skills/firebase-remote-config-basics/references/android_setup.md

# Firebase Remote Config Android Setup Guide

Important references:

- Refer to the `firebase-basics` skills, particularly those for project and app
  setup, before proceeding.

## Project and App Setup

Before you begin, ensure you have the following. If a `google-services.json`
file is present, then use that Firebase project and app. Otherwise you may need
to create them.

- **Firebase CLI**: Installed and logged in (see `firebase-basics`).
- **Firebase Project**: Created via
  `npx -y firebase-tools@latest projects:create` (see `firebase-basics`).
- **Firebase App**: Created via
  `npx -y firebase-tools@latest apps:create <IOS|ANDROID|WEB> <package-name-or-bundle-id>`

The `google-services.json` file must be present in the Android app's module
directory. If missing, get the config using the Firebase CLI:
`npx -y firebase-tools@latest apps:sdkconfig ANDROID <App-ID>`.

## Add Dependencies to Gradle Build

These changes are made to your Android project's Gradle files. Google Analytics
is highly recommended as it enables conditional targeting based on user
properties and audiences.

### Project-level `build.gradle.kts` (`<project>/build.gradle.kts`)

Ensure the Google Services plugin is in the `plugins` block:

```kotlin
plugins {
    // ... other plugins
    id("com.google.gms.google-services") version "4.4.0" apply false
}
```

### App-level `build.gradle.kts` (`<project>/<app-module>/build.gradle.kts`)

1. Add the Google Services plugin to the `plugins` block:

   ```kotlin
   plugins {
       // ... other plugins
       id("com.google.gms.google-services")
   }
   ```

1. Add the Firebase Remote Config and Analytics dependencies. Using the Firebase
   Bill of Materials (BoM) is the best practice for version management.

   ```kotlin
   dependencies {
       // ... other dependencies

       // Import the Firebase BoM
       implementation(platform("com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:32.7.0"))

       // Add the dependencies for Remote Config and Analytics
       implementation("com.google.firebase:firebase-config-ktx")
       implementation("com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics-ktx")
   }
   ```

## Follow up Steps

The following steps cover the essential patterns for using Remote Config
effectively.

### Set In-App Defaults

Define default values so your app has functional logic before it ever fetches a
template from the server. Create an XML file (e.g.,
`res/xml/remote_config_defaults.xml`):
`xml     <!-- Example Remote Config Defaults File -->     <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>     <defaultsMap>         <entry>             <key>welcome_message</key>             <value>Welcome to the app!</value>         </entry>         <entry>             <key>is_feature_enabled</key>             <value>false</value>         </entry>     </defaultsMap>     `
Then, initialize the SDK in your Activity or Application class:

````
```kotlin
val remoteConfig = Firebase.remoteConfig
remoteConfig.setDefaultsAsync(R.xml.remote_config_defaults)
```
````

### Fetch and Activate Values

To apply values from the cloud, you must fetch them and then activate them.
`kotlin     remoteConfig.fetchAndActivate()     .addOnCompleteListener(this) { task ->         if (task.isSuccessful) {             val updated = task.result             println("Config params updated: $updated")         } else {             println("Fetch failed")         }         // Access a value         val message = remoteConfig.getString("welcome_message")     }     `