An application’s backend is built with cloud resources such as AWS AppSync GraphQL APIs, Amazon S3 storage, and Amazon Cognito authentication. The Amplify CLI simplifies the provisioning of new backend resources across these different categories. However, you can alternatively use the Amplify libraries to add or re-use existing AWS resources that you provisioned without the CLI. The Amplify libraries support configuration through the *amplifyconfiguration.json* file which defines all the regions and service endpoints for your backend AWS resources.

## Add an existing AWS resource to an Android application

Before you can add an existing AWS resource to an Android application, the application must have the Amplify libraries installed. For detailed instructions, see [Install Amplify Libraries](/lib-v1/project-setup/create-application#n2-install-amplify-libraries).

### 1. Manually create the Amplify configuration file for your Android project

First, locate your project’s `res` folder. For example, if the name of your project is *MyAmplifyApp*, you can find the `res` folder at the following location, `MyAmplifyApp/app/src/main/res`:

![Screenshot of the res folder in Android Studio's project explorer, from the path mentioned above](/images/project-setup/2_useExistingResources.png)

Next, in your project’s `res` folder, create a new folder named `raw`.

Finally, in the `raw` folder, create a file named `amplifyconfiguration.json`. At this point the contents of your `amplifyconfiguration.json` file can be an empty object, `{}`.

### 2. Initialize Amplify in your application
To initialize Amplify when your application is launched, you will need to create a new `Application` class and override its `onCreate()` method.

First, locate your application’s namespace where you will create the new application class. For example, if your application is named *MyAmplifyApp*, navigate to either `MyAmplifyApp/app/src/main/java/com.example.MyAmplifyApp` or `MyAmplifyApp/app/src/main/kotlin/com.example.MyAmplifyApp` depending on the programming language you are using.

From the Android Studio main menu, choose **File -> New** and select either **Java Class** or **Kotlin File/Class** depending your programming language.

Select **Class**, and specify a name for your new class in the **Name** field.

Paste the following code for the `onCreate()` method inside your new class:

<BlockSwitcher>

<Block name="Java">

```java
public void onCreate() {
    super.onCreate();

    try {
        Amplify.configure(getApplicationContext());
        Log.i("MyAmplifyApp", "Initialized Amplify");
    } catch (AmplifyException e) {
        Log.e("MyAmplifyApp", "Could not initialize Amplify", e);
    }
}
```

</Block>

<Block name="Kotlin">

```kotlin
override fun onCreate() {
    super.onCreate()

    try {
        Amplify.configure(applicationContext)
        Log.i("MyAmplifyApp", "Initialized Amplify")
    } catch (error: AmplifyException) {
        Log.e("MyAmplifyApp", "Could not initialize Amplify", error)
    }
}
```

</Block>

</BlockSwitcher>

Next, configure your application to use your new custom `Application class`. Open the `AndroidManifest.xml` file located in your project directory at `app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml`.

Add the `android:name` attribute to the application node. For example, if the application name is  *MyAmplifyApp* and the new class is named *MyAmplifyApplication*, the update to the `AndroidManifest.xml` file looks as follows:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.MyAmplifyApp">

    <!-- Add the android:name attribute to the application node -->
    <application
        android:name=".MyAmplifyApplication"
        ...
    </application>
</manifest>
```

### 3. Edit your configuration file to use an existing AWS resource

Now you’re ready to customize your application’s `amplifyconfiguration.json`  file to specify an existing AWS resource to use.

Note that before you can add an AWS resource to your application, the application must have the Amplify libraries installed. If you need to perform this step, see [Install Amplify Libraries](/lib-v1/project-setup/create-application#n2-install-amplify-libraries).

Select a category from the following list to view an example `amplifyconfiguration.json` file you can use as a template to author your own `amplifyconfiguration.json` file:

* See the [Analytics category](/lib-v1/analytics/existing-resources) to use existing AWS Pinpoint resources.
* See the [API (GraphQL) category](/lib-v1/graphqlapi/existing-resources) to use existing AWS AppSync resources.
* See the [API (REST) category](/lib-v1/restapi/existing-resources) to use existing Amazon API Gateway and AWS Lambda resources.
* See the [Authentication category](/lib-v1/auth/getting-started/q/platform/android/#prerequisites) to use existing Amazon Cognito resources.
* See the [Storage category](/lib-v1/storage/existing-resources) to use existing Amazon S3 resources.