Blog of our latest news, updates, and stories for developers
Some Tips for Boosting your App's Quality in 2017
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Originally posted on the
Firebase blog
by
Doug Stevenson /Developer Advocate
I've got to come clean with everyone: I'm making no new year's resolutions for 2017. Nor did I make any in 2016. In fact, I don't think I've ever made one! It's not so much that I take a dim view of new year's resolutions. I simply suspect that I would likely break them by the end of the week, and feel bad about it!
One thing I've found helpful in the past is to see the new year as a pivoting point to try new things, and also improve the work I'm already doing. For me (and I hope for you too!), 2017 will be a fresh year for boosting app quality.
The phrase "app quality" can take a bunch of different meanings, based on what you value in the software you create and use. As a developer, traditionally, this means fixing bugs that cause problems for your users. It could also be a reflection of the amount of delight your users take in your app. All of this gets wrapped up into the one primary metric that we have to gauge the quality of a mobile app, which is your app's rating on the store where it's published. I'm sure every one of you who has an app on a storefront has paid much attention to the app's rating at some point!
Firebase provides some tools you can use to boost your app's quality, and if you're not already using them, maybe a fresh look at those tools would be helpful this year?
Firebase Crash Reporting
The easiest tool to get started with is Firebase Crash Reporting. It takes little to no lines of code to integrate it into your iOS and Android app, and once you do, the Firebase console will start showing crashes that are happening to your users. This gives you a "hit list" of problems to fix.
One thing I find ironic about being involved with the Crash Reporting team is how we view the influx of total crashes received as we monitor our system. Like any good developer product, we strive to grow adoption, which means we celebrate graphs that go "up and to the right". So, in a strange sense, we like to see more crashes, because that means more developers are using our stuff! But for all of you developers out there, more crashes is obviously a *bad* thing, and you want to make those numbers go down! So, please, don't be like us - make your crash report graphs go
down and to the right
in 2017!
Firebase Test Lab for Android
Even better than fixing problems for your users is fixing those problems
before
they even reach your users. For your Android apps, you can use
Firebase Test Lab
to help ensure that your apps work great for your users among a growing variety of actual devices that we manage. Traditionally, it's been kind of a pain to acquire and manage a good selection of devices for testing. However, with Test Lab, you simply upload your APK and tests, and it will install and run them to our devices. After the tests complete, we'll provide all the screenshots, videos, and logs of everything that happened for you to examine in the Firebase console.
With Firebase Test Lab for Android now available with generous daily quotas
at no charge
for projects on the free Spark tier, 2017 is a great time to get started with that. And, if you haven't set up your Android app builds in a continuous integration environment, you could set that up, then configure it to
run your tests automatically on Test Lab
.
If you're the kind of person who likes writing tests for your code (which is, admittedly, not very many of us!), it's natural to get those tests running on Test Lab. But, for those of us who aren't maintaining a test suite with our codebase, we can still use Test Lab's automated
Robo test
to get automated test coverage right away, with no additional lines of code required. That's not quite that same as having a comprehensive suite of tests, so maybe 2017 would be a good time to learn more about architecting "testable" apps, and how those practices can raise the bar of quality for your app. I'm planning on writing more about this later this year, so stay tuned to the
Firebase Blog
for more!
Firebase Remote Config
At its core,
Firebase Remote Config
is a tool that lets you configure your app using parameters that you set up in the Firebase console. It can be used to help manage the quality of your app, and there's a couple neat tricks you can do with it. Maybe this new year brings new opportunities to give them a try!
First of all, you can use Remote Config to carefully roll out a new feature to your users. It works like this:
Code your new feature and restrict its access to the user by a Remote Config boolean parameter. If the value is 'false', your users don't see the feature. Make 'false' the default value in the app.
Configure that parameter in the Firebase console to also be initially 'false' for everyone.
Publish your app to the store.
When it's time to start rolling out the new feature to a small segment of users, configure the parameter to be 'true' for, say, five percent of your user base.
Stay alert for new crashes in Firebase Crash Reporting, as well as feedback from your users.
If there is a problem with the new feature, immediately roll back the new feature by setting the parameter to 'false' in the console for everyone.
