Introduction
What is SPEED Certification?
SPEED Certification is Platform Science's mandatory review and validation process for all applications before they can be distributed through our marketplace or deployed to customer fleets. This certification ensures platform security, optimal performance, and a reliable experience for drivers and fleet operators.
The certification evaluates applications across five critical pillars:
Speed Guidelines
• Security: Protecting the platform, partners, and customers from malware and vulnerabilities
• Performance: Ensuring efficient resource usage (CPU, memory) on in-cab devices
• Experience: Evaluating application reliability and stability for end users
• Efficiency: Testing and measuring network bandwidth usage and data protocols
• Documentation: Applications operating on the Platform Science platform must only allow authenticated users to access functionality within the application. Unauthorized uses should not be permitted to access any part of the application. We require the use of the Platform Science mobile authenticationSDK.
Important: Certification is version-specific. Every new APK version submitted, including minor updates, must undergo SPEED certification.
Submission Review Framework
Our Right to Protect the Platform: Platform Science reserves the right to not add any application that compromises the stability, security, or performance to our ecosystem. While we aim for collaborative partnerships with developers, our primary goal is to ensure a healthy and productive customer experience.
We categorize our review criteria into three severity levels, providing transparency and clarity for our developer partners:
Critical
Critical security risks or platform conflicts that cannot be allowed:
Examples:
- APK signature mismatch across versions
- Package name conflicts
Paused/Delayed Release
The submission will be rejected outright. The issue must be resolved and a new version must be submitted. These are non-negotiable requirements.
Major
Issues likely to cause instability or non-compliance
Examples:
- Improper targetSdkVersion for Android compatibility
- Missing critical error handling
- Application size exceeding 150MB
Revision Required
Certification will be delayed. Our team will provide specific feedback, and you must address the issue before approval.
Minor
Best practices for optimization and quality
Examples:
- Icon format not JPG/PNG
- Missing critical error handling
- Application size exceeding 150MB
Conditional Approval
Your app may be approved with recommendations. We strongly encourage implementing these improvements in future updates.
Critical Requirements
These requirements are non-negotiable. Violations will result in immediate rejection:
• APK Signature Consistency: All versions of your application must use the exact same APK signature. This ensures secure update paths and maintains user trust.
• Package Name Integrity: Applications cannot have the same name and signature but different package names. This prevents identity conflicts and security vulnerabilities.
Maximizing Your Success with Platform Science Environments
Platform Science provides multiple environments to support your development journey. Understanding how to leverage these environments effectively will accelerate your development cycle, improve application quality, and ensure faster certification approval.
Understanding Your Available Environments
We provide two distinct environments to support different stages of your development lifecycle:
Integration (Pre-Production) Environment: Your dedicated sandbox for development, testing, and quality assurance. This environment mirrors production capabilities while providing a safe space for experimentation and iteration.
Production Environment: The live environment where certified applications serve our fleet customers. Applications should only interact with this environment after completing SPEED certification.
Why Pre-Production Testing Matters
Many developers may feel tempted to test directly in production to see "real-world" behavior. However, the Integration environment provides identical APIs, data structures, and platform capabilities. Here's why using it benefits you:
Risk-Free Innovation: Experiment with new features and approaches without the pressure of affecting live fleet operations
Faster Iteration Cycles: Deploy and test changes immediately without waiting for certification reviews
Comprehensive Testing: Validate edge cases, error handling, and performance under various conditions
SDK Integration Validation: Ensure proper implementation of Platform Science APIs and services
Certification Readiness: Applications thoroughly tested in Integration typically pass certification on the first submission
Recommended Development Workflow
Following this workflow will help you deliver high-quality applications efficiently:
Initial Development: Build and iterate your application using the Integration environment. Take advantage of the freedom to experiment and refine your approach.
Comprehensive Testing: Conduct thorough QA in Integration, including edge cases, error scenarios, and performance testing. Validate all SDK integrations and API calls.
Internal Review: Perform your own code review and ensure compliance with SPEED certification requirements before submission.
Submit for Certification: Once your application is stable and feature-complete in Integration, submit your production-ready APK for SPEED certification.
Production Deployment: After receiving certification approval, your application will be deployed to the Production environment and made available to fleet customers.
Common Misconceptions About Environment Usage
"Production testing shows real behavior": The Integration environment provides similar capabilities and APIs. The integration environment is a trusted replica of the production environment and will show real behavior.
"Integration doesn't have real data": Integration contains representative test data that allows you to validate all use cases and scenarios your application will encounter in production.
"Testing in production is faster": While it may seem faster initially, applications that skip Integration testing often require multiple certification attempts, ultimately taking longer to reach customers.
How We Support You
Platform Science is committed to your success. If you're experiencing challenges with the Integration environment or need assistance with testing strategies, our Developer Support team is here to help. We can assist with:
- Environment configuration and access issues
- Test data provisioning and scenarios
- SDK integration questions
- Best practices for testing and validation
- Pre-certification review guidance
Summary
SPEED Certification ensures that all applications in the Platform Science Marketplace meet our standards for security, performance, and reliability. By following this framework and taking full advantage of the Integration environment, you can develop robust applications that pass certification quickly and deliver exceptional value to our fleet customers.
Remember: The Integration environment is your ally in creating successful applications. It provides a complete, risk-free testing ground that accelerates development and ensures certification readiness. For questions about certification or technical support, please contact our Developer Support team. We're here to help you succeed.
