Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Google Mobile Ads SDK Setup agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
This guide explains how to install and use the google-mobile-ads-get-started skill, which gives an AI agent a fixed checklist for adding the Google Mobile Ads (GMA) SDK to an Android, iOS or Unity app. It is written for readers who have never used agent skills before. By the end you will know what the skill does, how to add it to your tools, how to ask for it in plain language, and what it can and cannot do for you.
Google Mobile Ads SDK Setupgoogle/skills · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it on your computer.
- 2Place the skill folder. Move it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into .claude/skills/ inside your project. Alternatively, upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 3Open your project. Open the Android, iOS or Unity project you want to modify and make sure you have a backup or clean git state.
- 4Ask for setup in plain language. Request help setting up the Google Mobile Ads SDK and name your platform if you know it.
- 5Answer the platform question. If the agent asks whether the project is Android, iOS or Unity, answer with the correct platform so it reads the right guide.
- 6Review and verify. Review each change, follow the checklist to add the dependency, set the App ID, initialize the SDK and verify the integration.
- 7Choose an ad format. After installation succeeds, tell the agent which ad format you want to add next.
What is an agent skill and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder of instructions that an AI agent can load when a task matches the skill's description. This skill covers the first setup of the Google Mobile Ads SDK, which is used to show ads from AdMob or Google Ad Manager in a phone or game app.
The agent first works out whether your project is Android, iOS or Unity. If it cannot tell, it asks before going further. It then reads the matching platform guide and follows four steps in order: add the SDK dependency, set the application identifier, initialize the SDK, and verify the integration. After installation succeeds, it asks which ad format you want to add next.
- Supported platforms: Android, iOS (Xcode) and Unity only
- Platform guides: references/android-get-started.md, references/ios-get-started.md, references/unity-get-started.md
- The skill stops after installation; ad formats and placement are separate steps
How do you install the skill?
Download the ZIP from the skill's page on this site and unzip it. You can put the skill in one of two places. For a personal setup that applies to all your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills → upload
How do you trigger the skill with a request?
You do not need a special command. Describe what you want in plain language, and the agent will match the request to the skill's description. The skill is meant for requests about getting started with, installing, integrating, setting up or configuring the SDK for AdMob or Ad Manager, the GMA Next-Gen SDK or the mobile ads framework.
Name your platform in the request if you can. This saves a round trip, because the agent must know whether your project is Android, iOS or Unity before it reads the right guide.
- "Set up the Google Mobile Ads SDK in my Android app."
- "Integrate AdMob into this Unity game."
- "Install the GMA Next-Gen SDK in my iOS project in Xcode."
- "Configure Ad Manager ads for my Android app."
What does the agent need from you?
The skill needs an Android, iOS (Xcode) or Unity project that the agent is allowed to modify. For a live integration you also need a Google AdMob or Ad Manager account and an app ID. The skill does not create these for you. The agent edits code, but it cannot create your ad unit IDs.
The skill's own files are plain instructions. The metadata lists it as not running scripts and not using the network. However, the platform guides contain commands that the agent may run in your project, such as a curl request to the GitHub releases API and a check for Ruby and the xcodeproj gem on iOS. Read these before you approve them.
- Project to modify: Android, iOS (Xcode) or Unity
- AdMob or Ad Manager account and app ID for a live integration
- Review commands the agent proposes, especially the curl and Ruby steps in the iOS and Unity guides
curl -sS https://api.github.com/repos/googleads/googleads-mobile-unity/releases/latest | jq -r '.tag_name'What does a typical session look like?
Once the skill is loaded, the agent reads your project, names the platform, and works through the checklist. On iOS, the guide asks the agent to use Swift Package Manager to install the SDK. On Unity, the guide asks the agent to add the OpenUPM scoped registry to Packages/manifest.json. On Android, the guide gives the Kotlin imports and the initialize method with the AdMob App ID.
Test ads should use the sample App ID shown in the Android guide, ca-app-pub-3940256099942544~3347511713, until you replace it with your own.
- Expect the agent to ask which platform you use if your project is unclear
- Expect it to ask which ad format to add after installation succeeds
- Check the result by running the app, since the skill's final step is verification
What tips help the setup go smoothly?
Start with a clean project or a clean git state so you can see exactly what the agent changed. Keep the skill's platform guide open next to the agent's output so you can compare each step with the checklist.
If you are upgrading to the GMA Next-Gen SDK, the skill's checklist works well as a consistent setup pattern across a team.
- Commit your project before the agent edits it
- Use the sample App ID for early testing and replace it before release
- Do not expect help with ad placement, monetization or console setup
What people use it for
- Adding the Google Mobile Ads SDK to a new Android app built with Kotlin.
- Setting up the GMA Next-Gen SDK in an iOS app using Swift Package Manager.
- Installing the SDK in a Unity game through the OpenUPM registry.
- Giving a team one consistent setup checklist for first-time SDK integration.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Google Mobile Ads SDK setup skill free?
The skill is published under the Apache-2.0 licence. The source does not state any price for the skill itself, so check the licence for terms of use.
What platforms does this skill support?
It supports Android, iOS (using Xcode) and Unity. The skill does not cover web or React Native apps, so it is not suitable for those projects.
How do I install an agent skill like this one?
Download the ZIP, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the skill create my AdMob account or ad unit IDs?
No. The skill edits your project code, but it cannot create your ad unit IDs or account. You need an AdMob or Ad Manager account and app ID for a live integration.
Does this skill choose ad formats or design monetization?
No. It stops after installation and then asks which ad format you want to add. Ad format choice, placement and monetization are outside its scope.
Does the skill run scripts or use the network?
The skill's metadata says it runs no scripts and uses no network. However, the platform guides include commands, such as a curl request for the latest release tag, that the agent may run, so review them before approving.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are adding AdMob or Ad Manager ads to an Android, iOS or Unity app for the first time, or want an agent to make consistent initial SDK changes. Pick something else if your app is web or React Native, or if you need help choosing ad formats, placement or monetization.
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