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Important: Streamlining Fitbit’s Developer Tools

We are retiring Fitbit Studio as part of our effort to streamline our developer tooling. Fitbit Studio will enter a read-only mode on March 20, 2023, and will fully shut down on April 20, 2023. 

 

All developers should switch to using the command-line SDK as a direct replacement for Fitbit Studio. Please export your projects now and refer to this guide for instructions about using the command-line SDK. We recognize that this may be a difficult change for some developers, and we are here to provide support during this transition via this developer forum.

 

Remember, Fitbit Studio will enter a read-only mode on March 20, 2023 and will shut down on April 20, 2023, so be sure to export your projects from Fitbit Studio before April 20, 2023, after which they will be permanently deleted.

 

We’ve put together a list of some frequently asked questions below to help you migrate your projects.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Q: Can I still build my apps and clocks without Fitbit Studio?

Yes, you can install the command-line SDK on your Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

 

Q: How do I download/export my existing projects from Fitbit Studio?

Login to Fitbit Studio, open an existing project and select `Download > Export Project.`

 

Q: Can I download all of my projects at once from Fitbit Studio?

No, you need to export each project individually.

 

Q: Can I still build or deploy my projects in Fitbit Studio while it’s in read-only mode?

No, sometimes the act of building a project would modify specific project files, therefore building and deploying will not be enabled.

 

Q: What happens if I do not export my projects?

After Fitbit Studio has been shut down on April 20, 2023 all data will be deleted and unrecoverable.

 

Q: How do I install the command-line SDK?

You need to install Node.js, then follow our command-line SDK guide.

 

Q: How do I update my existing projects to work with the command-line SDK?

You need to edit your project's `package. json` file and ensure it contains the `sdk` and `sdk-cli` dependencies. Our command-line SDK guide contains the full information for updating existing projects.

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70 REPLIES 70

As someone who uses Fitbit Studio almost every day, this is very disappointing news. Fitbit Studio's ease-of-use was probably the main reason I have recommended the Versa 3 to numerous developer friends of mine. I sure hope "streamlining developer tooling" will include adding a new suitable replacement.

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It's been bad enough that new versions of the SDK aren't backward compatible with older hardware.  Now you're completely changing the workflow.  The best option for me at this point is to abandon my (free) Fitbit apps, because supporting them with further development is too much work.

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If we're not to do anything, does the fact that our projects will be deleted also mean that any apps created with the Studio will be delisted from the App Store? 

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0 Votes

One of the main reasons why I bought a fitbit, rather than a samsung gear was because the fitbits were cheaper but still had a studio to create my own watchfaces. But now this changes everything. This change is going to make it harder for owners to customize the products that they spent good money on. I will definitely be switching to Samsung in the future since its clear fitbit doesn't support it's developer community. 

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Any chance of some better instructions for how to use the CLI version?

 

"All you need to get started is Node.js 8.x+" is simply not true, at least for me I'm iterating through also installing Python, VC redistributables and now apparently I need the whole Visual Studio setup. Or maybe not, who knows - some better instructions would be good.

 

At the moment I think I'm not going to bother and just delete my clockface, which is a shame as I have a lot of people who tell me they like it.

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When is the SDK for Versa 4 and Sense 2 coming?

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Yep, I get the same convoluted setup trail as you. Whoever wrote the guide needs to do so in a clean Windows 11 environment.

 

Currently, instructions are about as clear as the setup up for Pebble command line development when CloudPebble was shut down.

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@MikeWard there won't be SDK for Sense 2/Versa 4.

 

From 9to5google: The Sense 2 and Versa 4 lack third-party app support, and that’s not going to change. Fitbit told 9to5Google today that it does “not have plans to offer third party apps on these health and wellness focused devices.” It will, however, continue to “offer a range of Fitbit and developer created clock faces for Sense 2 and Versa 4.”

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0 Votes

Wow, it sounds like Google is trying to slowly kill Fitbit so that people will buy their pixel watches instead. I never understood why these companies buy up other companies but then just kill them. This just means people are going to switch to either Apple or Samsung watches instead. 

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For many on here this its making things more complicated and more time consuming, the complete opposite. 

The information regarding command-line SDK is pretty basic and needs updating. You need to write an in depth guide as you are removing studio, its the least that can be done for the many who put in hours and hours to help make the gallery what it is.

