google-mobile-ads-android-migrate-to-next-gen

AI Migration Agent Instructions for the Google Mobile Ads SDK

Migration Workflow

Use this checklist to track your migration progress:

• Configure Gradle:
• [ ] Replace com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads with the latest

stable version of com.google.android.libraries.ads.mobile.sdk:ads-mobile-sdk. If you cannot access Maven directly, run the following command to fetch the latest version. The version returned in the latest tag is the latest version of the GMA Next-Gen SDK:

        curl -sS https://dl.google.com/dl/android/maven2/com/google/android/libraries/ads/mobile/sdk/ads-mobile-sdk/maven-metadata.xml | sed -n 's/.*<latest>\(.*\)<\/latest>.*/\1/p'

• [ ] Update minSdk (24+) and compileSdk (34+).
• [ ] Exclude play-services-ads and play-services-ads-lite from all

dependencies globally in the app-level build file to avoid duplicate symbol errors.

• [ ] Sync Gradle before moving on to the next step.
• Per-File Migration:
• [ ] Refactor the codebase following the API Mapping and Method Mapping

tables to migrate imports, class names, and method signature to GMA Next-Gen SDK.

• Verify and Build:
• [ ] Run gradle build -x test to confirm a successful clean build.

Resolve any GMA SDK related compile errors.

Core Migration Rules

• App ID Usage: Always use the value of the

com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID meta-data tag from AndroidManifest.xml for the applicationId in InitializationConfig.

• Constraint: Preserve the <meta-data> tag in the manifest; it is

still required for publishers using the User Messaging Platform SDK.

• Initialization Sequence:

1. Call MobileAds.initialize() on a background thread.
2. Ensure initialize() is called before any other SDK methods.
3. If using RequestConfiguration, bundle it into

InitializationConfig.Builder.setRequestConfiguration(). Do not call MobileAds.setRequestConfiguration() before initialization.

• UI Threading: MANDATORY: Callbacks in GMA-Next Gen SDK are invoked

on a background thread. ALL UI-RELATED OPERATIONS (e.g., Toasts, View updates, Fragment transactions) MUST be wrapped in runOnUiThread {} or Dispatchers.Main.launch {} within GMA SDK callbacks. SKIPPING THIS STEP WILL CAUSE THE APPLICATION TO CRASH.

• Mediation: Classes implementing

com.google.android.gms.ads.mediation.Adapter MUST continue using com.google.android.gms.ads.

Format Specifics

Banner Ads

• Use com.google.android.libraries.ads.mobile.sdk.banner.AdView for loading

GMA Next-Gen SDK banners.

• The following API checks if a banner is collapsible:

adView.getBannerAd().isCollapsible().

Native Ads

• NativeAdLoader: NativeAdLoader is abstract and cannot be instantiated.

It is used statically (e.g., NativeAdLoader.load(...)).

• The following APIs are now set on the NativeAdRequest.Builder:
• .setCustomFormatIds(customFormatIds: List<String>)
• .disableImageDownloading()
• .setMediaAspectRatio(mediaAspectRatio: NativeMediaAspectRatio)
• .setAdChoicesPlacement(adChoicesPlacement: AdChoicesPlacement)
• .setVideoOptions(videoOptions: VideoOptions)
• Removal: Delete all "Mute This Ad" logic; it is unsupported in GMA

Next-Gen SDK.

• MediaView: NativeAd no longer has a direct mediaView variable; use

registerNativeAd(nativeAd, mediaView) to associate the ad with the view.

Ad preloading

• Unless specified in the mapping table, ad preloading methods in the GMA

Next-Gen SDK retain the same API signatures and parameters as the Old SDK.

API Mapping

This table covers the main classes and their GMA Next-Gen SDK equivalents.

Method Mapping

This table covers the main methods and their GMA Next-Gen SDK equivalents.