June 2023 Summaries

The eighth installment in an Android app development series introduces Firebase Extensions through the example of adding the Delete User Data Extension to the Jetpack Compose-based Make It So to-do app. Firebase Extensions are configurable, pre-packaged backend solutions that reduce the need to build and maintain common features, such as automatically resizing uploaded images or deleting user-related data. The Delete User Data Extension is triggered when a Firebase Authentication account is removed and can delete associated information from Cloud Firestore, Cloud Storage, and Realtime Database, improving on a previous client-side deletion approach that could be interrupted by connectivity problems or app failures. The extension can be configured either to discover Firestore documents containing a user ID field, such as tasks with a userId property, or to remove data at specified paths such as users/{UID}, including nested subcollections through recursive deletion. Installation occurs in the Firebase console, requires a Blaze billing plan, and involves reviewing APIs, created resources, permissions, and data-matching settings; once configured, the app can remove its own task-deletion code and rely on a more reliable backend process.

Firebase has introduced real-time Remote Config updates for Android, Apple platforms, C++, Unity, and Flutter, allowing active app instances to receive newly published configuration values immediately without requiring an app update. The capability is presented as a way to strengthen feature-flag-driven development, enabling teams to hide unfinished functionality, target internal testers or selected user segments, progressively roll out features, monitor feedback and stability, and rapidly disable problematic changes. Unlike earlier Remote Config workflows that refreshed values periodically, the updated SDKs provide listeners that fetch server-side changes when configurations are published, while developers can control when to activate them to avoid disruptive interface changes. Using a recipe-difficulty example, the post demonstrates configuring a Boolean flag, enabling it for development users through Google Analytics properties, rolling it out gradually by app version and random user percentage, and using Google Analytics and Crashlytics to monitor adoption, engagement, and crashes. If issues arise, changing the flag back remotely can halt exposure quickly, supporting smaller code changes, reduced reliance on long-lived feature branches, and safer, faster releases.

Firebase and the Android team have launched the Firebase and Android Basics with Compose course, a learning program for people interested in building native Android applications with Jetpack Compose and Firebase. Designed for beginners as well as developers seeking to expand their skills, the course covers Compose-based UI development, Material Design, the recommended Model-View-ViewModel architecture, and integration with Firebase services. Participants learn to connect apps to Firebase projects, authenticate users with Firebase Authentication, store cloud data with Cloud Firestore, remotely adjust app behavior through Remote Config, and monitor performance using Performance Monitoring. No previous Android development experience is required, and all course units are available with completion badges offered for each unit.