---
title: Utils
description: Using the exposed utilities the library provides.
next: /crashlytics/usage
previous: /app/usage
---

The App module also provides access to some handy utility methods which have been exposed to aid with your
development.

# File Paths

When working with modules such as [Cloud Storage](/storage), you may need to know about the devices
current directory paths. Rather than installing a separate module, the library provides useful statics
which can be used.

Access the `FilePath` static via utils:

```js
import { utils } from '@react-native-firebase/app';

console.log(utils.FilePath.PICTURES_DIRECTORY);
```

# Test Lab

Firebase [TestLab](https://firebase.google.com/docs/test-lab/?utm_source=invertase&utm_medium=react-native-firebase&utm_campaign=utils)
is a cloud-based app-testing infrastructure. With one operation, you can test your Android or iOS app across
a wide variety of devices and device configurations, and see the results—including logs, videos,
and screenshots—in the Firebase console.

It is useful to change the apps configuration if it is being run in Test Lab, for example disabling Analytics
data collection. Such functionality can be carried out by taking advantage of the `isRunningInTestLab`.

> Be aware, `isRunningInTestLab` is Android only property!

```js
import { utils } from '@react-native-firebase/app';
import analytics from '@react-native-firebase/analytics';

async function bootstrap() {
  if (utils().isRunningInTestLab) {
    await analytics().setAnalyticsCollectionEnabled(false);
  }
}
```

# Android - Checking Play Services

It is useful to know if the Android device has play services available, and what to do in response to certain use cases:

```js
import { utils } from '@react-native-firebase/app';

async function checkPlayServicesExample() {
  const {
    status,
    isAvailable,
    hasResolution,
    isUserResolvableError,
  } = utils.playServicesAvailability;
  // all good and valid \o/
  if (isAvailable) return Promise.resolve();
  // if the user can resolve the issue i.e by updating play services
  // then call Google Play's own/default prompting functionality
  if (isUserResolvableError || hasResolution) {
    switch (status) {
      case 1:
        // SERVICE_MISSING - Google Play services is missing on this device.
        // show something to user
        // and then attempt to install if necessary
        return utils.makePlayServicesAvailable();
      case 2:
        // SERVICE_VERSION_UPDATE_REQUIRED - The installed version of Google Play services is out of date.
        // show something to user
        // and then attempt to update if necessary
        return utils.resolutionForPlayServices();

      default:
        // some default dialog / component?
        // use the link below to tailor response to status codes to suit your use case
        // https://developers.google.com/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/// common/ConnectionResult#SERVICE_VERSION_UPDATE_REQUIRED
        if (isUserResolvableError) return utils.promptForPlayServices();
        if (hasResolution) return utils.resolutionForPlayServices();
    }
  }
  // There's no way to resolve play services on this device
  // probably best to show a dialog / force crash the app
  return Promise.reject(new Error('Unable to find a valid play services version.'));
}
```