Android Studio - Signed APK for release crashes - android-studio

Question

I am creating a signed APK for the next update of my app. But when i transfer this APK file to my devices and install it, it crashes on opening the app.
Here is my project level gradle file
buildscript {
repositories {
jcenter()
}
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:1.5.0'
classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:2.0.0-alpha6'
}
}
allprojects {
repositories {
jcenter()
}
}
And here is my module gradle file code:
apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
android {
compileSdkVersion 23
buildToolsVersion '23.0.0'
useLibrary 'org.apache.http.legacy'
defaultConfig {
applicationId "com.washkart.activities"
minSdkVersion 15
targetSdkVersion 19
// Enabling multidex support.
multiDexEnabled true
}
repositories {
jcenter()
flatDir {
dirs 'libs'
}
}
buildTypes {
release {
shrinkResources true
minifyEnabled true
proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-project.txt'
}
}
dataBinding {
enabled = true
}
}
dependencies {
compile files('libs/joda-time-2.4.jar')
compile(name:'acra-4.7.0', ext:'aar')
compile project(':ViewPagerIndicator')
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:8.4.0'
compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:23.1.1'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:8.4.0'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-identity:8.4.0'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-gcm:8.4.0'
compile 'com.facebook.android:facebook-android-sdk:4.6.0'
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-analytics:8.4.0'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:23.1.1'
compile 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.0'
}
apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'
And i have added below lines in my proguard file to avoid the warning/error which i got durng signing the APK:
-keepnames class org.apache.** {*;}
-keep class org.apache.** {*;}
-keep class android.support.v4.** { *; }
-keep interface android.support.v4.app.** { *; }
-dontnote android.support.v4.**
-keep class org.joda.time.** { *; }
-keep interface org.joda.time.** { *;}
-keep class android.support.v7.app.** { *; }
-keep interface android.support.v7.app.** { *; }
-dontskipnonpubliclibraryclassmembers
-dontwarn org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory
-dontwarn org.apache.http.annotation.ThreadSafe
-dontwarn org.apache.http.annotation.Immutable
-dontwarn org.apache.http.annotation.NotThreadSafe
-dontwarn org.jodatime.time.**
-dontwarn org.joda.convert.**
-dontwarn org.apache.http.**
-dontwarn android.net.**
I have android studio 1.5.1 and testing on Android 4.4.2.
And the procedure which i used to generate in Build>Generate Signed APK>Selecting the module from dropdown > Add keystore file, alias and password> Build type = release > finish

Answer 1

I was facing the same issue, the problem is in your proguard file.
you have enabled the proguard when used minifyEnabled true.
Either disable it to disable to proguard or read about how to use proguard from here as it discards the class files and other resource that are not added in proguard-rules.pro.