Firebase Messaging Handler Plugin: Streamlined Notifications, Simplified Setup

Tired of the complexities involved in handling Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) notifications? Our Firebase Messaging Handler plugin makes it a breeze!

Key Benefits

  • Unified Stream: Get all your notification click callbacks (terminated, background, and foreground) delivered in a single, easy-to-manage stream.
  • Optimized Backend Calls: Rest assured that the FCM update-to-backend callback triggers only once, preventing unnecessary API hits.
  • User-Friendly Permissions: The plugin intelligently handles notification permission requests, ensuring a smooth user experience.

Installation Steps

  1. Add the Dependency: Include the firebase_messaging_handler package in your pubspec.yaml file dependencies. This plugin takes care of everything, so you don't need separate firebase_messaging or flutter_local_notifications dependencies in your app.

  2. Android and IOS specific changes

Android

Ensure the following permissions and receivers are added within the <manifest> section of your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml file:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" /> 

<application>
    <meta-data
        android:name="com.google.firebase.messaging.default_notification_icon"
        android:resource="@drawable/ic_notification" />
    <receiver android:exported="false" android:name="com.dexterous.flutterlocalnotifications.ScheduledNotificationReceiver" />
    <receiver android:exported="false" android:name="com.dexterous.flutterlocalnotifications.ScheduledNotificationBootReceiver">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED"/>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED"/>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON" />
            <action android:name="com.htc.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON"/>
        </intent-filter>
    </receiver>
</application>

For In-App Messaging just add firebase_in_app_messaging in your yaml. And enable multidex support to your build.gradle(android/app/build.gradle):

android {
defaultConfig {
    ...
    multiDexEnabled true
    ...
}
...
dependencies {
...
implementation "androidx.multidex:multidex:2.0.1"
...
}

IOS

  1. Apple Developer Portal Configuration:

    • Register your app in Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles.
    • Add the Push Notifications capability to your app identifier.
    • Generate an APNs key or certificate and upload it to Firebase Console > Project Settings > Cloud Messaging.

  2. Firebase Initialization:

    • Ensure Firebase is properly initialized in your AppDelegate.

  3. Notification Permissions:

    • Ensure the app requests notification permissions at launch.

  4. Capabilities:

    • Enable Push Notifications capability in Xcode.
    • Add Background Modes capability and check both:
      • Background Fetch
      • Remote Notifications

3.Firebase Initialization: Complete the standard Firebase initialization process for your Flutter project.

4.Get Your Sender ID: Find your project's Sender ID within your Firebase settings.

5.Crucial Step: Immediately following Firebase initialization within your app's main function, add this line:

await Firebase.initializeApp(options: DefaultFirebaseOptions.currentPlatform); await FirebaseMessagingHandler.instance.checkInitial();

Sample Functions

Purpose: Initializes the Firebase Messaging Handler, establishes notification channels (Android-specific), and sets up a callback to handle updates to your Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token.

Example Usage: (anywhere in the application after Firebase Initialization)

import 'package:firebase_messaging_handler/firebase_messaging_handler.dart';

Future<void> _initFirebaseMessagingHandler() async {
_messagingHandler = FirebaseMessagingHandler.instance;
Stream<NotificationData?>? clickStream = await _messagingHandler.init(
  androidChannelList: [
    NotificationChannelData(
      id: 'android_notification_channel_id',
      name: 'name can be anything',
      importance: NotificationImportanceEnum.max,
      priority: NotificationPriorityEnum.high,
    ),
  ],
  androidNotificationIconPath: '@drawable/ic_notification',
  senderId: DefaultFirebaseOptions.android.messagingSenderId,
  updateTokenCallback: (final String fcmToken) async {
    log('FCM Token: $fcmToken');
    setState(() {
      _showClearButton = true;
    });
    //Use print for release mode FCM Debugging
    //print('FCM Token: $fcmToken');

    //Returning true lets the utility know that the token has been saved by the backend.
    //And so this function should not be called till the token has been cleared with the removeToken()
    //Note: Re-installing or clearing data will also recall this function.
    return Future.value(true);
  },
);

if (clickStream != null) {
  clickStream.listen((NotificationData? data) {
    if (data != null) {
      setState(() {
        _currentPayload =
            (data.payload.isNotEmpty ? data.payload : '').toString();
      });
    }
  });
}
}

Libraries

firebase_messaging_handler