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  2. Android SDK
  3. Integrate the MoPub SDK for Android

Integrate the MoPub SDK for Android

Use these instructions to integrate the MoPub SDK with your Android app. If you are upgrading to our version 5.0.0 or higher of our SDK, refer to the SDK Initialization and GDPR sections for additional steps.

Dependencies

If you integrate the MoPub Android SDK via Bintray/JCenter, skip this section.

Add the following dependencies if you integrate the MoPub Android SDK as a standalone AAR.

  • Android 4.1 (API Version 16) and up (Updated in 4.12.0)
  • androidx.legacy:legacy-support-v4:1.0.0 (Updated in 5.9.0)
  • androidx.annotation:annotation:1.1.0 (Updated in 5.9.0)
  • androidx.recyclerview:recyclerview:1.0.0 (Updated in 5.9.0)
  • MoPub Volley Library (mopub-volley:2.1.0.aar - available on JCenter) (Updated in 5.6.0)
  • androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.1.0 (Added in 5.10.0)
  • Required Google Play Services 11.4.0+

Note: We strongly recommend compiling your app against the ads dependencies from Google Play services in order to use the Android Advertising ID instead of the device ID, as required by Google. Those dependencies are com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads-identifier and com.google.android.gms:play-services-base.

High-Level Steps to Integrate

  1. Download the MoPub Android SDK
  2. Add the MoPub SDK to your project
  3. Update your Android Manifest (skip if using v5.10.0 or newer)
  4. Optionally use Proguard
  5. Configure ad units in your app

Step 1. Download the MoPub Android SDK

We recommend that you download the MoPub SDK via jCenter AAR, but it is also available as a zipped source code file, or as a cloned GitHub Repository.

Download

The MoPub SDK is available as an AAR via jCenter. To add the mopub-sdk dependency, open your project and update the app module’s build.gradle to have the following repositories and dependencies:

repositories {
    // ... other project repositories
    jcenter() // includes the MoPub SDK and AVID library
    maven { url "https://s3.amazonaws.com/moat-sdk-builds" }
}

// ...

dependencies {
    // ... other project dependencies

    // This will get the latest available version of the MoPub SDK. 
    // Alternatively, you may specify a specific version from the changelog to download. 
    implementation('com.mopub:mopub-sdk:+@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }
}

Note: Moat does not use AndroidX libraries yet. Hence turn on Jetifier by adding android.enableJetifier=true and android.useAndroidX=true in gradle.properties of your project to avoid app crashes.

SDK Modularization

With the modular SDK, you can choose to include specific formats to decrease overall SDK footprint in your app. To do so, include the line for any combination of components that you want in your build.gradle file as follows:

repositories {
    // ... other project repositories
    jcenter() // includes the MoPub SDK and AVID library
    maven { url "https://s3.amazonaws.com/moat-sdk-builds" }
}
// ...

dependencies {
    // ... other project dependencies

    // For banners
    implementation('com.mopub:mopub-sdk-banner:+@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }

    // For interstitials
    implementation('com.mopub:mopub-sdk-interstitial:+@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }

    // For rewarded videos. This will automatically also include interstitials
    implementation('com.mopub:mopub-sdk-rewardedvideo:+@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }

    // For native static (images).
    implementation('com.mopub:mopub-sdk-native-static:+@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }

    // For native video. This will automatically also include native static
    implementation('com.mopub:mopub-sdk-native-video:+@aar') {
        transitive = true
    }
}

If you are integrating with MoPub SDK v5.6.0 and later, specify the sourceCompatibility and targetCompatibility as below to prevent compilation errors with ExoPlayer 2.9.5 and later:

android {
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
        targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
    }
}

To continue integration using the mopub-sdk AAR, skip the next few sections and continue to the Step 3. Update your Android Manifest section.

Option 2. Zipped Source

The MoPub SDK is also distributed as zipped source code that you can include in your application.

MoPub Android SDK.zip

This includes everything you need to serve MoPub ads. No third-party ad networks are included.

Option 3. Cloned GitHub Repository

Alternatively, you can obtain the MoPub SDK source by cloning the Git repository:

git clone git://github.com/mopub/mopub-android-sdk.git

Step 2. Add the MoPub SDK to Your Project

You can use the non-jCenter Gradle integration, adding the MoPub SDK as either a source or a compiled .aar file; or use the Maven integration option.

