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Java / JVM

Troubleshoot Kotlin compilation / unresolved reference

Kotlin, Gradle

Unresolved reference, or compilation succeeds in IDE but fails in Gradle.

What it means (root cause)

Source set misconfiguration, stale build cache, or a Kotlin/AGP version mismatch.

The symptom developers actually see: Unresolved reference, or compilation succeeds in IDE but fails in Gradle.

How to avoid it: Pin Kotlin and AGP versions in a central version catalog.

Step-by-step fix

Concrete, ordered steps from the dataset. Apply them in order; each line is a verified action, not generic advice.

  1. 1Run ./gradlew clean build --refresh-dependencies to clear cache and re-resolve.
  2. 2Verify the symbol lives in a source set included by the consuming module.
  3. 3Align Kotlin and Android Gradle Plugin versions per the compatibility matrix.

Where this error appears

Languages, frameworks, and runtimes where this error is observed (from the 2026 DevFixPro error dataset, retrieved 2026-08-29):

KotlinGradle

Kotlin/JVM and Kotlin/Android via Gradle. IDE and CLI use different caches, which is why one passes and the other fails.

How to prevent it & common questions

Practical prevention plus the questions developers ask most about this error.

What does "Troubleshoot Kotlin compilation / unresolved reference" mean?

Source set misconfiguration, stale build cache, or a Kotlin/AGP version mismatch.

Which environments are affected by Troubleshoot Kotlin compilation / unresolved reference?

Kotlin, Gradle

How do I fix Troubleshoot Kotlin compilation / unresolved reference?

Run ./gradlew clean build --refresh-dependencies to clear cache and re-resolve. Verify the symbol lives in a source set included by the consuming module. Align Kotlin and Android Gradle Plugin versions per the compatibility matrix.

How do I prevent Troubleshoot Kotlin compilation / unresolved reference?

Pin Kotlin and AGP versions in a central version catalog.

Related DevFixPro tools

Real, browser-only utilities on DevFixPro that help while you work through this issue. These are navigation aids, not a substitute for the fix above.

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● Data updated 2026-08-29

Sources & attribution

  • Error records aggregated from Google Search Console query gaps (2026-05-21~2026-08-18) for devfixpro.com, plus official framework docs (MDN, Node.js docs, Python docs, Go.dev, Rust book, Oracle Java docs, Docker docs, npm docs). Source dataset retrieved 2026-08-29. License: CC BY 4.0 — attribute DevFixPro (devfixpro.com).
  • Official reference: https://kotlinlang.org/docs/troubleshooting.html
  • All cause, environment, fix and prevention text on this page is taken verbatim from the DevFixPro 2026 error dataset. DevFixPro does not invent root causes or fixes.
How this Troubleshoot Kotlin compilation / unresolved reference page is built

Each error page is generated from a single record in the DevFixPro 2026 error dataset. The meaning, root cause, environments, fix steps, prevention, and official references are copied verbatim from that dataset and its official-doc sources; related-error links are computed from the error's category and explicit peer list. No root cause or fix is invented. The retrieval date for this dataset is 2026-08-29.

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