What does the Gradle error message "Could not find 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:7.1.1.'" mean in Android Studio?

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This error message means that Gradle is unable to locate the required version of the 'com.android.tools.build:gradle' dependency with the version number '7.1.1'. This can happen due to various reasons such as:

1. The specified dependency version is incorrect or outdated.
2. The Gradle cache is corrupt or outdated.
3. The internet connection is not available or slow.

To resolve this error, you can try the following solutions:

1. Check the correct version number of the dependency and update it in the Gradle script.
2. Invalidate the Gradle cache and restart Android Studio.
3. Ensure that the internet connection is stable and re-sync the Gradle project by clicking on the 'Sync Project with Gradle Files' button.