The AppMaster mobile app designer allows you to speed up the development process and create your first app in just a few steps. You can immediately test such an application on your phone, check the operation of all functions, and use native features (for example, use NFC, a camera, and scan QR codes). For this testing, a special AppMaster Developer application is used, where you can switch between different accounts and projects and get easy access to any of your applications.
But what if you want to make the application truly independent? To be able to use it without an intermediary, share it with friends? The most affordable option is to create an APK file to install this application on Android devices (in the future, it can also be used for publishing in application stores, for example, Google Play).
Configuring Firebase
You first need to create an account with Firebase, a cloud platform for building mobile apps. You can do it by following the link.
Working in Firebase starts with creating a project - do this by clicking the Create a project button. You will need to choose a project name and, if desired, connect Google analytics tools.
After a few seconds of waiting, the project will be created, and you can proceed to further settings. You need to add the first application (Android).
Here you need to come up with an identifier for your application. It must consist of at least two parts separated by a dot. Remember it, and you will need it later. The rest of the data can be left blank.
The next step is to download the google-services.json file. Firebase instructions on what to do with it, as well as the next step Add Firebase SDK, can be ignored - AppMaster takes care of this work (the main thing is to provide the JSON file itself).
The last thing to do in Firebase is to get the Service Account file with the private key. To do this, open the settings of the created application.
Go to the Service account section, click the Generate new private key button and save it on your device.
AppMaster publishing
On this, you can return to the AppMaster mobile applications section and start publishing.
An Android application is being created, respectively, you need to select the PlayMarket marketplace and specify the Deploy plan that the application will access.
In the Application Settings, you must specify:
- Build type. APK is suitable for immediate use as an installation file, and for subsequent publication in the marketplace, it is better to choose AAB.
- App Name. A unique name for your application.
- Bundle ID - the application ID that was previously specified in Firebase (in our example, this is mycompany.aviato).
The final step is to transfer the files that were previously received in Firebase.
- Service File - google-services.json file
- Service Account File - private key file from the Service accounts section
Done! It remains only to wait for the letter with a link to download the installation files (it will take just a few minutes).
The app is ready to download and install! And the best thing is that when you further refine the application (or fix bugs) and publish new versions, you will not even need to think about releasing updates and creating new installation files. Thanks to the Server-Driven UI technology, the modified version of the application will instantly become available to all users.
