Tag Archives: Developer

Meet the Android Studio Team: A Conversation with Android Developer UX Manager, Dan Dole

Posted by Ashley Tschudin – Social Media Specialist, MTP at Google

Welcome to "Meet the Android Studio Team"! In this blog series, we introduce you to the passionate people who create the Android development tools you use every day. Get to know the engineers, designers, product managers, and more who work hard to craft the best possible experience for Android developers, and explore their unique perspectives.

Dan Dole: Building Android Studio for You

Meet Dan Dole, a UX Manager for Android Developer UX, who offers a unique perspective on the Android development journey. He highlights the passion and talent within the Android Developer team, emphasizing the importance of elegant solutions and efficient experiences for developers.

Dan also delves into the exciting potential of AI and machine learning to transform Android development, foreseeing a future where AI accelerates learning, refines code, and empowers developers to focus on innovation.

Through his insights, Dan underscores the collaborative spirit and unwavering commitment to developer success that defines the Android Developer Experience.

Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a part of the Android Studio team? What sparked your interest in Android development?

My journey with Android Development and the Android Studio team started with a conversation with a former colleague and the product lead for Android Developer. She was a leader I respected as someone who was passionate about developers, and believed that UX was a critical component of product development. After meeting with her and understanding the direction of Android, I was convinced that Android could be not just an outstanding mobile platform but a platform that spanned devices, and this was an organization that was focused on enabling developers to bring their talents and creativity to billions of users. Each year, I see us advancing in that direction and feel more confident in my choice to be part of the Android Developer team.

This question can’t be answered without mentioning that the people working on Android Developer tools and APIs are some of the most passionate and talented people I have ever worked with.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your career as a developer, and how have those experiences shaped your approach to your job?

I am a UX professional in a highly technical environment. This has been the case for about two decades. One of the challenges I have faced is articulating the value of elegant solutions for developers.

This is partially because developers are very capable and resourceful. Clearly, they are tolerant and they will overcome issues that average users won’t. Prior to joining Android Developer Experience, I would have to create processes and negotiate quality bars to drive quality and build efficient experiences.

This challenge gave me skill in release management and how to understand some complexities unique to this space, but it also gave me tools to help explain that developers may be able to manage complexity better than most. Developers appreciate refinement, productivity, and quality, as much as they appreciate flexibility and capability.

How has the integration of AI and machine learning impacted Android developer capabilities, and how do you see it evolving in the future?

We are in the very early stages of AI and its ability to impact developers. As we learn how to be transparent and give developers control over how an AI can benefit them, we are seeing an immediate impact on accelerating learning and refining code.

I expect AI to remove the “chores” that developers have to do, creating more space for them to be productive. I also expect AI to evolve from generating artifacts to generating actions. Making AI features more proactive and allowing developers to more quickly adjust to users' needs.

How does the Android Studio team ensure that products or features meet the ever-changing needs of developers?

I lead our Android Developer research and design team. We spent countless hours listening to developers, evaluating feedback, and understanding technology investments. We approach these conversations and instruments by evaluating what we have already delivered, looking and listening to the challenges developers face, and designing and evaluating new approaches.

The Android Developer team (ENG, Product, UX and Test) are motivated by supporting developers, so all developer feedback is received with gratitude and influences all our investments.

What advice would you give to aspiring Android developers who are just starting their journey?

Android is a vibrant and welcoming community, so my advice would be to engage the community. It is where we learn, inspire and grow together. I have heard many Android developers talk about the pride they have working on this platform and the conviction they have in it being the best platform to work on. I feel like this is unique to Android, the platform isn’t a means to an end, it’s an identity and value system. Android is a community of amazing people, get involved.

Make Gemini in Android Studio Your Coding Companion

Embrace Dan's vision for the future of Android development and explore the latest AI advancements in Android Studio. Features like AI-powered code generation and refactoring tools empower you to develop higher-quality apps with greater efficiency.

Stay tuned!

Want to meet more of the Android Studio team? Stay tuned for future installments of this series, where we'll introduce you to new faces and share their unique insights.

Find Dan Dole on LinkedIn.

Developers can now add form field validation to Google Workspace add-ons and Google Chat app cards

What’s changing

Starting today, Workspace add-ons and Chat app developers can add client-side input validation to Chat apps and add-ons. 

Specifically, the card UI now supports required form field validation on the date-time picker, the multi select menu, the drop down menu and text input widgets via the Action API for add-ons and Chat apps. Additionally, text inputs now support input type and format validation with input length limits via the Validation API for add-ons and Chat apps. 

As a result, developers can ensure data accuracy and improve their app's user experience by catching errors before information is submitted. 

