What is the `Authorization` part of the http post request of Google's Firebase Downstream message?

Question

I want to try to send a message using google's FCM messaging service and as the document says, the http request should be something like this:

https://fcm.googleapis.com/fcm/send
Content-Type:application/json
Authorization:key=AIzaSyZ-1u...0GBYzPu7Udno5aA

{ "data": {
    "score": "5x1",
    "time": "15:10"
  },
  "to" : "bk3RNwTe3H0:CI2k_HHwgIpoDKCIZvvDMExUdFQ3P1..."
}

My problem is that I have not idea what Authorization's value should be and when I delete this header and make the request, I get error 401:Unauthorized.I think this must be some kind of api key or something but I cannot find it in my project. Can anyone help me?

PS: for testing purposes I currently am using this site to send a messsage to my device

Answer 1

According to About Firebase Cloud Messaging Server documentation:

Authentication

To send a message, the app server issues a POST request. For example:

https://fcm.googleapis.com/fcm/send

A message request consists of two parts: the HTTP header and the HTTP body.

The HTTP header must contain the following headers:

• Authorization: key=YOUR_SERVER_KEY

Make sure this is the server key, whose value is available in your Firebase project console under Project Settings > Cloud Messaging. Client keys or any other keys are rejected by FCM.

• Content-Type: application/json for JSON; application/x-www-form-urlencoded;charset=UTF-8 for plain text.

   If Content-Type is omitted, the format is assumed to be plain text.
  

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UPDATE (2016/11/16)

Perhaps you should consider using the FCM token instead of the server keys as the note inside the following screenshot

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UPDATE (2016/12/08)

Firebase has upgraded the server keys to a new version and recommended that you upgrade to the newest version. Please see the screenshot below:

Answer 2

i have also faced this error. The issue is with the server key. Don't use the api key from google-services.json file.

You should use the server api key from your firebase console project, at the cloud messaging tab project keys: https://console.firebase.google.com/project/firebase-probiz/settings/cloudmessaging