
Google Mobile Ads Migration
FreeEasily migrate to the GMA Next-Gen SDK.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Google Mobile Ads Migration does
The Google Mobile Ads Migration skill facilitates the transition of Android applications from the legacy Google Mobile Ads (GMA) SDK to the new GMA Next-Gen SDK. This skill is specifically designed for developers who need to update existing applications that rely on the older SDK, ensuring a smooth migration process with minimal disruption. By providing comprehensive mapping tables for imports, classes, and method signatures, the skill helps developers understand the necessary changes required for a successful migration.
The migration workflow is structured into clear steps, beginning with the configuration of Gradle. Developers are guided to replace the old SDK dependency with the new one, update the minimum SDK and compile SDK versions, and ensure that any dependencies related to the old SDK are excluded. Following this, the skill outlines a per-file migration approach, where developers can refactor their codebase using the provided API and method mapping tables. This systematic approach reduces the risk of errors during migration and helps maintain code integrity.
Once the migration is complete, developers are instructed to verify and build their applications to confirm that the new SDK is functioning correctly. The skill emphasizes important core migration rules, such as the correct initialization sequence and mandatory UI threading practices, to prevent runtime issues. With detailed specifications for banner ads, native ads, and ad preloading, developers can confidently implement the new features of the GMA Next-Gen SDK while adhering to best practices.
This skill is ideal for Android developers working on applications that currently utilize the legacy GMA SDK and need to upgrade to the latest version. By streamlining the migration process, it minimizes the potential for errors and ensures that applications remain up-to-date with the latest advertising capabilities.
When to use it
Use this skill when you need to update an existing Android application that uses the old Google Mobile Ads SDK to the new GMA Next-Gen SDK.
When not to use it
This skill is not suitable for new applications that do not currently use the legacy GMA SDK, as it is specifically designed for migration purposes.
What you can build with it
Updating Legacy Apps
Use this skill to upgrade older Android applications that still rely on the legacy Google Mobile Ads SDK to ensure they leverage the latest features and improvements.
Streamlining Migration Process
This skill provides a structured workflow that simplifies the migration process, making it easier for developers to follow and implement necessary changes.
Ensuring Compatibility
Utilize the mapping tables and migration rules to ensure that your application remains compatible with the latest advertising standards and practices.
How to install Google Mobile Ads Migration
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add google/skills/google-mobile-ads-android-migrate-to-next-gen --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by googleAI 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-adswith the latest stable version ofcom.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 thelatesttag 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+) andcompileSdk(34+). -
Exclude
play-services-adsandplay-services-ads-litefrom 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 testto confirm a successful clean build. Resolve any GMA SDK related compile errors.
- Run
Core Migration Rules
- App ID Usage: Always use the value of the
com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_IDmeta-data tag fromAndroidManifest.xmlfor theapplicationIdinInitializationConfig.- Constraint: Preserve the
<meta-data>tag in the manifest; it is still required for publishers using the User Messaging Platform SDK.
- Constraint: Preserve the
- Initialization Sequence:
- Call
MobileAds.initialize()on a background thread. - Ensure
initialize()is called before any other SDK methods. - If using
RequestConfiguration, bundle it intoInitializationConfig.Builder.setRequestConfiguration(). Do not callMobileAds.setRequestConfiguration()before initialization.
- Call
- 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 {}orDispatchers.Main.launch {}within GMA SDK callbacks. SKIPPING THIS STEP WILL CAUSE THE APPLICATION TO CRASH. - Mediation: Classes implementing
com.google.android.gms.ads.mediation.AdapterMUST continue usingcom.google.android.gms.ads.
Format Specifics
Banner Ads
- Use
com.google.android.libraries.ads.mobile.sdk.banner.AdViewfor loading GMA Next-Gen SDK banners. - The following API checks if a banner is collapsible:
adView.getBannerAd().isCollapsible().
