Obtaining the ARDK

The GiPStech ARDK is built using Kotlin Multiplatform and is available in three distribution formats:

1. Maven Repository for Kotlin Mobile Multiplatform (KMM) projects.
2. Maven Repository for Android projects written in Kotlin or Java.
3. Xcode Framework for native iOS projects written in Swift or Objective-C.

Kotlin Mobile Multiplatform

To include the ARDK in your Kotlin Mobile Multiplatform project, follow these steps:

1. Add the GiPStech Maven repository

Modify your settings.gradle.kts (or settings.gradle if using Groovy) to include the custom Maven repository:

dependencyResolutionManagement {
    repositories {
        google()
        mavenCentral()
        maven("https://repo.gipstech.com/maven") // <-- ADD THIS LINE
    }
}

2. Add the dependency in the Kotlin Multiplatform module

Modify your build.gradle.kts file to include the dependency for the required platforms.

kotlin {
    sourceSets {
        commonMain.dependencies {
            implementation("com.gipstech:ardk:1.5.4") // <-- ADD THIS LINE
        }
    }
}

3. Sync the project

Once the dependency is added, synchronize Gradle:

• In Android Studio: File -> Sync Project with Gradle Files

• From the Command Line run:

  ./gradlew build

For Android targets, also complete the manifest configuration below. For iOS targets, also link ARKit in the Xcode app target as described below.

Android

Including the ARDK in an Android project is very similar to the process described in the previous paragraph. The only difference is in section 2, where you need to modify the build.gradle.kts file to explicitly add the dependency for the Android platform, as shown below:

dependencies {
    implementation("com.gipstech:ardk-android:1.5.4") // <-- ADD THIS LINE
}

Configure the Android manifest

For both Android and Kotlin Multiplatform projects targeting Android, add the following metadata inside the <application> element of the Android app's AndroidManifest.xml:

<meta-data
    android:name="com.google.ar.core"
    android:value="optional" />

Choose the value according to your app's requirements:

• optional: the app can run without AR. Use GiPStechAR.checkAvailability to check AR support and runtime availability before enabling AR features.
• required: the app requires AR to function. Google Play restricts distribution to ARCore-supported devices and installs Google Play Services for AR alongside the app.

If you use required, also add this declaration inside <manifest>, outside <application>:

<uses-feature
    android:name="android.hardware.camera.ar"
    android:required="true" />

See the official ARCore configuration guide for details.

Xcode

To include the GiPStech ARDK in your iOS application, download and integrate the Xcode framework available at repo.gipstech.com/frameworks into your Xcode project.

For detailed guidance on incorporating third-party frameworks, please refer to the official Apple documentation

Link ARKit

The iOS app target must also link ARKit.framework. This applies to both native iOS apps and the iOS app in a Kotlin Multiplatform project.

1. In Xcode, select your project and then the iOS app target.
2. Open General > Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content.
3. Click +, search for ARKit.framework, and click Add.
4. Set its Embed option to Do Not Embed, since ARKit is a system framework provided by iOS.

For more details about framework linking, see the Link Binary with Libraries section in Apple's guide to customizing the build phases of a target.