Android Gradle Project Configuration Stuck at :app Configuration – Build Not Proceeding
I’m working on an Android project using React Native and Gradle, but I’m encountering an issue where the build process hangs during the configuration stage for the :app module. The build stops at around 33% and doesn’t proceed any further.

Environment
Operating System: Windows 10
JDK: Java 17
Gradle: 8.9
Target API: 34
IDE: Visual Studio Code
What Happens?
When I run the command ./gradlew clean or attempt to build the project, the process hangs during the configuration phase, specifically at the :app module. The console output shows that the configuration is stuck and doesn’t provide any further errors or warnings to indicate what might be wrong.

Key Aspects of My Build Configuration
Gradle Version and Plugins:

I’m using Gradle 8.9 and the project includes various plugins such as com.android.tools.build:gradle, com.google.gms:google-services, and com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-gradle.
I also have several React Native dependencies configured in the settings.gradle and build.gradle files.
Hermes Enabled:

Hermes is enabled for this project (enableHermes: true). All necessary configurations for Hermes seem to be set up correctly.
MultiDex Enabled:

MultiDex is enabled (multiDexEnabled true) as my application likely exceeds the 64K method limit.
Proguard Configuration:

Proguard is enabled in the release build type, and I’m using a custom proguard-rules.pro file.
JCenter Repository:

The project still includes JCenter as a repository, even though it’s deprecated, because some older dependencies still require it.
Build Tools Version:

The project is configured to use build tools version 34.0.0 with compileSdkVersion and targetSdkVersion set to 34.

What I’ve Tried
Running Gradle with Debug Flags:

I tried running the build with –stacktrace, –info, and –debug flags, but the output did not reveal any specific errors. The build simply hangs at the same spot.
Checking for Version Compatibility:

Verified that all dependencies are compatible with Gradle 8.9 and Android API 34, but the issue persists.
Disabling Non-Critical Plugins:

I temporarily disabled some non-essential plugins and configurations, but this did not resolve the issue.
Gradle Clean & Rebuild:

Running ./gradlew clean followed by ./gradlew assembleDebug still results in the build getting stuck during the configuration phase.
Questions
What could cause the Gradle build to hang at the configuration stage for the :app module, and how can I further diagnose this issue?
Are there any known issues with Gradle 8.9, React Native, or API 34 that might cause this behavior?
What steps can I take to troubleshoot or resolve this issue?
Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!