Or, if things are looking good, increase the percentage over time until you reach 100% of your users.
This is much safer than publishing your new feature to everyone with a single app update, because now you have the option to immediately disable a serious problem, and without having to build and publish a whole new version of your app. And, if you can act quickly, most of your users will never encounter the problem to begin with. This works well with the email alerts you get from Firebase Crash Reporting when a new crash is observed.
Another feature of Remote Config is the ability to experiment with some aspect of your app in order to find out what works better for the users of your app, then measure the results in Firebase Analytics. I don't know about you, but I'm typically pretty bad at guessing what people actually prefer, and sometimes I'm surprised at how people might actually *use* an app! Don't guess - instead, do an experiment and know /for certain/ what delights your users more! It stands to reason that apps finely tuned like this can get better ratings and make more money.
Firebase Realtime Database
It makes sense that if you make it easier for you user to perform tasks in your app, they will enjoy using it more, and they will come back more frequently. One thing I have always disliked is having to check for new information by refreshing, or navigating back and forward again. Apps that are always fresh and up to date, without requiring me to take action, are more pleasant to use.
You can achieve this for your app by making effective use of
Firebase Realtime Database
to deliver relevant data directly to your users at the moment it changes in the database. Realtime Database is
reactive
by nature, because the client API is designed for you set up listeners at data locations that get triggered in the event of a change. This is far more convenient than having to poll an API endpoint repeatedly to check for changes, and also much more respectful of the user's mobile data and battery life. Users associate this feeling of delight with apps of high quality.
What does 2017 have in store for your app?
I hope you'll join me this year in putting more effort into making our users even more delighted. If you're with me, feel free to tweet me at
@CodingDoug
and tell me what you're up to in 2017!
No comments :
Post a Comment
Labels
.app
#AIY
#devfest18 #devfeststories #gdg #googledevelopers #developers #community
#freeandopen
#GooglePlay #AndroidDevStory #PlayStore #DeveloperConsole #StoreListingExperiments
#growwithgoogle
#io12
#io13
#io14
#io15
#io16
#io17
#io18
#io2012
#io2013
#io2014
+1
20% project
3d
about.com
accelerator
accessibility
actions
actions on google
actionsongoogle
Administrative APIs
AdMob
adobe
Ads
adsense
advogato
AdWords
africa
agency program
agpl
AI
AIY
AIY Projects
AIYProjects
ajax
ajax apis
ajax search
ajax search books news apis
all for good
amarok
AMP
AMP Cache
analytics
and Assistant
android
android developer certification
android developers
Android Studio
Android Things
android wear
Announcement
announcements
apache
api
API.AI
apis
apis console
apis explorer
apis. charts
app
app design
app engine
app indexing
app indexing api
App Invites
apple
Application Development
apps
apps script
AR
ARCore
area 120
artifact management
Artificial Intelligence
asia
assistant
atom publishing protocol
Audio
Augmented images
australia
Auth
authentication
authsub
automatic speech recognition
awards
axsjax
barcodes
beacon
beacons
Belarus
bespin
best practices
beta
bigquery
Blockly
blogger
book search
books API
bootcamp
british english
Brotli
browser
Build Out
building ajax apps
BuildOut
Bulgaria
business
buzz
c++
Cache
caja
caldav
calendar
camino
campfire one
caption
cardboard
CardDAV
cast
Certification
certification award
channel
chinese
chrome
chrome apps
chrome dev summit
chrome devtools
chrome experiment
chrome extensions
chrome os
chrome web store
chromecast
chromium
chronoscope
cifs
classes
classroom api
client libraries
closure tools
cloud
Cloud anchor
cloud datastore
cloud functions for firebase
Cloud Next
cloud platform
cloud portability
cloud services
cloud sql
