Distinguishing Environments: Staging vs. Production

Are you supporting an application being developed in a staging (testing) or production environment? This distinction is crucial, as each environment has different characteristics and requires specific strategies. It impacts everything from how the application handles errors to how logs are generated and retrieved.

• Staging Environment: Ideal for testing, with a lower security level to facilitate log analysis. Additionally, it does not require synchronization with Google Play, allowing the application to be installed directly from any .apk (Android installation package).

• Production Environment: Mission-critical, enforcing additional rules and restrictions to ensure security and stability.

When troubleshooting application issues, the first step is identifying which environment the issue should be addressed in.

First Tech SDK Library Dependencies Behavior

First Tech provides two library dependencies within the same repository. To integrate them correctly, it is essential to properly configure the group, library name, and version in the project's package manager.

This applies regardless of the programming language (e.g., in Java, this would be within the build.gradle file). Proper configuration ensures that the package manager references the appropriate library.

The reference below serves as a useful tool for correctly setting up both environments.

Environment: Testing/Staging

Group Organization: com.first-tech

Library Name: taponphone-sdk-v2-hml

Version: 1.0.0 (20) or higher

Device Integrity Check: ✅ Yes

App Store Verification: ❌ No Logs: Detailed via Android Studio with the device connected to a computer Transaction Behavior: Reads card data but does not send the transaction for acquirer authorization. Instead, it returns an emulated receipt. Customer identification parameters in the request are not validated.

Environment: Production/Release

Group Organization: com.first-tech

Library Name: taponphone-sdk-v2-release

Version: 1.0.0 (20) or higher

Device Integrity Check: ✅ Yes

App Store Verification: ✅ Yes Logs: Via redactable logs using logcat Transaction Behavior: Reads card data and submits it for acquirer authorization. Deducts funds from the account or reduces the available credit limit. Returns a real transaction receipt. Customer identification parameters are validated during authorization.

Next, search for or request the following strings in the dependency management settings within the code or in the log files, looking for something similar to the examples below:

Example Reference in the Testing/Staging Environment:

com.first-tech:taponphone-sdk-v2-hml

Example Reference in the Production/Release Environment:

com.first-tech:taponphone-sdk-v2-release

How to Identify

There are different ways to identify which environment the application is running in:

Method 1: Check the Dependency Manager Configuration File

Verify the dependency manager configuration file used in the programming language chosen for implementation.

For example, if the customer is using Java or Kotlin DSL, simply open the build.gradle file and check the notations (directives responsible for locating and including library dependencies during the application build process).

dependencies {
    hmlImplementation(libs.taponphone.sdk.v2.hml)
    releaseImplementation(libs.taponphone.sdk.v2.release)
}

Another example with Kotlin and Gradle Groovy DSL

dependencies {
    hmlImplementation libs.taponphone.sdk.v2.hml
    releaseImplementation libs.taponphone.sdk.v2.release
}

Another example using different approach:

dependencies {
    add("hmlImplementation", libs.taponphone.sdk.v2.hml)
    add("releaseImplementation", libs.taponphone.sdk.v2.release)
}

For other programming languages, ask the developer to check or show where to locate, within the library and dependency manager configuration file, the references corresponding to these addresses.

Method 2: Analyze the Application Log Output

Ask the developer to do the following:

1

Setup Build Variant to 'Debug'

When using our staging (hml) SDK, configure the build variants in Android Studio to debug

2

Open Console Window in Android Studio

With the project open, access the console window (press Alt + F12 to open it)

Console Window Open in an Example Android Project

3

Connect the Device

The mobile device must be connected to the computer. This allows logs to be displayed directly on the screen or saved to a file

4

Call 'adb' to Start your Log Process

Inside command line window referencing your project file folder,use the commands bellow:

adb logcat

this command will show the logs in your console window

adb logcat > logs.txt

this command will send all the logs to saved text file. It is very usefull if you need to send to support department or attach in opened a tickets

After the developer runs the application and attempts to send a transaction, the environment being used can be identified by checking the SDK’s request URL for each backend.

The developer should look for the corresponding string:

• gwpay-hml.first-tech.net → Staging Environment

• gwpay-prod.first-tech.net → Production Environment

Example for Testing/Staging Environment

01-13 15:41:30.503 26564  3470 I okhttp.OkHttpClient: --> POST https://gwpay-hml.first-tech.net/v3/bff/pos/initialize

Example for Production/Release Environment

01-13 15:41:30.503 26564  3470 I okhttp.OkHttpClient: --> POST https://gwpay-prod.first-tech.net/v3/bff/pos/initialize