Option 1. Gradle Integration

With the Gradle integration, you can add the MoPub SDK as a source or as a compiled .aar file.

Adding the MoPub SDK as a Source

To include the MoPub SDK as source in your project, copy the SDK source into your project as a module. To do this on OS X and Linux:

  1. Run this command:

    $MY_PROJECT_DIR $ mkdir mopub-sdk
$MY_PROJECT_DIR $ cp -R $MOPUB_DIR/mopub-android-sdk/mopub-sdk mopub-sdk

  2. Next, open your project’s settings.gradle file and make sure the MoPub SDK is included as a module:

    include ':app', ':mopub-sdk'

  3. Open your project’s build.gradle file and add jcenter as a repository and the MoPub SDK as a dependency:

    repositories {
    jcenter() // includes the MoPub SDK and AVID library
    maven { url "https://s3.amazonaws.com/moat-sdk-builds" }
}

// ...

dependencies {
    implementation project(':mopub-sdk')
    // ...
}

    This is required in order to resolve the MoPub SDK’s compile time dependency on com.mopub.volley:mopub-volley:2.1.0.

SDK Modularization

Modularization is also possible from the source code directly:

  1. Open your project’s settings.gradle file and add these modules in addition to your app.

    include ':app', ':mopub-sdk', ':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-base', ':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-banner',
        ':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-interstitial', ':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-rewardedvideo',
        ':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-native-static', ':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-native-video'

  2. Open your project’s build.gradle file and add jcenter as a repository and whichever ad formats you want as a dependency:

    repositories {
    jcenter() // includes the MoPub SDK and AVID library
    maven { url "https://s3.amazonaws.com/moat-sdk-builds" }
}
// ...

dependencies {
    // ... other project dependencies

    // For banners
    implementation project(':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-banner')

    // For interstitials
    implementation project(':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-interstitial')

    // For rewarded videos. This will automatically also include interstitials
    implementation project(':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-rewardedvideo')

    // For native static (images).
    implementation project(':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-native-static')

    // For native video. This will automatically also include native static
    implementation project(':mopub-sdk:mopub-sdk-native-video')
}

Adding the MoPub SDK as a Compiled .aar

To add the MoPub SDK as an .aar in your project:

  1. Navigate to the MoPub SDK in your terminal and run the following command:

    ./gradlew mopub-sdk:build

    This will build an AAR that bundles the mopub-sdk.

  2. Copy the .aar to your library directory:

    cp mopub-sdk/build/outputs/aar/mopub-sdk.aar $MY_LIB_DIR

    where $MY_LIB_DIR is your default library directory.

    Note: If adding third party network SDKs and adapters, if you receive a dex error, you may need to enable multidexing in your build.gradle file. Please see the Android documentation here.

    defaulConfig {
 multiDexEnable true
}

  3. Open your project’s build.gradle file and add the following lines:

    repositories {
    jcenter() // includes the MoPub SDK and AVID library
    maven { url "https://s3.amazonaws.com/moat-sdk-builds" }
    flatDir {
        dirs '$MY_LIB_DIR'
    }
}

// ...

dependencies {
    implementation(name:'mopub-sdk', ext:'aar')
    implementation 'com.mopub.volley:mopub-volley:2.1.0'
}

    Note: If adding third-party network SDKs and adapters, if you receive a dex error, you may need to enable multidexing in your build.gradle file. Please see the Android documentation here.

     defaulConfig {
 multiDexEnable true
}

Option 2. Maven Integration

The MoPub Android SDK comes with a full set of POM files. For depending on these files in Maven:

  1. Run the following command in the mopub-sdk directory:

    $ mvn clean install -DskipTests=true

  2. The mopub-sdk POM includes dependencies on android-support-v4.aar and android-support-annotations.jar. It relies on the presence of the ANDROID_HOME environment variable. You should have this variable set to the root directory of your Android SDK installation.

    • On OS X & Linux this often looks like:

       export ANDROID_HOME "/Users/user/android-sdk-macosx"

      in your .bashrc file.

    • On Windows you can add:

       ANDROID_HOME, C:\<installation location>\android-sdk-windows

      to your environment variables.

  3. Once you’ve installed the MoPub SDK in your local maven repository, you can depend on the project by adding this dependency declaration:

    <dependency>
  <groupId>com.mopub.mobileads</groupId>
  <artifactId>mopub-sdk</artifactId>
  <version>1.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
  <type>aar</type>
</dependency>

  4. Remember that if you’re using Maven, you also need to have your Android platform libraries installed in your local Maven repository. The Maven Android SDK Deployer is one popular tool for using Maven to build Android projects.

