Setting up Authentication with Firebase

In this guide, we will enable authentication through Firebase.

Prerequisites

You have created a Firebase project
You have created an app on Ensemble Studio
You have Flutter (opens in a new tab) installed on your machine
You have a Simulator for testing

1. Configure Firebase project

Enable Sign in with Google

Go to the Authentication section of your Firebase project, and enable Authentication. After that, enable Google as the sign-in method.

Add iOS app

Under project settings, add iOS app to your Firebase project. As you go through the steps, you will download a file named GoogleService-Info.plist . We will use details from this file later on.

Add Android app

Under project settings, add Android app to your Firebase project. As you go through the steps, you will download a file named google-services.json . We will use details from this file later on.

2. Configure Ensemble app

Get starter app

Clone Ensemble Starter (opens in a new tab) from GitHub. Using a code or text editor, open /ensemble/ensemble-config.yaml .

Set your definition source to be Ensemble:

    definitions:
	  # where your page definitions are hosted ('local', 'remote' or 'ensemble')
	  from: ensemble
 
	  ensemble:
	  appId: <add your Ensemble app id here>

You can find you Ensemble app id by navigating to the app on Ensemble Studio, clicking the menu icon, and selecting Copy App ID option.

Add Firebase app details to Ensemble app

In the same file, ensemble-config.yaml , add Firebase account details in the following format.

    accounts:
		firebase:
			iOS:
				apiKey: # In GoogleService-Info.plist, take the value of API_KEY
				appId: # In GoogleService-Info.plist, take the value of GOOGLE_APP_ID
				messagingSenderId: # In GoogleService-Info.plist, take the value of GCM_SENDER_ID
				projectId: # In GoogleService-Info.plist, take the value of PROJECT_ID
			android:
				apiKey: # In google-services.json, take value of client.api_key.current_key
				appId: # In google-services.json, take value of client.client_info.mobilesdk_app_id
				messagingSenderId: # In google-services.json, take value of project_info.project_number
				projectId: # In google-services.json, take value of project_info.project_id

To get these details, use the GoogleService-Info.plist and google-services.json you downloaded during step 1.

Here's an example of the outcome.

Add sign-in providers to Ensemble app

In the same file, ensemble-config.yaml , under services add the following.

    services:
      signIn:
        providers:
          google:
            iOSClientId: # In GoogleService-Info.plist, take the value of CLIENT_ID
            androidClientId: # In google-services.json, take value of client.oauth_client.client_id

Here's an example of the outcome.

3. [iOS only] Update Info.plist file

Inside the directory where you cloned Ensemble Starter, open /ios/Runner/Info.plist with a code editor. Add the following to this file.

    <array>
        <!-- Google Sign in, replace with your URL scheme -->
        <dict>
            <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
            <string>Editor</string>
            <key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
            <array>
                <string> URL SCHEME GOES HERE </string>
            </array>
        </dict>
    </array>

Use the GoogleService-Info.plist that you downloaded during step 1, and copy the value of REVERESED_CLIENT_ID. Paste this value in inside this string tag: <string> URL SCHEME GOES HERE </string>.

4. Enable Auth service in Ensemble code

By default, Ensemble does not include the authentication module to avoid installing unnecessary packages. Here, we uncomment a few lines of code to get the necessary packages.

Inside the directory where you cloned Ensemble Starter, open /lib/generated/ensemble_modules.dart.

Search for this line and uncomment it:

// import 'package:ensemble_auth/auth_module.dart';

Search for this line and uncomment it:

      // AuthModuleImpl().init();

Search for this line and set it to true

  static const useAuth = false;

5. Add a Sign in screen

Now that your app is set up to use Firebase, add a new screen in the studio with following definition. Ensemble currently provides SignInWithGoogle and SignInWithApple. Set the provider property to firebase.

View:
  body:
    Column:
      styles:
        mainAxis: center
        crossAxis: center
        padding: 40
      children:
        - SignInWithGoogle:
            provider: firebase

Depending on your need, assign actions to onSignedIn and onError properties as well. For demo purpusoes here, we will just show a toast message.

        - SignInWithGoogle:
            provider: firebase
            onSignedIn:
              showToast:
                message: ${auth.user.email}
            onError:
              showToast:
                message: Something went wrong

6. Build and run the app

Review /ensemble/ensemble.properties. Update the appId as needed - this is your app's bundle ID in the format of . e.g. com.ensembleui.myfirstapp (all lowercase, no special characters).
Run flutter pub upgrade. Run this occasionally when the Ensemble framework has been updated.
Run flutter create --org com.ensembleui --project-name starter --platform=ios,android . (note the period at the end). If you modified the appId, make sure the org and project name match the bundle ID.
Run the App with flutter run. If you currently have a running iOS or Android emulator, the command will prompt for a selection, otherwise the App will be opened in the web browser.

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