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

name	google-mobile-ads-android-migrate-to-next-gen
description	Migrates Android applications from the old, legacy Google Mobile Ads (GMA) SDK (com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads) to the new GMA Next-Gen SDK (com.google.android.libraries.ads.mobile.sdk:ads-mobile-sdk). Provides comprehensive mapping tables for imports, classes, and method signatures to help determine migration steps. Use when migrating an existing Android codebase from the old, legacy GMA SDK to GMA Next-Gen SDK.
metadata	{"version":"1.1.0","category":"GoogleAds"}

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.

Feature	Old SDK Import (com.google.android.gms.ads...)	GMA Next-Gen SDK Import (com.google.android.libraries.ads.mobile.sdk... )
Core
Initialization	MobileAds	MobileAds, initialization.InitializationConfig
Initialization Listener	initialization.OnInitializationCompleteListener	initialization.OnAdapterInitializationCompleteListener
Ad Request	AdRequest	Format specific (e.g. common.AdRequest, banner.BannerAdRequest, nativead.NativeAdRequest) (Ad Unit ID is declared in Builder. Load() no longer takes an activity)
Load Error	LoadAdError	common.LoadAdError (LoadAdError no longer has a domain variable. REMOVE the domain variable if found.)
Full Screen Show Error	AdError (within FullScreenContentCallback)	common.FullScreenContentError (within format-specific AdEventCallback)
Request Configuration	RequestConfiguration	common.RequestConfiguration (Nested Enums/Constants for RequestConfiguration are now under common.RequestConfiguration.)
Event Callbacks	FullScreenContentCallback (for full screen formats), AdListener (Banner, Native)	Format Specific (e.g., interstitial.InterstitialAdEventCallback, banner.BannerAdEventCallback, ). Variable on the ad format is .

Method Mapping

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

Feature	Old SDK Method Signature	GMA Next-Gen SDK Method Signature
Core
MobileAds Initialization	MobileAds.initialize(Context context, OnInitializationCompleteListener listener)	MobileAds.initialize(Context context, InitializationConfig config, OnInitializationCompleteListener listener)
InitializationConfig Builder	N/A	InitializationConfig.Builder(String applicationId)
Ad Request Builder	AdRequest.Builder().build()	AdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId).build() (for App Open, Interstitial, Rewarded, Rewarded Interstitial) Banner: BannerAdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId, AdSize adSize).build() Native: NativeAdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId, nativeAdTypes: List<NativeAdType>).build()
Add Network Extras (AdMobAdapter)	AdRequest.Builder().addNetworkExtrasBundle(Class<MediationExtrasReceiver>, Bundle networkExtras)	AdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId).setGoogleExtrasBundle(Bundle extraBundle)
Add Network Extras (Ad Source Adapter)	AdRequest.Builder().addNetworkExtrasBundle(Class<MediationExtrasReceiver>, Bundle networkExtras)	AdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId).putAdSourceExtrasBundle(Class<MediationExtrasReceiver> adapterClass, Bundle adSourceExtras)
Custom Targeting	AdRequest.Builder().setCustomTargeting(String key, String value)	AdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId).putCustomTargeting(String key, String value)
Formats
App Open	AppOpenAd.load(Context context, String adUnitId, AdRequest request, AppOpenAdLoadCallback loadCallback)