Example of the form validating if the user has populated all the required fields before submitting a form.

Example of the form validating if the user has populated all the required fields before submitting a form.

Example of the form validating the input type for text fields. The supported types are text, integers, decimals, email and emoji.

Example of the form validating the input type for text fields. The supported types are text, integers, decimals, email and emoji.
Example of the form limiting the allowed text input length to a specified length.

Example of the form limiting the allowed text input length to a specified length.


Getting started 

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers 

Resources 

Google Meet provides additional privacy for livestreaming with new eCDN On-Premises API

What’s changing

Earlier this year, we introduced Enterprise Content Delivery Network (eCDN) to enhance livestreaming in  Google Meet. When configured by admins, eCDN has the potential to reduce bandwidth consumption to a fraction of the traffic volume through peer-assisted media delivery.

However, environments that have additional security requirements would not be able to benefit from the network traffic savings enabled by eCDN. That changes today with the introduction of the eCDN On-Premises API for Google Meet, which admins can use to configure their network for eCDN while keeping classified IP addresses and network information private. Specifically, IP addresses will be replaced with self-assigned peering group names and encrypted information for session description protocol (SDP) handshakes. This ensures that no IP information is shared with Google, so customers can take advantage of eCDN while adhering to their own security guidelines.


Admin console > Apps > Google Workspace > Google Meet > Meet video settings > eCDN


Who’s impacted

Admins

Why it’s important

The eCDN On-Premises API can be used to deploy eCDN for Google Meet live streaming in a way that allows the eCDN tracker service to optimize peering topologies without access to internal network information such as IP addresses or subnets. A customer-supplied service uses the API to replace all IP address information with arbitrary text labels. The service also manages encryption of SDP offers/answers using encryption keys that are never made available to Google. Any decryption needed by client peers is performed completely inside the customer's own network. No network information is sent outside the organization's network, not even to Google. This ensures that bandwidth-optimized media delivery via eCDN can also be implemented in sensitive environments without compromising organizations’ internal security guidelines.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available for all Google Workspace customers

Resources


Create and manage rubrics using the Google Classroom API

What’s changing 

The Google Classroom API enables third-party developers to manage classes, rosters, invitations and more in Google Classroom. Since 2019, teachers have been able to create or reuse a rubric for an assignment, however this capability did not previously exist in the Classroom API. To improve upon this experience, we’re excited to announce that developers can now manage assignment rubrics via the Classroom API. 

More specifically, developers can read and write rubrics using the API, and also see student submission scores broken down by the corresponding rubric criteria, rather than just accessing the total score, enabling deeper insights into student performance. 

Create and manage rubrics using the Google Classroom API

Who’s impacted

Admins and developers 


Why it’s important 

This update enables developers to create and manage rubrics on behalf of teachers at scale, and retrieve rubric-based grades to support more holistic student performance insights. 


Getting started

  • Admins: The Classroom API provides a RESTful interface for you to manage courses and rosters in Google Classroom. Learn more about the Classroom API overview. 
  • Developers:

Rollout pace 

  • Available now. 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Education Plus 

Resources

Create birthdays in Google Calendar

What’s changing 

Currently, Google Calendar automatically pulls in birthday information from Google Contacts. However, it is not currently possible to create birthday events directly in Calendar. 

To ensure a birthday is never missed, we’re introducing the ability to create and modify birthday events in Google Calendar on Android devices. 

For developers, newly created birthday events will be available in the Calendar API with the eventType “birthday.” Both Events.list and Events.watch will support the “birthday” event type filter and return “birthday” events by default. Only a subset of the event properties will be supported for birthday events. To learn more, see our developer guide about working with the birthday event type.

Create birthdays in Google Calendar

Who’s impacted

End users and developers 


Additional details 

Birthday events do not support all event properties. If you’re using the Calendar API, we recommend reviewing your code so you don’t apply any non-supported properties. 

Creating dedicated birthday events in Google Calendar will also become available on web and iOS devices in the future. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Web: 
Mobile: 

Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. 

Resources 

Admin features for space management via the Chat API are now generally available

What’s changing

Earlier this year, we introduced a series of space management capabilities for Workspace admins in the Google Chat API via the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program. These API features are now generally available for all Google Workspace customers and developers.

Using these features, admins can easily perform a variety of space management related tasks at scale. This includes membership management, like adding and removing members, onboarding and offboarding users from spaces, cleaning up inactive spaces, and more. 

These features are also available when using the Google Apps Manager (GAM), an open source command-line tool that helps administrators to perform bulk operations associated with various aspects of their Google Workspace. The tool can be used to automate space management tasks with command-line scripts, helping to reduce admin overhead and potential errors when using APIs. See this article in our Help Center for more information on using a third-party tool for mass provisioning.

