I’m encountering a problem with my application where both the development and preview builds function correctly. However, when I compile the production APK and install it on my smartphone, it successfully installs but does not connect to the backend server or make API requests. Instead, it only shows static content, and there are no visible errors or logs that indicate any problems.
Important Information:
- The development build operates as intended.
- The preview build also works flawlessly.
- The production APK builds without issues, yet it does not initiate any API requests.
- All API calls are made to a secure server using HTTPS.
What I’ve Investigated:
- Checked that the backend server is reachable and secure (HTTPS enabled).
- Verified that the API endpoints are accurate and accessible from the device.
- Searched for errors in the logs but found nothing relevant.
- Made sure all configurations specific to the environment are correct.
Inquiries:
- What might be causing the production version to neglect API calls and only display static content?
- Are there particular configurations or settings I should examine for the production setup?
- Any advice or troubleshooting suggestions would be highly appreciated.
have u checked the network/security settings in your production build? sometimes proguard or mixed content issues can cause such behaviour. maybe try testing the apk with logcat on to see if there’s any silent error? curious to see what could be the cause! 
The issue might be related to the build’s network security configuration. If you are using Android’s Network Security Configuration feature, ensure it allows cleartext network traffic unless your API is strictly HTTPS. Sometimes, proguard can also interfere with API interactions by obfuscating essential parts of your code. You could try disabling proguard temporarily to see if it resolves the issue. Additionally, ensuring that no API calls are blocked by any Content Security Policy or CORS-related issues is worth checking.
have u checked the app permissions, especially for network access? sometimes permissions in production APKs are stricter than u expect. also, try verifying if there are any certificates issues – like expired or mismatched ones – which may not be visible immediately but can block your API calls. good luck!
Could there be a possiblity that the backend server is blocking requests from unknown origins or user agents? Sometimes, the production build might differ in how it identifies itself, causing the server to reject requests. Maybe testing with a different backend setup or authentication method might shed some light on the issue. 
From my experience, it’s also crucial to verify your app’s build configurations and app signing keys used for the production APK. Sometimes discrepancies between a development and production environment stem from misconfigured build variants in your app’s build.gradle files. Another potential point of failure could be related to obfuscation rules, especially if you are using ProGuard or R8. These can sometimes strip necessary information required for API calls if not configured correctly. Double-check your rules to ensure they are not over-simplifying your classes or URLs involved in API calls.