Prerequisites
- An Ably account
- An Ably app with an API key
- For mobile: Access to Firebase Console (Android) or Apple Developer Account (iOS)
- For web: A web application with HTTPS support
Choose your platform
Quick setup overview
Regardless of platform, the setup process follows these steps:Platform-specific guides
For detailed setup instructions for each platform:iOS (APNs)
- Create APNs certificates
- Configure your Xcode project
- Request push permissions
- Handle push notifications
Android (FCM)
- Create a Firebase project
- Add FCM to your app
- Configure Ably with FCM credentials
- Handle push notifications
Web Push
- Generate VAPID keys
- Configure service worker
- Request notification permission
- Handle push notifications
Testing push notifications
Use the Ably dashboard to test push notifications:- Go to your app in the dashboard
- Navigate to the Dev Console tab
- Select a channel
- Click Publish message
- Add push notification extras
- Click Publish
Publish methods
Via channels (recommended)
Publish to all devices subscribed to a channel:Direct publishing
Publish to specific devices or clients:Common notification formats
Basic notification
With action buttons (iOS)
With custom data
Troubleshooting
Device not receiving notifications
- Verify device is activated:
realtime.push.activate() - Check subscription:
realtime.push.admin.channelSubscriptions.list() - Verify credentials in dashboard
- Check device permissions
Notifications not appearing
- Verify push extras format
- Check notification payload size (< 4KB for APNs, < 4KB for FCM)
- Monitor
[meta]log:pushchannel for errors - Verify app is not in focus (some platforms)
Testing in development
- Use APNs development certificates for iOS
- Use Firebase test messages for Android
- Test on physical devices, not simulators
- Check device system settings
Next steps
- Learn about publishing push notifications
- Understand device activation
- Explore push admin API
- Monitor push errors
