---
title: Setting up Firebase Realtime Database
---

# Prerequisites
1. The latest version of Android Studio
2. Your app connected to Firebase manually or via Firebase Assistant(See [Connecting to Firebase](guide/src/pages/android-development/firebase/connecting-to-firebase)). 
<br>
You must complete the above step i.e. connect to Firbase, before executing the below steps

# Setting it up with Android Studio
<br>
After adding Firebase to your project, you will need to add extra dependencies and do a few edits or add some code in order to setup 
the Realtime Database. You can follow either of the following documentations - 

1. Firebase quickstart [docs](https://www.firebase.com/docs/android/quickstart.html)
2. Google [docs](https://firebase.google.com/docs/database/android/start/)

There are some discrepancies between the two. 
Using Firebase docs is recommended. Or you could just follow thw following steps - 
That way, you will not miss any steps from either documentations.

<br>

**Add Gradle Dependencies**<sup>1</sup>
<br>
In your app-level build.gradle file, add the following
<br>
```java
dependencies {
    implementation 'com.firebase:firebase-client-android:2.5.2+'
    implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-database:15.0.0'
}
```
# Installation of Firebase Android SDK, permissions and setup code
Detailed instructions can be found [here](https://www.firebase.com/docs/android/quickstart.html).

# Resources 
To learn how to read write to the database in your Android application, refer to the two docs listed in References.
<br>
You can also find out how to use Firebase products in the Google documentation, but again it is probably a good idea to look at the Firebase docs as well, or anything that might be helpful.

# References
- FIREBASE, _Android Quickstart_, 17/04/2018, 07/05/2018, https://www.firebase.com/docs/android/quickstart.html
- GOOGLE, _Set up Firebase Realtime Database for Android_, 05/04/2018, 07/05/2018, https://firebase.google.com/docs/database/android/start/

# Footnote
The first line comes from the Firebase [docs](https://www.firebase.com/docs/android/quickstart.html) on setting up realtime db in Android Studio.
<br>
In the docs, 'compile' is used but that is deprecated and replaced by 'implementation'. 
<br>
The second line comes from the Google [docs](https://firebase.google.com/docs/database/android/start/) on setting up realtime db in Android Studio.
<br>
If it is actually redundant to add both, please correct this article.