ClassNotFoundException Didn't Find Class SplashActivity on Path

ClassNotFoundException: Didn’t Find Class `SplashActivity` on Path

A Short Blog Post

Another day, another error — this time with the splash screen on Xamarin.Forms. Can’t wait to switch to MAUI! Though, I’m sure I’ll run into errors there as well.

The error I encountered was:

Java.Lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.companyname.myApp.SplashActivity" on path

What Went Wrong?

This error had me stumped for a while. After going on just three hours of sleep, I made a simple mistake with the naming in my Android Xamarin.Forms app.

Here’s how the manifest was declared:

Manifest Declaration:

<!-- SplashActivity declaration -->
<activity android:name=".SplashActivity"
          android:theme="@style/SplashTheme"
          android:exported="true"
          android:noHistory="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

Activity Class Declaration:

[Activity(Theme = "@style/SplashTheme",
          Name = "myApp.SplashActivity",
          MainLauncher = true,
          NoHistory = true)]
public class SplashActivity : Activity
{
    protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
    {
        base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
        global::Xamarin.Forms.Forms.Init(this, savedInstanceState);
        OxyPlot.Xamarin.Forms.Platform.Android.PlotViewRenderer.Init();
        StartActivity(new Intent(Application.Context, typeof(MainActivity)));
    }
}

Can You Spot the Issue?

The problem lies in the name. In the manifest, the activity is declared as .SplashActivity, but in the class attribute, it’s declared as "myApp.SplashActivity". This mismatch caused the ClassNotFoundException.

Key Things to Check if You Encounter this Error:

Check the Generated Java Files: Is the class present in the compiled output?
Ensure the Name Matches: Does the Name attribute in the [Activity] declaration match what is declared in the manifest?
Check for Multiple Declarations: Do you have duplicate or conflicting declarations in the manifest or debug manifest?
Verify Namespace and Path: Make sure the namespace and class names match across your code and manifest.

Final Thoughts:

It’s an easy mistake to make, but verifying the namespace and activity names in both the manifest and class declarations can save you hours of troubleshooting. I hope this helps you avoid the same issue!

ClassNotFoundException Didn't Find Class SplashActivity on Path