[Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8lYNW_Or2o)

Google strongly recommends that you don't check an [API key](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/android-sdk/get-api-key.md.txt) into
your version control system. Instead, store it in a local
`secrets.properties` file, which is located in the root directory of your
project but excluded from version control, and then use the
[Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android](https://github.com/google/secrets-gradle-plugin)
to read the API key.

The Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android reads secrets, including the API key, from
a properties file not checked into a version control system. The plugin then
exposes those properties as variables in the Gradle-generated `BuildConfig`
class and in the Android manifest file.

For a complete example of using the Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android to access
an API key, see [Set up an Android Studio project](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/android-sdk/config.md.txt).

## Installation and usage

To install the Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android and store your API key:

1. In Android Studio, open your top-level `build.gradle.kts` or `build.gradle` file and add the following code to the `plugins` block.

   ### Kotlin

   ```kotlin
   plugins {
       // ...
       id("com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin") version "2.0.1" apply false
   }
   ```

   ### Groovy

   ```groovy
   plugins {
       // ...
       id 'com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin' version '2.0.1' apply false
   }
   ```
2. Open your module-level `build.gradle.kts` or `build.gradle` file and add the following code to the `plugins` element.

   ### Kotlin

   ```kotlin
   plugins {
       id("com.android.application")
       // ...
       id("com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin")
   }
   ```

   ### Groovy

   ```groovy
   plugins {
       id 'com.android.application'
       // ...
       id 'com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin'
   }
   ```
3. If you use Android Studio, [sync your
   project with Gradle](https://developer.android.com/studio/build#sync-files).
4. Open the `secrets.properties` file in your top-level directory, and then add the following code. Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your API key. Make sure to add `secrets.properties` to your `.gitignore` file (or otherwise exclude it from your version control system) so that you don't check your API key into version control.

   > [!NOTE]
   > **Note:** If the `secrets.properties` file doesn't exist, create it in the same folder as the `local.properties` file.

   ```
   PLACES_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
   ```
5. Create the `local.defaults.properties` file in your top-level
   directory, the same folder as the `secrets.properties` file, and
   then add the following code.

   > [!NOTE]
   > **Note:** Enter the code as shown. Don't replace `DEFAULT_API_KEY` with your API key.

   ```
   PLACES_API_KEY=DEFAULT_API_KEY
   ```

   The purpose of this file is to provide a backup location for the API key
   if the `secrets.properties` file isn't found so that builds
   don't fail. This can happen if you clone the app from a version control
   system that omits `secrets.properties` and you haven't yet
   created a `secrets.properties` file locally to provide your API
   key.
6. In Android Studio, open your module-level `build.gradle.kts`
   or `build.gradle` file and edit the `secrets`
   property. If the `secrets` property doesn't exist, add it.

   Edit the properties of the plugin to set `propertiesFileName`
   to `"secrets.properties"`, set
   `defaultPropertiesFileName` to
   `"local.defaults.properties"`, and set any other properties.

   ### Kotlin

   ```kotlin
   secrets {
       // To add your Maps API key to this project:
       // 1. If the secrets.properties file does not exist, create it in the root directory (the same folder as the root local.properties file).
       // 2. Add this line, where YOUR_API_KEY is your API key:
       //        MAPS_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
       propertiesFileName = "secrets.properties"

       // A properties file containing default secret values. This file can be
       // checked in version control.
       defaultPropertiesFileName = "local.defaults.properties"
   }
   ```

   ### Groovy

   ```groovy
   secrets {
       // To add your Maps API key to this project:
       // 1. If the secrets.properties file does not exist, create it in the root directory (the same folder as the root local.properties file).
       // 2. Add this line, where YOUR_API_KEY is your API key:
       //        MAPS_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
       propertiesFileName = "secrets.properties"

       // A properties file containing default secret values. This file can be
       // checked in version control.
       defaultPropertiesFileName = "local.defaults.properties"
   }
   ```

## What's next

- See the [Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android](https://github.com/google/secrets-gradle-plugin) GitHub project page.
- See [Set up an Android Studio project](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/android-sdk/config.md.txt) for a complete example of using the plugin.