Crashlytics Android: Get started with Firebase

Setting up Firebase Crashlytics in your Android app is crucial for comprehensive crash reporting. This guide walks you through the process, from adding the Crashlytics SDK to your app to forcing a test crash. Ensure smooth app performance with detailed insights from Crashlytics.

Setting Up Firebase Crashlytics Android in Your App

Firebase Crashlytics offers comprehensive crash reporting for your app, allowing you to receive detailed crash reports directly in the Firebase console. By integrating the Firebase Crashlytics SDK into your app, you gain insights into crashes, non-fatal errors, and “Application Not Responding” (ANR) issues.

To begin setting up Crashlytics, you’ll need to complete tasks both in the Firebase console and within your Integrated Development Environment (IDE). These tasks include adding a Firebase configuration file and integrating the Crashlytics SDK into your project.

Once you’ve completed the setup steps, it’s crucial to test Crashlytics by forcing a crash within your app. This action will trigger the sending of your first crash report to Firebase, ensuring that everything is correctly configured and operational.

Before You Start

Before proceeding, ensure that you have added Firebase to your Android project. If you haven’t done so yet, you can either integrate Firebase into your existing Android app or download a sample app for testing purposes.

It’s highly recommended to enable Google Analytics in your Firebase project to automatically capture breadcrumb logs, providing valuable insights into user actions leading up to a crash, non-fatal error, or ANR event.

If your current Firebase project doesn’t have Google Analytics enabled, you can easily enable it from the “Integrations” tab within your project settings in the Firebase console.

For those creating a new Firebase project, you’ll have the option to enable Google Analytics during the project creation process, ensuring that it’s seamlessly integrated from the start.

Steps	Description
Setting Up Firebase Crashlytics Android in Your App	Firebase Crashlytics provides detailed crash reporting for your app, giving you insights into crashes, non-fatal errors, and ANRs.
Before You Start	Ensure Firebase is added to your Android project. Enable Google Analytics for breadcrumb logs.
Step 1: Add the Crashlytics Android SDK to your app	Add dependencies for Crashlytics and Analytics libraries to your module Gradle file. Optionally, use Firebase Android BoM for version control.
Step 2: Add the Crashlytics Android Gradle plugin to your app	Add the Crashlytics Gradle plugin to the project-level Gradle file and the module-level Gradle file.
Step 3: Force a test crash to finish setup	Implement code to force a test crash in your app’s MainActivity. Build and run your app to trigger the crash report in the Firebase console.

Description:

1. Setting Up Firebase Crashlytics Android in Your App: Begin integrating Crashlytics for comprehensive crash reporting.
2. Before You Start: Ensure Firebase is integrated into your Android project and consider enabling Google Analytics for enhanced logging.
3. Step 1: Add the Crashlytics Android SDK to your app: Incorporate the Crashlytics and Analytics libraries into your Gradle file, either by using Firebase Android BoM or specifying dependencies manually.
4. Step 2: Add the Crashlytics Android Gradle plugin to your app: Include the Crashlytics Gradle plugin in both the project-level and module-level Gradle files to enable Crashlytics in your project.
5. Step 3: Force a test crash to finish setup: Implement code in your MainActivity to cause a test crash, allowing Crashlytics to send the initial crash report to Firebase for verification and setup completion.

Step 1: Add the Crashlytics Android SDK to your app

Does your app use NDK? Go to the NDK crash reporting documentation to learn how to configure Crashlytics to report crashes that occur in your app’s underlying NDK libraries.

In your module (app-level) Gradle file (usually <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle.kts or <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle), add the dependency for the Crashlytics library for Android. We recommend using the Firebase Android BoM to control library versioning.

To take advantage of breadcrumb logs, also add the Firebase SDK for Google Analytics to your app. Make sure that Google Analytics is enabled in your Firebase project.dependencies {
// Import the BoM for the Firebase platform
    implementation(platform(“com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:32.8.1”))

// Add the dependencies for the Crashlytics and Analytics libraries
    // When using the BoM, you don’t specify versions in Firebase library dependencies
implementation(“com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics”)
    implementation(“com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics”)
}

By using the Firebase Android BoM, your app will always use compatible versions of Firebase Android libraries.(Alternative)  Add Firebase library dependencies without using the BoM

Looking for a Kotlin-specific library module? Starting in October 2023 (Firebase BoM 32.5.0), both Kotlin and Java developers can depend on the main library module (for details, see the FAQ about this initiative).

