Play Core Native SDK

By downloading and using the Google Play Core Native SDK, you agree to the Play Core Software Development Kit Terms of Service.

The Play Core Native SDK provides a C/C++ API interface for selected Google Play libraries, including Play Asset Delivery. The SDK is designed for building ARM and x86 native libraries with CMake and for using Gradle to generate Android App Bundles and APKs.

Set up your development environment

1. Do either of the following:

   • Install the latest version of Android Studio. Use the SDK Manager UI to install Android SDK Platform version 10.0 (API level 29).
   • Install the Android SDK command-line tools and use sdkmanager to install Android SDK Platform version 10.0 (API level 29).

2. Prepare Android Studio for native development by using the SDK Manager to install the latest CMake and Android Native Development Kit (NDK). For more information on creating or importing native projects, see Getting Started with the NDK.

3. Download the zip file and extract it alongside your project.

   Download Link	Size	SHA-256 Checksum
   play-core-native-sdk-1.11.1.zip	52.4 MB	35b25bd1d410a0e251983d8d186afb48bba62aa71c44b4c8698677f5622393e7

4. Update your app’s build.gradle file as shown below:

   Groovy

       // App build.gradle
   
       plugins {
         id 'com.android.application'
       }
   
       // Define a path to the extracted Play Core SDK files.
       // If using a relative path, wrap it with file() since CMake requires absolute paths.
       def playcoreDir = file('../path/to/playcore-native-sdk')
   
       android {
           defaultConfig {
               ...
               externalNativeBuild {
                   cmake {
                       // Define the PLAYCORE_LOCATION directive.
                       arguments "-DANDROID_STL=c++_static",
                                 "-DPLAYCORE_LOCATION=$playcoreDir"
                   }
               }
               ndk {
                   // Skip deprecated ABIs. Only required when using NDK 16 or earlier.
                   abiFilters 'armeabi-v7a', 'arm64-v8a', 'x86', 'x86_64'
               }
           }
           buildTypes {
               release {
                   // Include Play Core Library proguard config files to strip unused code while retaining the Java symbols needed for JNI.
                   proguardFile '$playcoreDir/proguard/common.pgcfg'
                   proguardFile '$playcoreDir/proguard/gms_task.pgcfg'
                   proguardFile '$playcoreDir/proguard/per-feature-proguard-files'
                   ...
               }
               debug {
                   ...
               }
           }
           externalNativeBuild {
               cmake {
                   path 'src/main/CMakeLists.txt'
               }
           }
       }
   
       dependencies {
           // Import these feature-specific AARs for each Google Play Core library.
           implementation 'com.google.android.play:app-update:2.0.0'
           implementation 'com.google.android.play:asset-delivery:2.0.0'
           implementation 'com.google.android.play:integrity:1.0.1'
           implementation 'com.google.android.play:review:2.0.0'
   
           // Import these common dependencies.
           implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-tasks:18.0.2'
           implementation files("$playcoreDir/playcore-native-metadata.jar")
           ...
       }
       

   Kotlin

   // App build.gradle.kts
   
   plugins {
       id("com.android.application")
   }
   
   // Define a path to the extracted Play Core SDK files.
   // If using a relative path, wrap it with file() since CMake requires absolute paths.
   val playcoreDir = file("../path/to/playcore-native-sdk")
   
   android {
       defaultConfig {
           ...
           externalNativeBuild {
               cmake {
                   // Define the PLAYCORE_LOCATION directive.
                   arguments += listOf("-DANDROID_STL=c++_static", "-DPLAYCORE_LOCATION=$playcoreDir")
               }
           }
           ndk {
               // Skip deprecated ABIs. Only required when using NDK 16 or earlier.
               abiFilters.clear()
               abiFilters += listOf("armeabi-v7a", "arm64-v8a", "x86", "x86_64")
           }
       }
       buildTypes {
           release {
               // Include Play Core Library proguard config files to strip unused code while retaining the Java symbols needed for JNI.
               proguardFile("$playcoreDir/proguard/common.pgcfg")
               proguardFile("$playcoreDir/proguard/gms_task.pgcfg")
               proguardFile("$playcoreDir/proguard/per-feature-proguard-files")
               ...
           }
           debug {
               ...
           }
       }
       externalNativeBuild {
           cmake {
               path = "src/main/CMakeLists.txt"
           }
       }
   }
   
   dependencies {
       // Import these feature-specific AARs for each Google Play Core library.
       implementation("com.google.android.play:app-update:2.0.0")
       implementation("com.google.android.play:asset-delivery:2.0.0")
       implementation("com.google.android.play:integrity:1.0.1")
       implementation("com.google.android.play:review:2.0.0")
   
       // Import these common dependencies.
       implementation("com.google.android.gms:play-services-tasks:18.0.2")
       implementation(files("$playcoreDir/playcore-native-metadata.jar"))
       ...
   }
   

5. Update your app’s CMakeLists.txt files as shown below:

   cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.6)
   
   ...
   
   # Add a static library called “playcore” built with the c++_static STL.
   include(${PLAYCORE_LOCATION}/playcore.cmake)
   add_playcore_static_library()
   
   // In this example “main” is your native code library, i.e. libmain.so.
   add_library(main SHARED
           ...)
   
   target_include_directories(main PRIVATE
           ${PLAYCORE_LOCATION}/include
           ...)
   
   target_link_libraries(main
           android
           playcore
           ...)
   

Play Core Software Development Kit Terms of Service

Last modified: September 24, 2020

1. By using the Play Core Software Development Kit, you agree to these terms in addition to the Google APIs Terms of Service ("API ToS"). If these terms are ever in conflict, these terms will take precedence over the API ToS. Please read these terms and the API ToS carefully.
2. For purposes of these terms, "APIs" means Google's APIs, other developer services, and associated software, including any Redistributable Code.
3. “Redistributable Code” means Google-provided object code or header files that call the APIs.
4. Subject to these terms and the terms of the API ToS, you may copy and distribute Redistributable Code solely for inclusion as part of your API Client. Google and its licensors own all right, title and interest, including any and all intellectual property and other proprietary rights, in and to Redistributable Code. You will not modify, translate, or create derivative works of Redistributable Code.
5. Google may make changes to these terms at any time with notice and the opportunity to decline further use of the Play Core Software Development Kit. Google will post notice of modifications to the terms at https://developer.android.com/guide/playcore/license. Changes will not be retroactive.

Data Collection

The Play Core Native SDK may collect version related data to allow Google to improve the product, including:

• App’s package name
• App’s package version
• Play Core Native SDK's version

This data will be collected when you upload your app package to the Play Console. To opt-out of this data collection process, remove the $playcoreDir/playcore-native-metadata.jar import in the build.gradle file.

Note, this data collection related to your use of the Play Core Native SDK and Google’s use of the collected data is separate and independent of Google’s collection of library dependencies declared in Gradle when you upload your app package to the Play Console.