Native Ads
- NativeAdLoader:
NativeAdLoaderis 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:
NativeAdno longer has a directmediaViewvariable; useregisterNativeAd(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, native.NativeAdEventCallback). Variable on the ad format is adEventCallback. |
| Tools | ||
| Ad Inspector | MobileAds.openAdInspector() | MobileAds.openAdInspector() (openAdInspector no longer takes an activity) |
| Ad Inspector Listener | OnAdInspectorClosedListener | common.OnAdInspectorClosedListener |
| Formats | ||
| App Open | appopen.AppOpenAd | appopen.AppOpenAd |
| App Open Load | appopen.AppOpenAd.AppOpenAdLoadCallback | common.AdLoadCallback<appopen.AppOpenAd> |
| Banner | AdView, AdSize | banner.AdView, banner.AdSize (AdView no longer has pause(), resume(), setAdSize()). AdSize is declared in BannerAdRequest. |
| Banner Load | AdListener | common.AdLoadCallback<banner.BannerAd> |
| Banner Events | AdListener | banner.BannerAdEventCallback, banner.BannerAdRefreshCallback |
| Interstitial | interstitial.InterstitialAd | interstitial.InterstitialAd |
| Interstitial Load | interstitial.InterstitialAd.InterstitialAdLoadCallback | common.AdLoadCallback<interstitial.InterstitialAd> |
| Ad Loader | AdLoader | nativead.NativeAdLoader |
| Native | nativead.NativeAd | nativead.NativeAd (No longer has a mediaView variable) |
| Native Custom Format Ad | nativead.NativeCustomFormatAd | nativead.CustomNativeAd |
| Native Custom Click | nativead.NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomClickListener | nativead.OnCustomClickListener (set on the CustomNativeAd object (e.g., .onCustomClickListener) |
| Native Load | nativead.NativeAd.OnNativeAdLoadedListener | nativead.NativeAdLoaderCallback |
| Native Ad View | nativead.NativeAdView | nativead.NativeAdView |
| Media Content | MediaContent | nativead.MediaContent (hasVideoContent is declared as a val) |
| Media Aspect Ratio | MediaAspectRatio | nativead.MediaAspectRatio |
| Video Options | VideoOptions | common.VideoOptions |
| Video Controller | VideoController | common.VideoController (VideoLifecycleCallbacks is now an interface, so instantiate with object : VideoController.VideoLifecycleCallbacks { ... }) |
| Rewarded | rewarded.RewardedAd | rewarded.RewardedAd |
| Rewarded Load | rewarded.RewardedAd.RewardedAdLoadCallback | common.AdLoadCallback<rewarded.RewardedAd> |
| Rewarded Interstitial | rewardedinterstitial.RewardedInterstitialAd | rewardedinterstitial.RewardedInterstitialAd |
| Rewarded Interstitial Load | rewardedinterstitial.RewardedInterstitialAd.RewardedInterstitialAdLoadCallback | common.AdLoadCallback<rewardedinterstitial.RewardedInterstitialAd> |
| Paid Event Listener | OnPaidEventListener | common.AdEventCallback |
| Response Info | ResponseInfo | common.ResponseInfo |
| Adapter Response Info | AdapterResponseInfo | common.AdSourceResponseInfo |
| Rewards | ||
| Reward Listener | OnUserEarnedRewardListener | rewarded.OnUserEarnedRewardListener |
| Reward Item | rewarded.RewardItem | rewarded.RewardItem (property access on RewardedAd and RewardedInterstitialAd is now getRewardItem()) |
| Ad Value | AdValue | common.AdValue |
| Preloading | ||
| Configuration | preload.PreloadConfiguration | common.PreloadConfiguration |
| Callback | preload.PreloadCallbackV2 | common.PreloadCallback (Now an interface instead of an abstract class) |
| Interstitial Preloader | interstitial.InterstitialPreloader | interstitial.InterstitialAdPreloader |
| Ad Manager | ||
| Ad Request | admanager.AdManagerAdRequest | common.AdRequest (Now directly implemented in the AdRequest class) |
| Ad View | admanager.AdView | banner.AdView (No AdManagerAdView class) |
| App Event Listener | admanager.AppEventListener | common.OnAppEventListener |
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) | AppOpenAd.load(AdRequest request, AdLoadCallback<AppOpenAd> loadCallback) |
| Banner | AdView.loadAd(AdRequest request) | AdView.loadAd(BannerAdRequest request, AdLoadCallback<BannerAd> loadCallback) |
