Guides

Integrate Android SDK 7

Initializing the Android SDK

It's recommended to initialize the SDK in the global Application class/subclass. This ensures the SDK can start in any scenario, including deep linking.

Step 1: Import AppsFlyerLib
In your global Application class, import AppsFlyerLib:

import com.appsflyer.AppsFlyerLib;
import com.appsflyer.AppsFlyerLib

Step 2: Initialize the SDK
In the global Application onCreate, call init with the following arguments:

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this);
AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this)
  1. The first argument is your AppsFlyer dev key.
  2. The second argument is a nullable AppsFlyerConversionListener. If you don't need conversion data, pass null. For more information, see Conversion data.
  3. The third argument is the Application Context.

Configuring the SDK with af_init_config.json

Optional

SDK V7 introduces a file-based initialization helper. If you place a file named af_init_config.json in your src/main/assets/ folder, the SDK reads it during init() and applies the supported keys as if the corresponding setters had been called. This is the recommended approach for any configuration value that is constant and known at build time.

JSON keyTypeEquivalent setterExample value
debug_modebooleanDebug loggingtrue
disable_advertising_identifiersbooleansetDisableAdvertisingIdentifierstrue
currency_codestringsetCurrencyCode"USD"
hostobjectsetHost{ "prefix": "", "host": "af-sdk.net" }
min_time_between_sessionsnumber (int)setMinTimeBetweenSessions1
ddlTimeoutnumber (int, ms)setDeepLinkTimeout3000

Example: src/main/assets/af_init_config.json

{
  "disable_advertising_identifiers": true,
  "debug_mode": true,
  "currency_code": "USD",
  "host": {
    "prefix": "",
    "host": "af-sdk.net"
  },
  "min_time_between_sessions": 1,
  "ddlTimeout": 3000
}
📘

Note

If the file is missing, initialization continues normally. Unknown keys are ignored. Type mismatches are caught and logged.

Starting the Android SDK

You control when the SDK sends its first session. Use registerSessionReadyListener to be notified when the SDK is ready, then call start() when your app's conditions are met.

Without pre-conditions

If your app doesn't need to wait for consent, a CUID, or any other condition before sending the first session, call start() directly inside the listener callback:

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this);

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().registerSessionReadyListener(() -> {
    AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().start();
});
AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this)

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().registerSessionReadyListener {
    AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().start()
}

With pre-conditions

If your app must satisfy conditions before sending the first session — such as collecting user consent or retrieving a CUID from your backend — use a coordinator class to synchronize the SDK's readiness with your app's own conditions. Create a coordinator that tracks both signals and calls start() only when both are met:

package com.yourapp;

import android.util.Log;
import com.appsflyer.AppsFlyerLib;
import com.appsflyer.share.attribution.AppsFlyerRequestListener;

public final class AfSdkStartupManager {
    private boolean isConsentReady;
    private boolean isSdkReadyToStart;

    public void onConsentReady() {
        isConsentReady = true;
        startAfSdkIfAllConditionsAreMet();
    }

    public void onAfSdkReadyToStart() {
        isSdkReadyToStart = true;
        startAfSdkIfAllConditionsAreMet();
    }

    private void startAfSdkIfAllConditionsAreMet() {
        if (isConsentReady && isSdkReadyToStart) {
            AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().start(new AppsFlyerRequestListener() {
                @Override
                public void onSuccess() {
                    Log.d("AppsFlyer", "AppsFlyerRequestListener: onSuccess");
                }

                @Override
                public void onError(int code, String error) {
                    Log.d("AppsFlyer", "AppsFlyerRequestListener: onError. Code: " + code + ", error: " + error);
                }
            });
            isSdkReadyToStart = false;
        }
    }

    public void reset() {
        isConsentReady = false;
        isSdkReadyToStart = false;
    }
}
package com.yourapp

import android.util.Log
import com.appsflyer.AppsFlyerLib
import com.appsflyer.share.attribution.AppsFlyerRequestListener

class AfSdkStartupManager {
    private var isConsentReady = false
    private var isSdkReadyToStart = false

    fun onConsentReady() {
        isConsentReady = true
        startAfSdkIfAllConditionsAreMet()
    }