Step 2: Add the Crashlytics Android Gradle plugin to your app

1. In your root-level (project-level) Gradle file (<project>/build.gradle.kts or <project>/build.gradle), add the Crashlytics Gradle plugin to the plugins block:KotlinGroovyAre you still using the buildscript syntax? Learn how to add Firebase plugins using that syntax.plugins {
       id(“com.android.application”) version “7.3.0” apply false
       // …
   
       // Make sure that you have the Google services Gradle plugin dependency
       id(“com.google.gms.google-services”) version “4.4.1” apply false
   
       // Add the dependency for the Crashlytics Gradle plugin
       id(“com.google.firebase.crashlytics”) version “2.9.9” apply false
   }
2. In your module (app-level) Gradle file (usually <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle.kts or <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle), add the Crashlytics Gradle plugin:KotlinGroovyplugins {
     id(“com.android.application”)
     // …
   
     // Make sure that you have the Google services Gradle plugin
     id(“com.google.gms.google-services”)
   
     // Add the Crashlytics Gradle plugin
     id(“com.google.firebase.crashlytics”)
   }

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Step 3: Force a test crash to finish setup

To finish setting up Crashlytics and see initial data in the Crashlytics dashboard of the Firebase console, you need to force a test crash.

1. Add code to your app that you can use to force a test crash.You can use the following code in your app’s MainActivity to add a button to your app that, when pressed, causes a crash. The button is labeled “Test Crash”.Kotlin+KTXJavaval crashButton = Button(this)
   crashButton.text = “Test Crash”
   crashButton.setOnClickListener {
      throw RuntimeException(“Test Crash”) // Force a crash
   }
   
   addContentView(crashButton, ViewGroup.LayoutParams(
          ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
          ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT))
2. Build and run your app.
3. Force the test crash in order to send your app’s first crash report:
   1. Open your app from your test device or emulator.
   2. In your app, press the “Test Crash” button that you added using the code above.
   3. After your app crashes, restart it so that your app can send the crash report to Firebase.
4. Go to the Crashlytics dashboard of the Firebase console to see your test crash.If you’ve refreshed the console and you’re still not seeing the test crash after five minutes, enable debug logging to see if your app is sending crash reports.

And that’s it! Crashlytics is now monitoring your app for crashes, non-fatal errors, and ANRs. Visit the Crashlytics dashboard to view and investigate all your reports and statistics.

Next steps

• Customize your crash report setup by adding opt-in reporting, logs, keys, and tracking of non-fatal errors.
• Integrate with Google Play so that you can filter your Android app’s crash reports by Google Play track directly in the Crashlytics dashboard. This allows you to better focus your dashboard on specific builds.
• In Android Studio, view and filter Crashlytics data.
  • Use the App Quality Insights (AQI) window in Android Studio to view Crashlytics data alongside your code — no need to jump back and forth between the Crashlytics dashboard and the IDE to start debugging top issues.
  • Get access to the AQI window in Android Studio’s Electric Eel release (stable) or try out new AQI features in Flamingo (beta). Download your desired Android Studio version.
  • Learn how to use the AQI window in the Android Studio documentation.
  • We’d love to hear from you! Send us feedback about the AQI window by filing a bug report.

FAQs

1. How do I add the Crashlytics Android SDK to my app?

To add the Crashlytics Android SDK to your app, follow these steps:

• In your module (app-level) Gradle file, add the dependency for the Crashlytics library for Android. We recommend using the Firebase Android BoM for version control. Also, ensure that you include the Firebase SDK for Google Analytics to take advantage of breadcrumb logs.

2. How do I add the Crashlytics Android Gradle plugin to my app?

To add the Crashlytics Android Gradle plugin to your app, you need to:

• In your root-level (project-level) Gradle file, add the Crashlytics Gradle plugin to the plugins block. Ensure that you also include the Google services Gradle plugin dependency.
• In your module (app-level) Gradle file, add the Crashlytics Gradle plugin.

3. How do I force a test crash to finish setup?

To force a test crash and complete the Crashlytics setup:

• Add code to your app that causes a crash when triggered, such as adding a button labeled “Test Crash” that throws a RuntimeException when pressed.
• Build and run your app, then press the “Test Crash” button to force the crash.
• After the crash, restart your app to send the crash report to Firebase.

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4. How can I view and investigate crash reports in the Crashlytics dashboard?

To view and investigate crash reports in the Crashlytics dashboard:

• Visit the Crashlytics dashboard in the Firebase console.
• Here, you can see all your reports and statistics, including details on crashes, non-fatal errors, and ANRs.

5. What are the next steps after setting up Crashlytics?

After setting up Crashlytics, you can:

• Customize your crash report setup by adding opt-in reporting, logs, keys, and tracking of non-fatal errors.
• Integrate with Google Play to filter your Android app’s crash reports by Google Play track directly in the Crashlytics dashboard.
• View and filter Crashlytics data in Android Studio, using the App Quality Insights (AQI) window.

6. How can I provide feedback or report issues related to the AQI window in Android Studio?

If you have feedback or encounter issues with the AQI window in Android Studio, you can:

• File a bug report to share your feedback and report any encountered issues. We appreciate your input in improving our tools and services.