Edit in GitHubLog an issue

Lifecycle

Sessions contain information about the app's current lifecycle, such as the device information, the application install or upgrade information, the session start and pause times, the number of application launches, and additional context data that is provided by the developer through the lifecycleStart API. Session data is persisted, so it is available across application launches.

Add Lifecycle to your app

Add the Lifecycle extension and its dependency, the Mobile Core extension to your project using the app's Gradle file.

Copied to your clipboard
implementation(platform("com.adobe.marketing.mobile:sdk-bom:3.+"))
implementation("com.adobe.marketing.mobile:core")
implementation("com.adobe.marketing.mobile:lifecycle")

Register Lifecycle with Mobile Core

Kotlin

Register the Lifecycle extension in your app's Application class:

Copied to your clipboard
import com.adobe.marketing.mobile.MobileCore
import com.adobe.marketing.mobile.Lifecycle
...
Copied to your clipboard
class MobileApp : Application() {


override fun onCreate() {
    super.onCreate()
    MobileCore.setApplication(this);
    val extensions = listOf(Lifecycle.EXTENSION, ...)
    MobileCore.registerExtensions(extensions) {
        // Any post registration processing
    }
  }
}

Add Lifecycle start and pause calls

You can start collecting Lifecycle information at any time in your app, but you should start as soon as your app enters the foreground. This allows Lifecycle metrics to be correctly attributed to all of your users' activities for their current session.

You should pause Lifecycle collection when the user stops using your app. The best time to do this is usually when your app has entered the background.

Lifecycle on iOS

Start Lifecycle data collection on launch

Start Lifecycle data collection by calling lifecycleStart(_:) from within the callback of the MobileCore.registerExtensions(_:) method in your app's application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:) delegate method.

If your iOS application supports background capabilities, your application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:) method might be called when iOS launches your app in the background. If you do not want background launches to count towards your lifecycle metrics, then lifecycleStart(_:) should only be called when the application state is not equal to UIApplicationStateBackground.

Copied to your clipboard
func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
    let appState = application.applicationState
    MobileCore.registerExtensions([Lifecycle.self, ...], {
        if appState != .background {
        // only start lifecycle if the application is not in the background
        MobileCore.lifecycleStart(additionalContextData: nil)
        }
    }
}

Start and Pause Lifecycle data collection from iOS lifecycle delegate

When your app is resuming from the background state, call lifecycleStart(_:) from the appropriate delegate object's "will enter foreground" method. When your app enters the background state, call lifecyclePause() from the appropriate delegate object's "did enter background" method.

  • For a scene-based UI, call the Lifecycle APIs from the UISceneDelegate's sceneWillEnterForeground(_:) and sceneDidEnterBackground(_:) methods.

  • For all other apps, call the Lifecycle APIs from the UIApplicationDelegate's applicationWillEnterForeground(_:) and applicationDidEnterBackground(_:) methods.

  • If your application supports both a scene delegate and an app delegate, implement the Lifecycle APIs in both delegate objects.

In iOS 13 and later, for a scene-based application, use the UISceneDelegate as follows:

Copied to your clipboard
func sceneWillEnterForeground(_ scene: UIScene) {
    MobileCore.lifecycleStart(additionalContextData: nil)
}
Copied to your clipboard
func sceneDidEnterBackground(_ scene: UIScene) {
    MobileCore.lifecyclePause()
}

In iOS 12 and earlier, use the UIApplicationDelegate as follows:

Copied to your clipboard
func applicationWillEnterForeground(_ application: UIApplication) {
    MobileCore.lifecycleStart(additionalContextData: nil)
}
Copied to your clipboard
func applicationDidEnterBackground(_ application: UIApplication) {
    MobileCore.lifecyclePause()
}

Start and Pause Lifecycle data collection in SwiftUI

If your pure SwiftUI application does not use an app delegate or scene delegate, you may still use the Lifecycle extension by listening for scenePhase changes.