 

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"All you need to get started is Node.js 8.x+" I laughed at this line in the documentation. "Its all you need as long as you already the right software downloaded and know about coding" is what they meant to type.

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m4rc3lv_0-1676677520293.png

The reason I did not use the commandlien SDK before was that it doesn't work, see my screenshot above. Anyone has get this working? Thanks!

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@m4rc3lv wrote:

m4rc3lv_0-1676677520293.png

The reason I did not use the commandlien SDK before was that it doesn't work, see my screenshot above. Anyone has get this working? Thanks!


> keytar@6.0.1 install /home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/keytar
> prebuild-install || node-gyp rebuild


> core-js@2.6.12 postinstall /home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/core-js
> node -e "try{require('./postinstall')}catch(e){}"

+ @Fitbit/sdk-cli@1.7.3
+ @Fitbit/sdk@6.1.0
added 528 packages from 455 contributors and audited 529 packages in 64.129s

57 packages are looking for funding
run `npm fund` for details

found 2 vulnerabilities (1 moderate, 1 high)
run `npm audit fix` to fix them, or `npm audit` for details

Aborting installation.
Unexpected error. Please report it as a bug:
TypeError: lines.flat is not a function
at Paginator.paginate (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/inquirer/lib/utils/paginator.js:31:21)
at ListPrompt.render (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/inquirer/lib/prompts/list.js:121:31)
at ListPrompt._run (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/inquirer/lib/prompts/list.js:73:10)
at Promise (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/inquirer/lib/prompts/base.js:61:12)
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
at ListPrompt.run (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/inquirer/lib/prompts/base.js:60:12)
at defer (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/inquirer/lib/ui/prompt.js:105:30)
at Observable._subscribe (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/rxjs/dist/cjs/internal/observable/defer.js:8:31)
at Observable._trySubscribe (/home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/rxjs/dist/cjs/internal/Observable.js:41:25)
at /home/marcel/4/ff/test/node_modules/rxjs/dist/cjs/internal/Observable.js:35:31

Deleting generated file... node_modules
Deleting generated file... package-lock.json
Deleting generated file... package.json
Deleting test/ from /home/marcel/4/ff
Done.

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I have a fitbit Sense 2. I wouldn't mind to use the command-line SDK for developing and publishing watch faces. Is it possible? Thanks. 

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Thank goodness I check this forum every now and then, but I'm sure that thousands of developers don't or haven't checked in on their apps/clocks in months. Boy are they going to be in for a huge shock when all their hard work is gone. I personally always back everything up - but not everyone does. I hope Fitbit sends developers an official email to their developer email address to give them a warning before April to back up their files. 

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Hi @m4rc3lv - it is an intensive installation to get working, wasn't able to get it fully working either.

 

Fitbit Studio on the other hand worked without having to make a major installation 

 

CLI  it turns out is dependent on the OS and equipment used and can impact the functioning of your device and may or may not be successful.

 

Got no help for CLI either if there are issues.

 

If CLI is the best Fitbit can offer they need to drastically improve it's support.

Author | ch, passion for improvement.

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Fellow developers -

The writing on the wall is clear. Google purchased Fitbit for the OS to replace their failed OS and the customer base. Pure and simple. This is simply an iteration to absorb this.

Step one, import enough apps/clock faces so to keep customers from revolting and cut off new deployments.

Step two, start decommissioning third party developing tools. 

Step 3, shutdown all 3rd party developer capabilities while allowing legacy apps to run on legacy devices without support.

Step 4, all hardware rebranded as Pixel (with Fitbit) and all development done by Google.

 

Your decision is how much more time and effort will you put into the dying brand.

 

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I have been trying to follow the instructions provided but haven't been having any luck getting this set up. Would I be able to get a more in-depth guide to setting this up for someone would isn't a developer by trade?

 

Fitbit Studio was great because it was user-friendly and enabled me, a Graphic Designer, who is not a developer to produce clockfaces with the small amount of coding knowledge that I have. It is a shame that it will be shut down.

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Dear JonFitbit,

I have installed NPM and created my first project but I've seen that only Fitbit Versa 2 seems to be not supported anymore, does that mean that I cannot continue developing for this device?

Thank you for your reply.

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