| Interstitial | InterstitialAd.load(Context context, String adUnitId, AdRequest request, InterstitialAdLoadCallback loadCallback) | InterstitialAd.load(AdRequest request, AdLoadCallback<InterstitialAd> loadCallback) |
| Rewarded | RewardedAd.load(Context context, String adUnitId, AdRequest request, RewardedAdLoadCallback loadCallback) | RewardedAd.load(AdRequest request, AdLoadCallback<RewardedAd> loadCallback) |
| Rewarded Interstitial | RewardedInterstitialAd.load(Context context, String adUnitId, AdRequest request, RewardedInterstitialAdLoadCallback loadCallback) | RewardedInterstitialAd.load(AdRequest request, AdLoadCallback<RewardedInterstitialAd> loadCallback) |
| Native Builder | AdLoader.Builder(Context context, String adUnitId).forNativeAd(NativeAd.OnNativeAdLoadedListener onNativeAdLoadedListener) | NativeAdRequest.Builder(String adUnitId, nativeAdTypes: List<NativeAdType>) (Include NativeAd.NativeAdType.NATIVE in nativeAdTypes) |
| Native Load | AdLoader.Builder(...).build().loadAd(AdRequest request) | NativeAdLoader.load(NativeAdRequest request, NativeAdLoaderCallback callback) |
| Native Ad Register | NativeAdView.setNativeAd(NativeAd nativeAd) | NativeAdView.registerNativeAd(NativeAd nativeAd, mediaView: MediaView?) |
| Set an App Event Listener (Banner) | AdManagerAdView.appEventListener | BannerAd.adEventCallback (onAppEvent(name: String, data: String?) is now part of the BannerAdEventCallback) |
| Set an App Event Listener (Interstitial) | AdManagerInterstitialAd.appEventListener | InterstitialAd.adEventCallback (onAppEvent(name: String, data: String?) is now part of the InterstitialAdEventCallback) |
| Callbacks | ||
| onAdOpened | AdListener.onAdOpened() | AdEventCallback.onAdShowedFullScreenContent() |
| onAdClosed | AdListener.onAdClosed() | AdEventCallback.onAdDismissedFullScreenContent() |
| onFailedToShowFullScreenContent | onAdFailedToShowFullScreenContent(adError: AdError) | onAdFailedToShowFullScreenContent(fullScreenContentError: FullScreenContentError) |
| onAdLoaded | AdLoadCallback: onAdLoaded(ad: T) (e.g., InterstitialAdLoadCallback, RewardedAdLoadCallback, RewardedInterstitialAdLoadCallback) | Parameter name is always ad Format specific: onAdLoaded(ad: InterstitialAd), onAdLoaded(ad: RewardedAd), onAdLoaded(ad: RewardedInterstitialAd) |
| onAdFailedToLoad | onAdFailedToLoad(loadAdError: LoadAdError) | onAdFailedToLoad(adError: LoadAdError) |
| onCustomFormatAdLoaded | OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener.onCustomFormatAdLoaded(NativeCustomFormatAd ad) | NativeAdLoaderCallback.onCustomNativeAdLoaded(CustomNativeAd customNativeAd) |
| onPaidEventListener | OnPaidEventListener.onPaidEvent(AdValue value) | AdEventCallback.onAdPaid(value: AdValue) (Format-specific e.g., banner.BannerAdEventCallback.onAdPaid(value: AdValue)) |
| onVideoMute | onVideoMute(muted: Boolean) | onVideoMute(isMuted: Boolean) |
| onAdPreloaded | onAdPreloaded(preloadId: String, responseInfo: ResponseInfo?) | onAdPreloaded(preloadId: String, responseInfo: ResponseInfo) |
| Preloading | ||
| Configuration | PreloadConfiguration.Builder(String adUnitId).build() | PreloadConfiguration(AdRequest request) |
| Response Info | ||
| Get Response Info | ad.responseInfo | ad.getResponseInfo() |
| Loaded Adapter Responses Info | responseInfo.getLoadedAdapterResponseInfo() | responseInfo.loadedAdSourceResponseInfo |
| Get Adapter Responses | responseInfo.getAdapterResponses() | responseInfo.adSourceResponses |
| Get Mediation Adapter Class | responseInfo.getMediationAdapterClassName() | responseInfo.adapterClassName |
| Adapter Response Info | ||
| Ad Source ID | AdapterResponseInfo.getAdSourceId() | AdSourceResponseInfo.id |
| Ad Source Name | AdapterResponseInfo.getAdSourceName() | AdSourceResponseInfo.name |
| Ad Source Instance ID | AdapterResponseInfo.getAdSourceInstanceId() | AdSourceResponseInfo.instanceId |
| Ad Source Instance Name | AdapterResponseInfo.getAdSourceInstanceName() | AdSourceResponseInfo.instanceName |
Frequently asked questions about Google Mobile Ads Migration
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