

Android Problem Overview

I am unable to fix this error:

dependencies cannot be applied to '(groovy.lang.Closure)

This is my gradle file:

buildscript {
     repositories {
         maven { url 'http://download.crashlytics.com/maven' }
     }

     dependencies {
         classpath 'com.crashlytics.tools.gradle:crashlytics-gradle:1.+'
     }
 }
apply plugin: 'android'
apply plugin: 'crashlytics'

repositories {
   maven { url 'http://download.crashlytics.com/maven' }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: "$buildDir/native-libs", include: 'native-libs.jar')
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: '*.jar')
    compile project(':FRNDzTER_core')
    compile project(':cropper')
    compile project(':stickyListHeaders')
    compile "com.nostra13.universalimageloader:universal-image-loader:${rootProject.universalImageLoaderVersion}"
    compile "com.google.android.gms:play-    services:${rootProject.googlePlayServicesVersion}"
    compile "de.keyboardsurfer.android.widget:crouton:${rootProject.croutonVersion}"
    compile "com.nineoldandroids:library:${rootProject.nineoldandroidsVersion}"
    compile 'com.github.chrisbanes.actionbarpulltorefresh:library:+'
    compile 'com.crashlytics.android:crashlytics:1.+'
}

android{
    compileSdkVersion rootProject.compileSdkVersion
    buildToolsVersion rootProject.buildToolsVersion
    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion rootProject.minSdkVersion
        targetSdkVersion rootProject.targetSdkVersion
        versionCode rootProject.versionCode
        versionName rootProject.versionName
    } 
    buildTypes {
        release {
            debuggable rootProject.prodDebug
            proguardFile 'proguard.cfg'
        }
    }

    dependencies {
    }

    packagingOptions {
        exclude 'META-INF/LICENSE.txt'
        exclude 'META-INF/NOTICE.txt'
    }
    lintOptions {
        abortOnError false
    }
 }

Android Solutions

Solution 1 - Android

You can go to Preferences and select "use default gradle wrapper" then rebuild the project. It worked well for me:

Solution 2 - Android

Go to

Windows

File -> Settings -> Build, Execution, Deployment -> Build Tools -> Gradle

Mac

Preference -> Build, Execution, Deployment -> Build Tools -> Gradle

and select Use default gradle wrapper

Solution 3 - Android

Based on what Android Studio generates, you need to have a top-level project file build.gradle, and another for your app build.gradle.

Top-level:

// Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.

buildscript {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
        maven { url 'http://download.crashlytics.com/maven' }
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:1.1.0'
        classpath 'com.crashlytics.tools.gradle:crashlytics-gradle:1.+'
        // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
        // in the individual module build.gradle files
    }
}

allprojects {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
        maven { url 'http://download.crashlytics.com/maven' }
    }
}

Application level:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
apply plugin: 'crashlytics'

android{
    compileSdkVersion rootProject.compileSdkVersion
    buildToolsVersion rootProject.buildToolsVersion
    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion rootProject.minSdkVersion
        targetSdkVersion rootProject.targetSdkVersion
        versionCode rootProject.versionCode
        versionName rootProject.versionName
    } 
    buildTypes {
        release {
            debuggable rootProject.prodDebug
            proguardFile 'proguard.cfg'
        }
    }

    packagingOptions {
        exclude 'META-INF/LICENSE.txt'
        exclude 'META-INF/NOTICE.txt'
    }
    lintOptions {
        abortOnError false
    }
 }     `

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: "$buildDir/native-libs", include: 'native-libs.jar')
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: '*.jar')
    compile project(':FRNDzTER_core')
    compile project(':cropper')
    compile project(':stickyListHeaders')
    compile "com.nostra13.universalimageloader:universal-image-          l                        loader:${rootProject.universalImageLoaderVersion}"
    compile "com.google.android.gms:play-    services:${rootProject.googlePlayServicesVersion}"
    compile "   "de.keyboardsurfer.android.widget:crouton:${rootProject.croutonVersion}"
    compile "com.nineoldandroids:library:${rootProject.nineoldandroidsVersion}"
    compile 'com.github.chrisbanes.actionbarpulltorefresh:library:+'
    compile 'com.crashlytics.android:crashlytics:1.+'
}

But even without all that, your problem is that you have a dependencies within your android plugin config.

android {
    dependencies {
    }
}

remove that empty dependencies block.

