May 2022 Summaries

Firebase plans to end Internet Explorer support in version 9.8.0 of its JavaScript SDK, citing the additional code, larger bundle sizes, and technical compromises required to maintain compatibility with the obsolete browser. The change follows Microsoft’s own retirement of IE11 support in Microsoft 365 services and the Internet Explorer desktop application in 2021 and 2022. Dropping IE will enable the SDK to use newer capabilities, including ESM exports that improve compatibility with modern build tools, while potentially reducing bundle sizes by removing IE-specific code paths. Users who require IE compatibility can remain on versions before 9.8.0, although those releases will no longer receive bug fixes, and developers may need to provide their own polyfills for some functionality.

Part two of the Make It So Android development series explains how to build login and sign-up flows with Jetpack Compose, Firebase Authentication, Hilt, ViewModels, and a service layer. The app starts users in an anonymous Firebase session so they can create and manage tasks without registering, then lets them link that existing account to an email-and-password credential from the settings screen, preserving their data rather than creating a second account. It outlines adding Firebase configuration and Authentication dependencies, keeping Activities and composables separate from business logic, and using ViewModel-managed UI state to synchronize text fields and trigger Compose recomposition as users enter credentials. Authentication operations are encapsulated in an AccountService that creates anonymous sessions, signs users in, and links accounts through Firebase callbacks, while successful account changes update the settings UI to replace sign-in options with sign-out and account-deletion controls. The next installment will address Crashlytics, snackbars, and code-reuse improvements, while noting that newer versions of the sample use Kotlin Coroutines and Flow instead of callbacks.

At Google I/O 2022, Firebase announced updates aimed at accelerating app development, strengthening security, and improving app quality across web, mobile, and cross-platform workflows. New Extension events let developers customize Firebase Extensions with their own code, while additional third-party extensions support services such as Snap, Stream, RevenueCat, and Typesense, and all extensions can now be tested locally in the Emulator Suite. Firebase also introduced simplified deployment for modern web frameworks through a single command, developer previews for Next.js and Angular Universal, general availability for Firebase Flutter plugins with improved Crashlytics support, and expanded modern Swift features across Apple SDKs. Security updates include the general availability of Firebase App Check and its integration with Android’s Play Integrity API. App Distribution and Performance Monitoring have reached general availability with enhancements for beta testing and configurable real-time performance alerts, while Crashlytics now integrates more closely with Android Studio through App Quality Insights and with Google Play tracks to streamline crash investigation and release-stage filtering.