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Android

Android SDK 101 overview

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The Docusign Android SDK is designed to streamline app development for the Android platform. This SDK provides methods and classes that enable mobile developers to access the functionality of the Docusign eSignature REST API. This SDK also includes unique capabilities specific to mobile app scenarios, such as signing documents in an online or offline mode or syncing signed documents from your own mobile app.

Places to start

If you’re new to Docusign development, familiarize yourself with core Docusign API development concepts:

  • Platform 101: Discover the power of Docusign APIs and learn about the overall development process.
  • Authenticate: All API calls to Docusign services must be authenticated. The Docusign Android SDK supports Authorization Code Grant and JSON Web Token Grant authentication flows. Read about how to find the best authentication flow for your project.
  • eSignature concepts: Learn how to attach signable documents to envelopes, use templates, set tabs for signing, specify and authenticate recipients, and more.
  • Core mobile SDK interfaces: Understand how to perform the core tasks needed for mobile integrations.
  • Docusign Connect: Rather than poll the API for status on your envelopes, configure a webhook listener for Docusign Connect, the Docusign webhook service.
  • Go-Live: When you’re ready to deploy your mobile app to use the Docusign production environment, follow this process to migrate your app from your developer account to production.

Create a developer account

Before you begin, you will first need to create a free Docusign developer account. You’ll also need to configure an app and an associated integration key to make SDK calls. An integration key uniquely identifies your app and is also used as your client ID during OAuth token requests. See Build a Docusign integration for more information about the overall process.

Install the Android SDK

The Docusign Android SDK is available from our open-source GitHub repository. See the README.md file for instructions on installation and setup.

You can configure the Android SDK for any of these options:

  • Online signing: This requires signers to have an active internet connection. This option does not support offline signing. For sample code for online signing, see:

  • Offline signing: This allows signing via cached templates or envelopes for signers who do not have an active internet connection. This option supports both offline and online signing. For sample code for offline signing, see:

  • eSignature REST API: Enables you to make direct API calls for eSignature REST API functionality not implemented via SDK methods. This option supports online signing, but not offline signing. For sample code for calling the eSignature REST API directly from the SDK, see:

For information about setting up the options listed above, see the Docusign SDK Components section of the README.md file.

Compatibility

Developers using the Docusign Android SDK must use the following versions or later of relevant software:

  • Android 5.0
  • AndroidX
  • Android Studio 3.4
  • compileSdkVersion and targetSdkVersion 29

Android SDK versioning

New versions of the Android SDK are released periodically to use the latest features of the eSignature REST API or to add new features that are specific to mobile scenarios. SDK versions use the standard period-separated semantic versioning scheme. General release versions are in the form of x.y.z, and release candidate (prerelease) versions are of the form x.y.z-rc.

The Docusign Android SDK Changelog lists notable changes in the current and prior versions of the Android SDK.

Developers are not required to update their applications to new versions of the SDK unless there’s a specific reason to do so, such as:

  • To access a new SDK feature or method.
  • To adopt an SDK bug fix including security-related issues.
  • To support an updated version of one of the SDK’s dependencies.

Sample app

Our sample app is a great way to get started with mobile development for Docusign integrations. You can run the sample app to get an idea of what the Android SDK can do for you by outlining scenarios for a fictitious company without needing to install or configure anything. To clone and run a sample app, create a developer account (if you don’t already have one), open the sample app page, and clone the apps you want from their open source GitHub code under the MIT license.

To find out more information and to try it, see the Android SDK sample app page.