Who’s impacted

Admins and developers

Why you’d use it

In 2023, we launched the Space Management tool, which allowed admins to view all the spaces within their organization, understand the activity within those spaces, and perform essential actions like deleting a space or assigning space managers. While finding the tool helpful to perform one-off tasks, admins expressed a desire for tools to perform these tasks at scale, for example, with the help of APIs. Admins can now use the Chat API to find information and manage spaces in their organization in bulk or programmatically. Specifically they can:

  • Find and delete inactive spaces: Using spaces.search, you can find spaces that haven’t been used since a specified date and time and then delete them.
  • Onboard and offboard users: Automatically add new users to relevant spaces and remove them from spaces when they leave or change roles.
  • Audit external members: Monitor and control access to your organization's data by identifying and removing external members from sensitive conversations.
  • Lookup and update space details: Easily manage space information like names, descriptions, and guidelines.
  • Verify user membership and upgrade roles: Manage user access and roles within spaces.
  • And more — please refer to our developer guidance for even more information.

Getting started

Improving the Google Workspace Marketplace app publishing experience with Drafts

What’s changing

Developers can create apps for the Google Workspace Marketplace that automate tasks, integrate Google Workspace with third-party products, and enhance communication and collaboration. 

To improve upon the publishing experience, we’re excited to announce that developers can now make changes to their app listing, save them as a draft, and send the draft version to review. This will allow developers to preview changes and share drafts with specific users to help with validation before publishing a listing. 
Marketplace app publishing experience now includes saving as a draft

Who’s impacted 

Developers 


Why you’d use it 

This update allows developers to test and preview their Google Workspace Marketplace app listing prior to publishing, which enables feedback collection and ultimately makes updating an app listing much easier. 


Additional details 

While changes are under review in the draft state, the original app listing remains available on the Google Workspace Marketplace. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts 

Resources

Access Google Meet artifacts with a new Google Drive API scope

What’s changing 

We’re introducing a new OAuth scope for the Drive API: drive.meet.readonly. The new scope grants app access to read and download files from a user’s drive that were created or edited by Google Meet — this includes meeting transcripts, notes, recordings, and more. This granular level of authorization helps ensure Drive access is not provisioned too broadly and only the necessary files can be accessed.


Getting started

Rollout pace


Availability


Additional admin space management capabilities in Google Chat API are now available

What’s changing 

We recently announced several new features for the Google Chat API that enable admins to manage spaces at scale. These features include the ability to audit spaces, delete inactive spaces in bulk, and more. 

Today, we’re pleased to announce more space management capabilities, which include the ability to: 
  • Look up details about specific space.
  • Update space details, including the name of a space, space description, and space guidelines. 
  • Verify user’s membership status in a specific space. 
  • Upgrade a role from space member to space manager. 



These features are available now through our Developer Preview Program — see here for more information on how to enroll in the Developer Preview program. 


Getting started 

  • Admins and developers: 
    • If you are part of the Google Workspace Developer Preview, you will get these features by default. Otherwise, you must apply for access using this form. 
    • Use our Developer Documentation to learn how to authenticate and authorize using administrator privilege. 
  • End users: There is no end user impact or action required. 

Rollout pace 

Availability

  • New features for the Google Chat API scoped to admin users are available to participants of Google Workspace Developer Preview Program. 

Resources 

Grading periods API for Google Classroom is now available in Developer Preview

What’s changing

Last year, we introduced grading periods, an option that allows administrators and teachers to define and apply grading periods segmented from the entire school year to their Google Classroom assignments. 

Today, we’re excited to announce grading period endpoints and capabilities in the Classroom API, available through the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program. Specifically, developers can now: 

  • Create, modify, and delete grading periods on courses 
  • Read grading periods on courses 
  • Reference and set/read grading periods on CourseWork resources
  • Apply grading period settings to existing coursework items

Who’s impacted 

Developers 


Why you’d use it 

The new grading periods endpoints allows developers to create, modify, and read grading periods in Classroom on behalf of administrators and teachers. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: The Classroom API provides a RESTful interface for you to manage courses and rosters in Google Classroom. Learn more about the Classroom API overview. 
  • Developers: 
    • To use the grading periods API, developers can apply for access through our Google Workspace Developer Preview Program. 
    • Application developers can use the Classroom API to integrate their apps with Classroom. These apps need to use OAuth 2.0 to request permission to view classes and rosters from teachers. Admins can restrict whether teachers and students in their domain can authorize apps to access their Google Classroom data. 
    • All API and Classroom share button integrations should follow the Classroom brand guidelines. 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Education Plus 

Resources