This document describes the steps needed to start using the Places SDK for Android.

## Prerequisites

This procedure guides you through setting up a Google Cloud Account and
Google Cloud project with billing enabled.


You should also be familiar with how you are charged for using the Places SDK for Android.

1. **Review** billing and cost for usage at [Places SDK for Android Usage and Billing](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/android-sdk/usage-and-billing.md.txt).
2. **Verify** that you have a
   [Google Cloud Account](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/15277265).

   [Sign in to the Google Cloud console](https://console.cloud.google.com/google/maps-apis/overview?utm_source=Docs_SignIn&utm_content=Docs_places&ref=/maps/documentation/places-android-sdk/get-api-key)

   > [!NOTE]
   > **Note:** If you are a new user and don't have a Google Cloud Account, meaning you cannot sign in to the console, see [Getting started with Google Maps Platform](https://developers.google.com/maps/get-started.md.txt).

3. **Verify** that you have a
   [Google Cloud project](https://cloud.google.com/apis/docs/getting-started#creating_a_google_project)
   with billing enabled.

   [Go to the Billing page](https://console.cloud.google.com/projectselector/billing?utm_source=Docs_Billing&utm_content=Docs_places&ref=/maps/documentation/places-android-sdk/get-api-key)

   > [!NOTE]
   > **Note:** If you are a new user and don't have a Google Cloud project, see [Getting started with Google Maps Platform](https://developers.google.com/maps/get-started.md.txt).

   1. Select your project to open the **Billing** page.
   2. On the **Billing** page:

      - If billing is already enabled for the selected project, and you only have a single billing account, then the **Billing** page opens.
      - If you have multiple billing accounts, select **Go to linked billing account** to see the details about the billing account associated with the project.
      - If a billing account exists but is not associated with the project, you are prompted to link a billing account with the project.
      - If no billing account exists, or you want to create a new billing a account, select **Manage Billing Accounts** to create a new billing account. For more information, see [Create a new self-serve Cloud Billing account](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/create-billing-account).

## Enable the SDK

Before you can use Places SDK for Android, you must use the Google Cloud console or the
[`gcloud`](https://cloud.google.com/sdk) command to enable
it in your Google Cloud project.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:**After you enable an SDK, you might have to wait a few minutes before you can make a request to it.

Places SDK for Android depends upon Places API (New). To enable Places API (New):

### Console

1. Open the product page in the Google Cloud console:

   [Enable the Places API (New)](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/places.googleapis.com?utm_source=Docs_EnableAPIs&utm_content=Docs_places&ref=/maps/documentation/places-android-sdk/get-api-key)
2. Click the **Enable** button.

   > [!NOTE]
   > **Note:** If Places API (New) is already enabled, you see the **Manage** button instead of **Enable**.

### gcloud

```bash
gcloud services enable \
    --project "PROJECT" \
    "places.googleapis.com"
```

Read more about the [Google Cloud SDK](https://cloud.google.com/sdk), [Cloud SDK installation](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install), and the following commands:

- [`gcloud services enable`](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/services/enable)
- [`gcloud services disable`](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/services/disable)

## Configure API key

Google Maps Platform products are secured from unauthorized use by requiring API calls to include an **API key**.

## Get an API key for use with Places API (New)

An [API key](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/api-keys)
is a unique alphanumeric string that associates your Cloud Billing account and Google Cloud
project with the request your application makes to a Google Maps Platform API or SDK. To create a
new key or add an API or SDK to an existing key, follow these instructions.

### Console

1. Go to the **Google Maps Platform \> Keys \& Credentials**
   page.

   [Go to the Keys \&
   Credentials page](https://console.cloud.google.com/projectselector/google/maps-apis/credentials?utm_source=Docs_ManageAPIKey&utm_content=Docs_places&ref=/maps/documentation/places-android-sdk/get-api-key)
2. If prompted, select your project.
3. Do one of the following:

   - **Create a new key**:

     1. Click **Create credentials \> API key**.
     2. In the **Create API key** panel, open the **Select API restrictions** list.
     3. Clear any APIs that this key doesn't need, and make sure **Places API (New)** stays selected.
     4. Click **Create**. The panel displays your new API key.
   - **Use an existing key**:

     1. Click the name of the key.
     2. In the **Select API restrictions** list, select **Places API (New)**.
     3. Click **Save**.

   Selecting an API here doesn't enable it. Make sure
   Places API (New) is enabled on its
   [API Library page](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/places.googleapis.com).
4. To see the key string later, go to the **Keys \& Credentials** page and click **Show key** for the key.

If the console looks different from these steps, see
[Create an API key](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/api-keys#create) and
[Add API restrictions](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/api-keys#adding-api-restrictions) in the Google Cloud documentation.

### gcloud

Replace <var translate="no">PROJECT_ID</var> with your project ID in the following
commands.

- **Create a new key** : Run the following command, and
  replace <var translate="no">DISPLAY_NAME</var> with a name for the key.

  ```bash
  gcloud services api-keys create \
      --project="PROJECT_ID" \
      --display-name="DISPLAY_NAME" \
      --api-target=service=places.googleapis.com
  ```

  Read more about the [Google Cloud SDK](https://cloud.google.com/sdk), [Cloud SDK installation](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install), and the following commands:
  - [`gcloud services api-keys create`](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/services/api-keys/create)
- **Use an existing key** : Run the following command, and
  replace <var translate="no">KEY_ID</var> with the ID of the key.
  The `--append` flag keeps
  the APIs that the key already allows. Without it, the command replaces
  them.

  ```bash
  gcloud services api-keys update KEY_ID \
      --project="PROJECT_ID" \
      --append \
      --api-target=service=places.googleapis.com
  ```

  Read more about the [Google Cloud SDK](https://cloud.google.com/sdk), [Cloud SDK installation](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install), and the following commands:
  - [`gcloud services api-keys update`](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/services/api-keys/update)
  - [`gcloud services api-keys list`](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/services/api-keys/list)

  The key ID isn't the key string or display name. To find it, run
  `gcloud services api-keys list --project="PROJECT_ID"`.
  The ID is the last part of
  the `name` field:
  `projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/keys/KEY_ID`.

To see the key string, run
`gcloud services api-keys get-key-string KEY_ID
--project="PROJECT_ID"`.

## Apply API key restrictions

> [!CAUTION]
> **Caution:** An **unrestricted** API key can be used to make a request to **any** Google Maps Platform service, including the Places API (New). **You are financially responsible
> for charges caused by abuse of unrestricted API keys.**

Google strongly recommends that you restrict your API keys by limiting their
usage to only the APIs and apps that need them. Restricting API keys adds
security to your application by protecting it from unwarranted requests. API
keys support two types of restrictions:

- [API restrictions](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/api-keys#adding-api-restrictions) specify which SDKs and APIs can be called using the API key. The console and the gcloud CLI require at least one API restriction when you create a key.
- [Application restrictions](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/api-keys#adding-application-restrictions) specify which websites, IP addresses, or apps can use an API key.

For more information about applying restrictions, see
[Restrict your API keys](https://developers.google.com/maps/api-security-best-practices.md.txt#restricting-api-keys).

## What's next

Now that you have enabled Places SDK for Android and configured an API key, see
[Set up an Android Studio project](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/android-sdk/config.md.txt)
to learn more how to configure Xcode and how to pass the API key to your app.