cloud storage
cms
coca cola
CocoaPods
code for educators
code jam
code review
code-in
codeedu
codelabs
coffee with a googler
collada
color
Colt McAnlis
commerce
community
community connectors
competition
Compilers
compression
compressorhead
computer vision
computing heritage
conferences
contacts api
Containers
contest
contextual gadgets
conversation design
conversations
Core ML
couchdb
countdown to I/O 2012
courses
CPU
crash course
Crash Reporting
crashlytics
creative commons
cricket
crisis response
Croatia
cryptography
css
css3
custom search
custom search api
Czechia
danish linux forum
dart
Data Compression
Data Visualization
database
Dataset
Datasets
datastore
dataviz
Daydream
design
devart
develop
developer
Developer Communities
developer expert
developer features
Developer Keynote
developers
developers. meetup
devfest
devfest developer chrome maps social wave apps
DevFest18
DevFestStories
DFP
dialogflow
discovery service
diversity
django
dns
do-it-yourself
Docker
docs
documentation
documents list api
dojo
doodles
dot net
doubleclick
dreamweaver
Drive
drupal
dynamic links
earn
earth
eclipse
eclipsecon
eddystone
Edge TPU
Edge TPU Accelerator
Edge TPU Dev Board
educatio
education
email
EMEA
endpoints
enterprise
entrepreneurs
Estimator
Estimators
estonia
Europe
event
events
evolution
execution api
extensions
Fabric
fairness in machine learning
faster web
FCM
featured
feeds
finance
Firebase
Firebase Analytics
Firebase Cloud Messaging
Firebase Dynamic Links
firebug
firefox
firestore
firevox
firstbeta
fitness
flutter
flutter release preview 1
flutter release preview 2
font api
Fonts
fosdem
freebsd
freenet
Fridaygram
fusion tables
G Suite
gadgets
Game Developers Conference
games
gaming
gcc
gci
GCP
GDA
gdata
GDC17
GDD
gdd07
gdd08
gdd09
GDD11
GDE
gdg
gdl
gdl weekly
gears
geo
geolocation
geoserver
getpaid
ghop
git
github
GKE
gmail
Gmail APIs
GMTC
gnome
gnome women's summer outreach program
Go
goo.gl
Google
Google APIs
google apps
google apps api
google apps for your domain
google apps marketplace
Google AR
google assistant
google assistant sdk
Google Brain
google buzz
google cast
google chart api
google checkout
google chrome
Google Cloud
Google Cloud Messaging
Google Cloud Platform
google cloud storage
google code
google code project hosting
google code search
google code university
google compute engine
google data apis
google data protocol
Google Data Studio
google developer day
google developer days
Google Developer Scholarship
google developers
Google Developers Academy
google developers certification
google developers community groups
Google Developers Groups
Google Developers Live
Google Developers site
Google Developers University Consortium
google docs
Google Docs API
google doctype
google domains
Google Drive
Google Drive SDK
google earth
google fit
Google Fonts
google friend connect
google gadgets
google gears
google grants
google health
Google I/O
Google Identity Platform
google io
Google Maps
Google Maps Platform
google mashup editor
Google Noto fonts
google photos
google platform
Google Play
Google Play Developer API
google play services
Google Registry
google scholarships
Google Science Fair
Google sheets
Google Sheets API
Google Slides
Google Slides API
Google Spreadsheets API
google storage
google summer of code
Google tech talk
Google technology
google technoloy user groups
google tv
google visualization api
google wallet
Google Wave
google web elements
google web toolkit
google.org
google+
GoogleAssistant
googlecast
googledevelopers
googleio
googlenew
GooglePlay
googlewebelements googleio
GPE
GPGS C++ Games
GPT
green linux
grow
grow with google
gsoc
GSuite
gtags
gtug
guest post
guice
gulp
GWSOP
gwt
gzip
hackathon
hacking
hackthon
hamilton
hangouts
Hangouts Chat
Hangouts Chat API
haproxy
hg
hibernate
howto
hpux
html
html5
http
I/O
I/O 17
I/O 2017
I/O Extended
I/O Live
ical
identity
ietf
ignite
igoogle
iguanas
iiw
Image Compression
image search
Imara
In-app billing
in-app payments
in-app purchase
incubator
India
indie
Indie Games Accelerator
information visualization
intelligentwire
interactive music
internationalization
internet explorer
internet of things
interviews
IO17
