August 2023 Summaries

Part nine of an Android development series explains how to integrate Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) into a Jetpack Compose to-do app to deliver push notifications. It describes FCM’s support for notification and data messages across Firebase platforms, along with targeting options for individual device tokens, topics, and Analytics audiences. The implementation includes adding the Firebase Messaging SDK, registering a FirebaseMessagingService in the Android manifest, configuring default notification channels, icons, and colors, and overriding message handling to display notifications while the app is in the foreground. It also addresses Android 13’s runtime notification permission by using Accompanist’s Compose permissions library to show either the native permission request or a rationale dialog directing users to Settings after denial. Finally, it outlines testing by retrieving an FCM registration token from Logcat and using the Firebase Console to send test notifications, and previews the next installment on advanced Cloud Firestore queries.

Firebase Cloud Messaging now supports web push notifications in Safari following Apple’s Push API support in Safari 16.1 and on macOS 16.4, iOS, and iPadOS. On macOS, developers can use the Firebase FCM JavaScript SDK quick-start application and must request notification permission through a user action such as a button click. For iOS and iPadOS, web apps must specify standalone or fullscreen display mode in their web manifest, be added to the user’s Home Screen, and request permission after direct interaction before initializing FCM and obtaining a token with a public VAPID key. Notifications can then be sent through the FCM v1 Send API or Firebase console. Safari web push on iOS and iPadOS uses Apple Push Notification service, does not require Apple Developer Program membership, and may require servers to permit connections to Apple push endpoints.