Define the two milestones
The startup guide distinguishes initial display and full display. Use the appropriate fully-drawn reporting mechanism when the meaningful content is ready; do not mark it merely when the activity begins.
Write down what “ready” means for your app: saved game restored, first list loaded or essential controls interactive.
Inspect startup work by necessity
| Work | Question |
|---|---|
| Dependency initialization | Is it needed before the first screen? |
| Database opening/migration | Can it block the main thread? |
| SDK startup | Can documented deferred initialization help? |
| Asset decode | Is the initial asset appropriately sized? |
| Network request | Can cached or recoverable UI appear first? |
Do not defer security or correctness checks that must precede a protected action just to improve a timing chart.
Measure the intended launch state
A cold launch, warm launch and return to an existing activity are different scenarios. Use Macrobenchmark with explicit startup mode and controlled setup rather than manually force-stopping inconsistently between runs.
Test a representative release/profileable build and keep compilation state documented.
Trace before restructuring
Look for long main-thread sections, synchronous disk reads and initialization chains. Removing one expensive startup dependency can be more effective than micro-optimizing a small view inflation step.
Verify the complete experience
Measure both the first frame and usable content, and test offline/error states. A faster blank screen is not a satisfactory result.
APKLint's Performance Checker can help organize startup review, but it does not measure launch time from an uploaded APK. Keep the benchmark output, trace and readiness definition with the release so future changes are compared against the same user experience.
Sources and further reading
Reference review: 22 September 2026. Examples illustrate the workflow; check your installed versions, release artifact and account-specific Console requirements before applying them. This guide is not a claim that APKLint executed your project or verified your private account.
Android inspection tools and practical release guides. About APKLint · Report a correction