io18
IO2017
ios
iOS SDK
IoT
ipad
iphone
israel
Issue Tracker
jaiku
japanese
java
javascript
jetpack
joomla
joomladayus2007
joomladayusa
json
karaoke
KDE
KDE 4.0
Keras
kernel
kernel summit
keynote
khronos
kids
kids coding team
kml
korean
Krakow
Kubernetes
labs
lanchpad
languages
latitude
latvia
launch
launchpad
launchpad accelerator
launchpad studio
lca
Leadership
Learning
lens
lessons
licenses
linux
linux foundation
linux summit
linux virtual server
linuxconf eu
lithuania
localization
LoCo
london
mac
MacFuse
Machine
machine intelligence
machine learning
machine learning accelerator
maker
Makers
malware
maps
maps apis
Marketplace
material
material components
material design
MDL
meetup
mercurial
MIT CSAIL
ml
ML Kit
MLCC
mobile
mobile design
mobile performance
mobile sites
mobile speed
mobile UX
Mobile web
mod_pagespeed
Moderator
monetize
MOOC
mozilla
mylar
myspace
MySQL
mythtv
named
narratives
native ads
native client
nearby
netbsd
non-profit
nonsense
nosql
notifications
Noto Serif CJK
nss
nvidia
O3D
oauth
OAuth playground
OAuth2
objective-c
OCaml
ocr
ODF
office hours
oha
OOXML
open data
open source
open source blog
open source releases
open web
openajax alliance
opengl
openid
opensocial
openssh
openssl
Optimization
oreilly
orkut
oscon
oscon2007
osi
oss devs
ossjam
osx
pactester
page speed
PageSpeed
palette
payments
Peer bonus program
performance
phone
photos
picasa
picasa web
places API
play services
playground
plone
plone sprint
podcast
poland
Poly
polymer
Polymer Summit
portugal
posix
PowerMeter API
prediction api
preview
prizes
programming
Progressive Web App
project hosting
Project Loon
Project Tango
prototype
proximity
pubsubhubbub
PWA
py3k
python
python sprint
rails
random hacks of kindness
Rasberry Pi
reader
releases
Remote Config
research
reserve seats
result snippets
Reto Meier
Rewarded Ads
Rewarded Video Ads
rhino
Saatchi
safety and security
salesforce
samba
Sample dialogs
sandbox
Santa Tracker
scalability
scale-ups
Sceneform
schedule
scholarship
scholarships
Scratch
screencast
sdk
sdks
search
security
Serbia
serif
service worker
sessions
seurat
Sheets API
shindig
shopping
Shoreline Amphitheatre
showcase
sidewiki
sign-in
silverstripe
SIMD
sitemaps
sites api
sixapart
sketchup
Slides API
small business
Smart Lock for Passwords
soap search api
soc
social
social graph
solaris
souders
spa2007
spdy
speakers
speech
speed
speed tracer
standards
startup
startups
STEM
storage
Street View
student programs
students
stuff
style
subscribed links
subscription
subversion
summer of code
Sundar Pichai
SVG
sxsw
syndication
tasks API
Team Drives (new)
techmakers
templates
TensorFlow
tensorflow dev summit
TensorFlow Lite
TensorFlow Research Cloud
tensorRT
Test Lab
testing
text embedding models
tfdevsummit
TFLite
themes
thought leadership
tool
tools
topp
TPU
training
tranparency
transit
translate
translation
tutorials
tv
ubiquitous computing
ubiquity
ubucon
ubuntu
Udacity
UI
Ukraine
unicode
unit test
Unity
universal
Universal App Campaigns
University
unix
url
url shortener
URLs
video
videos
Vim
virtual keyboard
virtual reality
visualization
voice
voice kit
voice user interface
VR
VUI
wattpad
Wearables
Weave
web
web animations api
web apps
web components
web design
web designer
web development
web exponents
web fonts
web performance
web platform docs
web registry
webfonts
webgl
webmaster
WebP
website optimizer
webVR
weekly roundup
WhiteHouse.gov
Who's at Google I/O
win
windows
windows programming
Winter of Code
Women Tech Makers
women techmakers
writing
wtm
xauth
yahoo
Young Makers
youtube
zlib
zurich
ZXing
Archive
2018
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2017
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2016
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2009
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2008
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2007
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2006
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2005
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Subscribe
Google
on
Follow @googledevs
Visit
Google Developers
for docs, event info, and more.
No comments :
Post a Comment