  1. Register the Lifecycle extension and configure the Mobile SDK from the App class's init() function.

  2. Set the @Environment property wrapper to observe the scenePhase variable to read the application's current phase.

  3. Use the scenePhase property in conjunction with .onChange(of:) to trigger the Lifecycle APIs when the phase changes between .active and .background.

Copied to your clipboard
import SwiftUI
import AEPCore
import AEPLifecycle


@main
struct TestSwiftUIApp: App {


    @Environment(\.scenePhase) private var scenePhase


    init() {
        MobileCore.registerExtensions([Lifecycle.self]) {
            // Post registration tasks, such as configureWith(appId:)
        }
    }


    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup {
            ContentView()
        }.onChange(of: scenePhase) { phase in
            switch phase {
                case .active:
                    MobileCore.lifecycleStart(additionalContextData: nil)
                case .background:
                    MobileCore.lifecyclePause()
                case .inactive:
                    print("Inactive scene phase")
                @unknown default:
                    print("unknown scene phase has been added to scenePhase enum")
            }
        }
    }
}

For more information, read the full blog post Implement Adobe Experience Cloud Mobile Lifecycle Tracking in SwiftUI.

Include additional context data

To include additional data with lifecycle tracking calls, pass an additional parameter to lifecycleStart(additionalContextData:) that contains context data:

Copied to your clipboard
MobileCore.lifecycleStart(additionalContextData: ["myapp.category": "Game"])

Lifecycle on Android

Start and Pause Lifecycle data collection from Android Activity

To ensure accurate session and crash reporting, the Lifecycle APIs must be implemented in every Activity of the Android Application. Do not start or stop Lifecycle in a Fragment.

Kotlin

Add the following to each Android Activity class.

Copied to your clipboard
import com.adobe.marketing.mobile.MobileCore
import com.adobe.marketing.mobile.Lifecycle
...
Copied to your clipboard
    override fun onResume() {
        MobileCore.setApplication(this.application)
        MobileCore.lifecycleStart(null)
    }
Copied to your clipboard
    override fun onPause() {
        MobileCore.lifecyclePause()
    }

Implementing global lifecycle callbacks

Starting with API Level 14, Android allows global lifecycle callbacks for activities. For more information, please read the Android developer guide.

You can use these callbacks to ensure that all of your activities correctly call the Lifecycle APIs without needing to update each individual Activity class. Add code to register an instance of ActivityLifecycleCallbacks in your Application class, just before registering your extensions with MobileCore.

Copied to your clipboard
import com.adobe.marketing.mobile.MobileCore
import com.adobe.marketing.mobile.Lifecycle


class MobileApp : Application() {


override fun onCreate() {
    super.onCreate()


    registerActivityLifecycleCallbacks(object: ActivityLifecycleCallbacks {
        override fun onActivityResumed(activity: Activity) {
            MobileCore.setApplication(activity.application)
            MobileCore.lifecycleStart(null)
        }


        override fun onActivityPaused(activity: Activity) {
            MobileCore.lifecyclePause()
        }


        // the following methods aren't needed for our lifecycle purposes, but are
        // required to be implemented by the ActivityLifecycleCallbacks object
        override fun onActivityCreated(activity: Activity, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {}
        override fun onActivityStarted(activity: Activity) {}
        override fun onActivityStopped(activity: Activity) {}
        override fun onActivitySaveInstanceState(activity: Activity, outState: Bundle) {}
        override fun onActivityDestroyed(activity: Activity) {}
    })


    ...
}
 ...
}

Include additional context data

To include additional data with lifecycle tracking calls, pass an additional parameter to lifecycleStart(Map) that contains context data:

Copied to your clipboard
MobileCore.lifecycleStart(mapOf("myapp.category" to "Game"))
Kevin Lind
Last updated 2/15/2025
Was this helpful?

Community

Support

Adobe Developer

  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Do not sell or share my personal information
  • AdChoices
Copyright © 2025 Adobe. All rights reserved.