    fun onAfSdkReadyToStart() {
        isSdkReadyToStart = true
        startAfSdkIfAllConditionsAreMet()
    }

    private fun startAfSdkIfAllConditionsAreMet() {
        if (isConsentReady && isSdkReadyToStart) {
            AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().start(object : AppsFlyerRequestListener {
                override fun onSuccess() {
                    Log.d("AppsFlyer", "AppsFlyerRequestListener: onSuccess")
                }

                override fun onError(code: Int, error: String) {
                    Log.d("AppsFlyer", "AppsFlyerRequestListener: onError. Code: $code, error: $error")
                }
            })
            isSdkReadyToStart = false
        }
    }

    fun reset() {
        isConsentReady = false
        isSdkReadyToStart = false
    }
}

Wire the coordinator from your Application class:

AfSdkStartupManager startupManager = new AfSdkStartupManager();

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this);
AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().registerSessionReadyListener(() -> {
    startupManager.onAfSdkReadyToStart();
});

// When your consent flow completes:
// startupManager.onConsentReady();
val startupManager = AfSdkStartupManager()

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this)
AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().registerSessionReadyListener {
    startupManager.onAfSdkReadyToStart()
}

// When your consent flow completes:
// startupManager.onConsentReady()
⚠️

The registerSessionReadyListener callback fires on a background thread. If your conditions also resolve on a background thread, make sure your coordinator's flags are thread-safe — mark them volatile in Java or @Volatile in Kotlin.

Full example

The following example demonstrates how to initialize and start the SDK from the Application class without pre-conditions.

import android.app.Application;
import com.appsflyer.AppsFlyerLib;

public class AFApplication extends Application {
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this);
        AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().registerSessionReadyListener(() -> {
            AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().start();
        });
    }
}
import android.app.Application
import com.appsflyer.AppsFlyerLib

class AFApplication : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().init(<YOUR_DEV_KEY>, null, this)
        AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().registerSessionReadyListener {
            AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().start()
        }
    }
}

See Setting the Customer User ID to associate a CUID with this integration.

Providing the Launcher Activity

The SDK needs to get the launcher activity to determine what entity launched the app. To enable it, call collectDataFromLauncherActivity(this) in your launcher activity's onCreate method, before start() runs for that cold start.

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().collectDataFromLauncherActivity(this);
}
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().collectDataFromLauncherActivity(this)
}
⚠️

Referrer data is only available on the activity that received the original launch intent, which is typically your main or splash activity. Call this method once, from your launcher activity, before any other activity starts.

Enabling debug mode

Optional

You can enable debug logs by calling setDebugLog:

AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().setDebugLog(true);
AppsFlyerLib.getInstance().setDebugLog(true)
📘

Note

To see full debug logs, make sure to call setDebugLog before invoking other SDK methods.

🚧

Warning

To avoid leaking sensitive information, make sure debug logs are disabled before distributing the app.

📘

Note

Alternatively, you can enable debug mode at build time by setting "debug_mode": true in your af_init_config.json file. See Configuring the SDK with af_init_config.json above.

Test the integration

Easily test with our SDK wizard

Note

If you prefer not to use our recommended wizard, you can find detailed manual testing instructions here.

For a full troubleshooting checklist, see Troubleshooting.

Creating an Android debug app

Optional

You can utilize Android Studio's build variants to configure an easy-to-use debug app for testing purposes.

All tests can be performed for both production and debug apps.

Step 1: Configure Gradle's debug build type
In your app-level build.gradle file, configure the debug build type and set applicationIdSuffix to the test app's name (in this case, .debug).

android {
    // ...
    buildTypes {
        // Prevents a signing error when building the production app
        release {
            signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
        } 
        debug {
            applicationIdSuffix ".debug"
        }
    }
}

Step 2: Add a new app to AppsFlyer
Use the resulting package name as the app ID when adding the app to the AppsFlyer dashboard, or ask a team member with dashboard access to add it.

For example, if you have an app with the package name com.your.app and you use the Gradle configuration above, the test app's name will be com.your.app.debug. Pass this name as the app ID when adding the app to AppsFlyer.

Updated 1 day ago

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