Firebase In-App Messaging Skill

This skill defines how to correctly implement Firebase In-App Messaging in Flutter applications, covering setup, programmatic triggers, privacy controls, testing workflows, and campaign management.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Setting up Firebase In-App Messaging in a Flutter project.
• Triggering or suppressing in-app messages programmatically.
• Implementing opt-in data collection for GDPR or user privacy compliance.
• Testing campaigns with specific devices before rollout.
• Configuring message types, targeting rules, and A/B tests.

1. Setup and Configuration

flutter pub add firebase_in_app_messaging

import 'package:firebase_in_app_messaging/firebase_in_app_messaging.dart';

• Initialize Firebase before using any In-App Messaging features.
• In-App Messaging retrieves messages from the server once per day by default to conserve power.

Setup Checklist

1. Confirm Firebase.initializeApp() completes before accessing In-App Messaging.
2. Create a test campaign in the Firebase console to verify the integration.
3. Locate the Installation ID for device-specific testing (see Testing section).

2. Message Triggering and Display

Use Google Analytics events to trigger in-app messages without additional code. For programmatic triggering:

// Trigger a message tied to a custom event
await FirebaseInAppMessaging.instance.triggerEvent("purchase_complete");

Suppress Messages During Critical Flows

class PaymentScreen extends StatefulWidget {
  @override
  State<PaymentScreen> createState() => _PaymentScreenState();
}

class _PaymentScreenState extends State<PaymentScreen> {
  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    // Suppress messages during payment
    FirebaseInAppMessaging.instance.setMessagesSuppressed(true);
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    // Re-enable messages when leaving payment flow
    FirebaseInAppMessaging.instance.setMessagesSuppressed(false);
    super.dispose();
  }
}

• Suppression is automatically turned off on app restart.
• Suppressed messages are ignored — their trigger conditions must be met again after suppression is lifted.
• Common flows to suppress: payment processing, onboarding wizards, form submission screens.

3. User Privacy and Opt-In Data Collection

By default, In-App Messaging automatically delivers messages to all targeted users.

Disable automatic collection — iOS (Info.plist):

<key>FirebaseInAppMessagingAutomaticDataCollectionEnabled</key>
<false/>

Disable automatic collection — Android (AndroidManifest.xml):

<meta-data
    android:name="firebase_inapp_messaging_auto_data_collection_enabled"
    android:value="false" />

Enable for users who opt in at runtime:

// Call after user consents to data collection
Future<void> enableMessaging() async {
  await FirebaseInAppMessaging.instance.setAutomaticDataCollectionEnabled(true);
}

// Call if user revokes consent
Future<void> disableMessaging() async {
  await FirebaseInAppMessaging.instance.setAutomaticDataCollectionEnabled(false);
}

• Manually set preferences persist through app restarts, overriding configuration file values.
• For GDPR compliance, disable automatic collection by default and enable only after explicit user consent.

4. Testing and Debugging

Find the Installation ID

• Android: Filter logcat by FIAM.Headless — look for Starting InAppMessaging runtime with Installation ID YOUR_INSTALLATION_ID.
• iOS: Add -FIRDebugEnabled as a runtime argument in Xcode scheme settings. Look for [Firebase/InAppMessaging][I-IAM180017] in the console.

Test a Campaign

1. In the Firebase console, open the campaign and select Test on your Device.
2. Enter the Installation ID from the step above.
3. The test message appears on the next app launch or foreground event.

• Always test on actual devices for proper rendering and behavior.
• Test each message type (modal, banner, card, image-only) to verify layout on different screen sizes.

5. Campaign Management

• Create campaigns in the Firebase console under Messaging > In-App Messaging.
• Message types: modal, banner, card, or image-only.

Campaign Configuration Workflow

1. Design — Select the message type and customize appearance (title, body, image, button).
2. Target — Define the audience by app version, language, user segment, or Analytics-based conditions.
3. Schedule — Set start/end dates and frequency caps (once, once per session, etc.).
4. Trigger — Choose the Analytics event that displays the message (e.g., app_open, purchase_complete).
5. Test — Use device testing before publishing.
6. Publish — Launch the campaign and monitor performance.

• Use custom metadata (key-value pairs) to pass additional info accessible when users interact with messages.
• Use A/B testing to optimize message content, timing, and conversion rates.
• Monitor campaign performance (impressions, clicks, conversions) through Firebase console analytics.

References

• Firebase In-App Messaging Flutter documentation