Step 3. Update Your Android Manifest

Skip this step if you are integrating v5.10.0 or newer of the MoPub Android SDK. Relevant permissions and Activities are included in the SDK’s internal AndroidManifest. If you want to remove a specific embedded permission (e.g. ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION), add the following tag to your top level AndroidManifest during integration: <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" tools:node="remove" />

Upate your AndroidManifest.xml in order to complete the SDK integration. Add the following permissions and activity declarations according to the bundle you are integrating.

  1. Declare the following permissions:

    <!-- Required permissions -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />

<!-- Optional permissions. Will pass Lat/Lon values when available. Choose either Coarse or Fine -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION"/>

    Note: ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION or ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION are only needed if you want the device to automatically send the user’s location for targeting.

    Note: WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE (optional and used for MRAID 2.0 storePicture ads) has been removed as of the 5.9.0 SDK release.

  2. Declare the following activities in your <application>:

    <!-- MoPub's consent dialog -->
<activity android:name="com.mopub.common.privacy.ConsentDialogActivity" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"/>

<!-- All ad formats -->
<activity android:name="com.mopub.common.MoPubBrowser" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"/>

<!-- Interstitials -->
<activity android:name="com.mopub.mobileads.MoPubActivity" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"/>
<activity android:name="com.mopub.mobileads.MraidActivity" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"/>

<!-- Rewarded Video and Rewarded Playables -->
<activity android:name="com.mopub.mobileads.RewardedMraidActivity" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"/>
<activity android:name="com.mopub.mobileads.MraidVideoPlayerActivity" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"/>

    Note: If using the full SDK, you should declare all of the above activities. If using select ad formats in the modular SDK, you should declare only the activies that apply.

  3. Add this tag to your <application> to use Google Play Services:

    <meta-data android:name="com.google.android.gms.version"
      android:value="@integer/google_play_services_version" />

Note: Make sure the com.mopub.mobileads.MraidVideoPlayerActivity is added to your manifest. Without it, video ads will not work correctly (Skip this step if you are integrating v5.10.0 or newer of the MoPub Android SDK).

Step 4. Add a Network Security Configuration File

Android 9.0 (API 28) blocks cleartext (non-HTTPS) traffic by default, which can prevent ads from serving correctly. To mitigate that, publishers whose apps run on Android 9.0 or above should ensure to add a network security config file. Doing so whitelists cleartext traffic and allows non-HTTPS ads to serve.

  1. In your AndroidManifest.xml file, add the following:

     <manifest>
     <application
         ...
         android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config"
         ...>
     </application>
 </manifest>

  2. In your network_security_config.xml file, add a base-config that sets cleartextTrafficPermitted to true:

     <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <network-security-config>
     ...
     <base-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">
         <trust-anchors>
             <certificates src="system"/>
         </trust-anchors>
     </base-config>
     <domain-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="false">
         <domain includeSubdomains="true">example.com</domain>
         <domain includeSubdomains="true">cdn.example2.com</domain>
     </domain-config>
     ...
 </network-security-config>

Note: To secure certain domains when base-config allows HTTP traffic, adding domain-config will ensure certain domains will always use HTTPS.

Step 5. Optionally Use ProGuard

MoPub includes a proguard.cfg file in both the mopub-sdk and mopub-sample directories. The contents of these identical files should be included in your Proguard config when using the MoPub SDK in a Proguarded project.

Step 6. Configure Ad Units in Your App

Once you’ve completed the above steps, you can start displaying ads in your application by configuring the ad units as shown in the link below for your ad format:

Rate Limiting

MoPub SDK imposes minimum wait times in between subsequent requests when an ad request is not filled. To avoid this from happening please follow these steps.

MoPub SDK v4.16 and above integrates technology from our partners Integral Ad Science, Inc. (“IAS”) and Moat, Inc. (“Moat”) in order to support viewability measurement and other proprietary reporting that IAS and Moat provide to their advertiser and publisher clients. You have the option to remove or disable this technology by following the opt-out instructions.

If you do not remove or disable IAS’s and/or Moat’s technology in accordance with these instructions, you agree that IAS’s privacy policy and license and Moat’s privacy policy, terms, and license, respectively, apply to your integration of these partners’ technologies into your application.

Last updated January 10, 2020

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