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Overview of the Google Play Core Library

This page describes the Google Play Core Library and how to import it into your project.

What is Play Core?

The Play Core Library is your app’s runtime interface with the Google Play Store. Some of the things you can do with Play Core include the following:

The Play Core Library is available in Java, native, and Unity. For more information about the latest Play Core Library release, see the Release notes.

Import the Play Core Library into your project

Before you can start using the Play Core Library, you need to first import it into your app project. The steps you need to take depend on whether you're developing in Java, Kotlin, native, or are using Unity.

Java or Kotlin

If you’re developing your project using Java or Kotlin, you can import the Play Core Library into your Android project as a Gradle dependency, as shown below:

// In your app’s build.gradle file:
...
dependencies {
    // This dependency is downloaded from the Google’s Maven repository.
    // So, make sure you also include that repository in your project's build.gradle file.
    implementation 'com.google.android.play:core:1.9.0'

    // For Kotlin users also import the Kotlin extensions library for Play Core:
    implementation 'com.google.android.play:core-ktx:1.8.1'
    ...
}

The Play Core KTX library is optional and provides Kotlin coroutines versions for the asynchronous method calls in the regular Play Core Library, as well as other useful extensions that make using the APIs more idiomatic from Kotlin.

Native

The Play Core Native SDK provides a C/C++ API interface for 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:

  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
    55.4 MB b7d21a5311e24d0095e10f471786d4caff7f66af89b79dbcff9e3e41cfae0065

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

    // App build.gradle

apply plugin: '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/per-feature-proguard-files"
            ...
        }
        debug {
            ...
        }
    }
    externalNativeBuild {
        cmake {
            path 'src/main/CMakeLists.txt'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    // Use the Play Core AAR included with the SDK.
    implementation files("$playcoreDir/playcore.aar")
    ...
}

  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
        ...)

Unity

Unity plugins are available for select Play Core APIs, including Play Asset Delivery. Download the latest release from Google Play Plugins for Unity releases. This is a single package that includes Play Core plugins as well as other Play plugins, such as Play In-app Billing and Play Instant.

Download Play Core Native SDK

Before downloading, you must agree to the following terms and conditions.

Terms and Conditions

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.

Download Play Core Native SDK

Download Play Core Native SDK

play-core-native-sdk-1.8.3.zip