As of June 20, 2024, Google deprecated the old Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) Legacy API, so everyone using this service has to switch to the new and improved FCM HTTP (v1) API. This update brings better security, more messaging options, and smoother performance, helping you keep the lines of communication open with your users.

At SashiDo, we want to make this transition as smooth as possible for our clients, so we've prepared a tutorial on describing the introduced changes and on the exact steps to migrating to the new API. Check out the guide in the following lines!

Update Your Firebase Dependencies

Now that you know what’s changing and how the SashiDo Push Notifications Service works, we can continue with the actual settings. The first thing to do is ensure you’re using the latest versions of Firebase libraries in your app and familiarise yourself with the FCM REST API V1 Reference and the FCM Migration Guidelines.

FCM API (V1) Enabled

For both old and new projects, the FCM V1 API is already enabled by default. However, if you’ve got an older project you might have the Legacy API enabled as well until it’s fully deprecated*.

To check that head over to the Firebase Console and open your project. From there click on the gear icon next to Project Overview that’s located on top of the left-hand menu and select Project settings.

Once on the Project settings page, select the Cloud Messaging tab. If the V1 API is disabled, click on the kebab menu next to it and choose Manage API in Google Cloud Console.

*Pro tip: Referring to Firebase’s FAQ about the FCM features deprecated in June 2023, they will start generating a small number of errors on the current API around July 22th, 2024 and gradually ramp-down. Customers can apply for an extension here if they can't finish the migration by then.

Generate a Private Key

Head back to Project settings and click on the Service Accounts Tab. From there click on Generate new private key.

This will download a JSON file. Store it someplace safe.

Switch from Legacy to V1 in SashiDo

Go to your SashiDo app’s Dashboard. From there, on the left-hand menu, click on App Settings > Push. From there, upload the JSON file to the Android Push Credentials section and click on Save Changes on the bottom right of the screen.

Test Push Notification Functionality

And do not forget! After making the necessary changes, test your notifications to ensure they are being sent and received correctly.

We always recommend following the best practices and testing on a dev environment first before migrating in production. You can send push notifications in several ways. The most straightforward way to do that is through the Dashboard. On the left-hand menu click on Push and select Send New Push. From there, select your audience and write a quick message under “Write your message”. Once you’re ready, click on Send Push. After you’ve sent your push notification, you can check the status from the Activity tab.

If you haven’t set up push notifications for your Android app yet, check out our article on How to Integrate Push Notifications in Android Step by Step.

Conclusion

Although SashiDo’s Push Notification Service automatically handles many of the necessary adjustments, we strongly advise our customers to structure their payloads to align with FCM requirements and fields. Ensuring your payloads are properly formatted will lead to more reliable and efficient push notification delivery.

For more detailed information, refer to the FCM REST API V1 Reference and the FCM Migration Guidelines. If you need any assistance, feel free to reach out at support@sashido.io.

Happy Coding!