[Code health] Update integration test config to reduce flakiness

[gino-m]

From GitHub job analysis in failing test https://github.com/google/ground-android/actions/runs/28511787637/job/84533015752?pr=3806

Problem Analysis

The job is failing during Android instrumented tests with a critical error:

Failed to install split APK(s): [/home/runner/work/ground-android/ground-android/app/build/outputs/apk/local/debug/app-local-debug.apk]
Failed to install-write all apks
com.android.ddmlib.InstallException: Failed to install-write all apks

The root cause is an Android emulator connectivity/stability issue. The emulator becomes unresponsive during APK installation, as evidenced by:

1. Shell command timeout: ShellCommandUnresponsiveException when trying to install the APK
2. Emulator device going offline: adb: device offline appears in the logs
3. Console connection failures: [EmulatorConsole]: Failed to start Emulator console for 5554

Solution

The issue stems from insufficient resource allocation or emulator instability in the CI environment. Here are the recommended fixes:

1. Increase Emulator Stability Timeout

The emulator needs more time to stabilize before APK installation. Modify .github/workflows/test-e2e.yml to add retry logic and extended timeouts:

- name: Wait for emulator to be ready
  run: |
    MAX_TRIES=120  # Increased from current value
    ATTEMPT=0
    while [ $ATTEMPT -lt $MAX_TRIES ]; do
      if adb -s emulator-5554 shell getprop sys.boot_completed | grep -q '1'; then
        echo "Emulator fully booted"
        sleep 10  # Additional stabilization time
        break
      fi
      echo "Waiting for emulator... ($((ATTEMPT+1))/$MAX_TRIES)"
      sleep 2
      ((ATTEMPT++))
    done
    
    if [ $ATTEMPT -eq $MAX_TRIES ]; then
      echo "Emulator failed to boot"
      exit 1
    fi

2. Add APK Installation Retry Logic

Wrap the test execution with retry logic in your Gradle configuration:

// In your build.gradle or build.gradle.kts
android {
    testOptions {
        execution 'ANDROIDX_TEST_ORCHESTRATOR'
        unitTests {
            includeAndroidResources = true
        }
    }
}

3. Reduce Test APK Size

The split APK installation is failing. Consider:

• Disabling multi-APK splits for CI builds
• Reducing dex method count using R8/ProGuard optimization

android {
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            // Optimize for CI environment
            minifyEnabled true
            useProguard false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

4. Increase CI Runner Resources (if available)

Update .github/workflows/test-e2e.yml to use more robust hardware:

runs-on: ubuntu-latest-xl  # Use larger runner if available

5. Add Emulator Health Checks Before Testing

Insert a verification step before running tests:

- name: Verify emulator health before testing
  run: |
    adb -s emulator-5554 shell getprop ro.bootloader
    adb -s emulator-5554 shell getprop ro.hardware
    adb -s emulator-5554 shell dumpsys meminfo | head -20

Immediate Action

The most effective short-term solution is implementing APK installation retry logic with exponential backoff, combined with extended emulator boot validation to ensure full stability before attempting installation.

[gino-m]

@andreia-ferreira FYI