Firebase Cloud Messaging Notification Key Name

Question

In Firebase Cloud Messaging platform, when you need to create a group, you need send a unique name to it to create a group first. In their documentation it's called appUser-Chris https://firebase.google.com/docs/cloud-messaging/android/device-group

But I found the name is pretty much useless since all the other API requests are relying on the returned notification key. What's the point of that name, and is it possible to send notifications to a group through that name?(preferably in Node.js)

Answer 1

What's the point of that name?

I think the note in the documentation explains how it can be useful:

Note: notification_key_name is not required for adding/removing registration tokens, but including it protects you against accidentally using the incorrect notification_key.

Besides that, there was this answer that mentioned you can use the notification_key using the notification_key_name, if you somehow lost it.

_{PS: I'm just not sure how you'll be able to lose the notification_key, but keep the notification_key_name though.}

---

Is it possible to send notifications to a group through that name?

Not alone. You still need the notification_key. As stated in note above, it acts as a verifier that you are using the correct notification_key