EDIT: I also started getting this error with the latest Android Studio, all I had to do was add a newer version of the Gradle plugin, and compileSdkVersion 22.

buildscript {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
        mavenCentral()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:1.3.0'
        classpath 'com.neenbedankt.gradle.plugins:android-apt:1.4'

        // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
        // in the individual module build.gradle files
    }
}

allprojects {
    repositories {
        jcenter()
        mavenCentral()
    }
}

Solution 4 - Android

If you already are using the "default gradle wrapper" and it doesn't help:

In Menu click: File -> Invalidate Caches / Restart...

If it also doesn't help try in 2 steps:

1) Delete ".gradle" folder (and "build" folder if you have it already)

2) In Menu click: File -> Invalidate Caches / Restart...

After restarting the warning should disappear.

(For me it worked and for Android Studio and for IntelliJ Idea)

Solution 5 - Android

My problem is that the whole build.setting file were occupied with cannot be applied to '(groovy.lang.Closure)' warning messages instead of happening on any particular variable.

I have tried all solutions provided by others but none of them works for me. I ended out doing these steps then it works like a charm. If you are encountering the same issue then give it a try.

Open and edit file: yourproject/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties. Edit content to update the gradle distribution version as shown in the image below then save.
Delete this folder: yourproject/.gradle.
Click Sync project with gradle files, then you are good to go.

Solution 6 - Android

I went into the preferences to try one of the other answers when I noticed a warning that my gradle home directory was wrong. So I opened up the file browser and chose the newer gradle version, and all the errors went away. Image shown below.

Solution 7 - Android

I bet you the problem is totally unrelated to the piece of code that is giving you warnings, most likely it's your proguard file. I had the following in my code and got the same warning:

buildTypes {
        release {
            runProguard false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.txt'
        }
    }

By commenting out runProguard false, all of my problems go away, go figure :)

Solution 8 - Android

I have same problem in android studio 2.2，it work for me:

original:

android {
...
}

dependencies {
...
}

move dependencies in android:

android {
...
   dependencies {
   ...
   }
}

Solution 9 - Android

I solved the problem in Android Studio by Invalidating the cache and restart.

File-> Invalidate Caches / Restart..

Solution 10 - Android

I ran into a similar problem to this in IntelliJ for a Kotlin project. It looks like the issue was that in my project, even though it was set to use JDK 8, the language and API versions somehow got set to 1.3. See Project Preferences > Facets. In my case, I ticked "use project settings," but manually setting them per facet may work as well.

Solution 11 - Android

Close the project (File / Close project),
Select “Open an existing Android Studio project” on the start menu and select the folder that contains your Android project.

This work for me.

Solution 12 - Android

Gradle files can be made explicit in several places to avoid such errors. E.g. Change

configurations {

project.configurations {

task {
    description 'foo'

task {
    setDescription 'foo'

Solution 13 - Android

To fix the issue simply close the project, then select “Open an existing Android Studio project” on the start menu and select the folder that contains your Android project. Beware, select the folder, not the .iml project file.

Solution 14 - Android

Cut and then paste the "buildTypes" at the same place in "android" section and Re-Sync (refresh) Project

Solution 15 - Android

For people with M1 Intellij IDEA just add in build.gradle(:app)

//noinspection GroovyAssignabilityCheck

buildFeatures {
        viewBinding
    }

Content Type	Original Author	Original Content on Stackoverflow
Question	Ashwani Kottapalli	View Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - Android	Dũng Trần Trung	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - Android	Mark Pazon	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - Android	EpicPandaForce	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Android	Andrew	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Android	Arst	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Android	craned	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - Android	Daniel Wilson	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - Android	Yakami	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 9 - Android	ahmadalibaloch	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 10 - Android	Tim Keating	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 11 - Android	zerob13	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 12 - Android	tkruse	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 13 - Android	Webdma	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 14 - Android	Andrew	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 15 - Android	Felipe Franco	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 16 - Android	michael crusem	View Answer on Stackoverflow