Firebase is the dominant cloud platform especially for mobile development. It is fast and reliable and has a free option for starters. There too is extensive documentation and furthermore it is provided by a giant corperation which is Google.

Thus it’s become really popular in the last few years. To use it however you need to learn how to get integrated into your app. This is what this tutorial is about. We will help you integrate firebase into your android studio app step by step.

Make sure you are targeting Android API level 16 and above, and using Android 4.1 and above

Option 1: Add Firebase using the Firebase console

Adding Firebase to your app involves tasks both in the Firebase console and in your open Android project (for example, you download Firebase config files from the console, then move them into your Android project).

Step 1: Sign In

Sign into Firebase using your Google account. Meanwhile open your Android Studio.

Step 2: Create a Firebase project

First you:

Create a Firebase project

  1. In the Firebase console, click Add project, then select or enter a Project name.

    If you have an existing Google Cloud project, you can select the project from the dropdown menu to add Firebase resources to that project.

  2. (Optional) If you are creating a new project, you can edit the Project ID.

    Firebase automatically assigns a unique ID to your Firebase project.

  3. Click Continue.

  4. (Optional) Set up Google Analytics for your project, which enables you to have an optimal experience using any of the following Firebase products:

    When prompted, select to use an existing Google Analytics account or to create a new account. If you choose to create a new account, select your Analytics reporting location, then accept the data sharing settings and Google Analytics terms for your project.

    You can always set up Google Analytics later in the Integrations tab of your settings Project settings.

  5. Click Create project (or Add Firebase, if you’re using an existing Google Cloud project).

Firebase automatically provisions resources for your Firebase project. After Firebase has allocated resources for your project, you’ll be directed to the overview page for your Firebase project in the Firebase console.

Step 3: Register your app with Firebase

To use Firebase in your Android app, you need to register your app with your Firebase project. Registering your app is often called "adding" your app to your project.

  1. Go to the Firebase console.

  2. In the center of the project overview page, click the Android icon or Add app to launch the setup workflow.

  3. Enter your app’s package name in the Android package name field. The package name, or the Applicatoon ID is responsible for uniquely identifying your app. You can find it in your app/build.gradle file or in the AndroidManifest.xml file.

  4. (Optional) Enter other app information: App nickname and Debug signing certificate SHA-1.

  5. Click Register app.

Step 4: Add a Firebase configuration file

  1. Add the Firebase Android configuration file to your app:

    1. Click Download google-services.json to obtain your Firebase Android config file ( google-services.json ).

    2. Move your config file into the module (app-level) directory of your app.

    What do you need to know about this config file?

    • The Firebase config file contains unique, but non-secret identifiers for your project.

  2. To enable Firebase products in your app, add the google-services plugin to your Gradle files.

    1. In your root-level (project-level) Gradle file (build.gradle), add rules to include the Google Services Gradle plugin. Check that you have Google’s Maven repository, as well.
buildscript {

  repositories {
    // Check that you have the following line (if not, add it):
    google()  // Google's Maven repository
  }

  dependencies {
    // ...

    // Add the following line:
    classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.10'  // Google Services plugin
  }
}

allprojects {
  // ...

  repositories {
    // Check that you have the following line (if not, add it):
    google()  // Google's Maven repository
    // ...
  }
}

In your module (app-level) Gradle file (usually app/build.gradle), apply the Google Services Gradle plugin:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
// Add the following line:
apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'  // Google Services plugin

android {
  // ...
}

Step 5: Add Firebase SDKs to your app

  1. Using the Firebase Android BoM, declare the dependencies for the Firebase products that you want to use in your app. Declare them in your module (app-level) Gradle file (usually app/build.gradle).
dependencies {
  // ...

  // Import the Firebase BoM
  implementation platform('com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:28.4.1')

  // When using the BoM, you don't specify versions in Firebase library dependencies

  // Declare the dependencies for the desired Firebase products
  // For example, declare the dependencies for Firebase Authentication and Cloud Firestore
  implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-auth'
  implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-firestore'
}

Then sync your app.

That is it. You have successfully added your Project to Firebase. Now proceed to check coding examples of firebase.

Option 1: Add Firebase using the Firebase Assistant

The Firebase Assistant registers your app with a Firebase project and adds the necessary Firebase files, plugins, and dependencies to your Android project — all from within Android Studio!

  1. Open your Android project in Android Studio, then make sure that you’re using the latest versions of Android Studio and the Firebase Assistant:

  2. Open the Firebase Assistant: Tools > Firebase.

  3. In the Assistant pane, choose a Firebase product to add to your app. Expand its section, then click the tutorial link (for example, Analytics > Log an Analytics event ).

    1. Click Connect to Firebase to connect your Android project with Firebase.

      What does this workflow do?

      This workflow automatically creates a new Firebase Android app using your app’s package name. You can create this new Firebase Android app in either an existing Firebase project or a new project.

    2. Click the button to add a desired Firebase product (for example, Add Analytics to your app ).

  4. Sync your app to ensure that all dependencies have the necessary versions.

  5. In the Assistant pane, follow the remaining setup instructions for your selected Firebase product.

  6. Add as many other Firebase products as you’d like via the Firebase Assistant!