I run into this problem with an older project which I was maintaining after a longer period. Problem was that project was still using older gradle scripts, plugins and dependencies.

The biggest problem was fabric.io which is not maintained and compatible with the latest gradle version. Stack trace in build output which contained crashlytics references pointed me to the fabric. I recommend checking it. In your case, it might be related to other plugins.

Stack trace example:

at com.crashlytics.tools.gradle.ProjectVariantState$deriveFrom.call(Unknown Source)
at com.crashlytics.tools.gradle.CrashlyticsPlugin.createTaskBuilder(CrashlyticsPlugin.groovy:301)
at com.crashlytics.tools.gradle.CrashlyticsPlugin.this$2$createTaskBuilder(CrashlyticsPlugin.groovy)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at com.crashlytics.tools.gradle.CrashlyticsPlugin.addPluginTasks(CrashlyticsPlugin.groovy:271)

In Project level build.gradle Just downgrade the version of dependency 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.5.0' to your last/lower version was 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.0.1' and

In "gradle-wrapper.properties" downgrade the "distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-6.5.1-all.zip" to last/lower version like "distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-6.1.1-all.zip" . and sync and run .

Updating dependencies in build.gradle (Project level) solved my issue:

        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.1.2'
        classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.5'
        classpath 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-gradle:2.5.0'

Just remove or comment it out. it works for me.

apply plugin: 'io.fabric'

and

classpath 'io.fabric.tools:gradle:1.+'

from both gradle file.

I updated the de.mannodermaus.gradle.plugins:android-junit5 to the latest version

Remove all that connected with deprecated library such as fabric crashlytics etc.

On Android Studio simply open build.gradle (Project) and the IDE should suggest an update to crashlytics, accept that and the error will be gone.

If you are using com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-gradle dependency in your project, just update to version 2.0.0-beta04 it is helped to me.

I had the same issue. Removing all fabric references in build.gradle solved my case.

you can try to remove

apply plugin: 'io.fabric'

and

classpath 'io.fabric.tools:gradle:1.31.2'

lines from your build.gradle file.

Fabrics Crashlytics deprecated. If you are using Fabric Crashlytics you can replace it with Firebase Crashlytics.

This started happening for me when upgrading Android Studio from 4.0.2 to 4.1. Unfortunately, I had to update a branch that still includes fabric, the only way I could get it working was to downgrade android studio and make the fixes and be able to make a new build.

Download old versions here:

Windows: https://android-studio.en.uptodown.com/windows/versions

Mac: https://android-studio.en.uptodown.com/mac/versions

Update in OCTOBER 2020 : Fabric is deprecated, so remove all plugins and dependencies depend on Fabric.io

like :

apply plugin: 'io.fabric'


classpath 'io.fabric.tools:gradle:1.31.2'



maven {
        url 'https://maven.fabric.io/public'
    }

and after deletaion you must add :

 classpath 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-gradle:2.3.0'

in your build.gradle.

https://firebase.google.com/docs/crashlytics/upgrade-sdk?platform=android

I had the same problem, in particular with the the same stack trace as @display name (on the comments).

From there I noticed the reference to Crashlytics. And effectively that was the issue: the old, deprecated, version (from Fabric). Migrating to the new Firebase Crashlytics fixed the issue for me.

I am using Fabrics Crashlytics and i got the same error after updating my Android plugin for Gradle to version 4.1:

classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.1.0-rc01'

I need to upgrade gradle plugin to upload native debug symbols to Google play console as stated in this link. https://developer.android.com/studio/preview/features#native-crash-symbolization

To use Android plugin for gradle version 4.1, your minimum gradle version needs to be version 6.5. I used gradle version 6.5.1

distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-6.5.1-all.zip

Upgrading from Fabric Crashlytics to Firebase Crashlytics solved the issue for me, this could be because fabric is not compatible with the newer versions of Android plugin for gradle. For more information on how to upgrade from Fabric crashlytics to Firebase Crashlytics. Check out this link https://firebase.google.com/docs/crashlytics/upgrade-sdk?platform=android

Please update your Gradle dependency to:

classpath "com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.0.0"

and in gradle-wrapper.properties

distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-6.1.1-all.zip