This plugin is used to implement a foreground service on the Android platform.

pub package

Features

  • Can perform repetitive task with foreground service.
  • Provides useful utilities (minimizeApp, wakeUpScreen, etc.) that can use when performing task.
  • Provides a widget that prevents the app from closing when the foreground service is running.
  • Provides a widget to start the foreground service when the app is minimized or closed.
  • Provides an option to automatically resume foreground service on boot.

Getting started

To use this plugin, add flutter_foreground_task as a dependency in your pubspec.yaml file. For example:

dependencies:
  flutter_foreground_task: ^3.10.0

After adding the flutter_foreground_task plugin to the flutter project, we need to specify the permissions and services to use for this plugin to work properly.

:baby_chick: Android

Since this plugin is based on a foreground service, we need to add the following permission to the AndroidManifest.xml file. Open the AndroidManifest.xml file and specify it between the <manifest> and <application> tags.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" />

And we need to add this permission to automatically resume foreground service at boot time.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />

And specify the service inside the <application> tag as follows.

<service android:name="com.pravera.flutter_foreground_task.service.ForegroundService" />

:baby_chick: iOS

We can also launch flutter_foreground_task on iOS platform. However, it has the following limitations.

  • Works only on iOS 10.0 or later.
  • If the app is forcibly closed, the task will not work.
  • Task cannot be started automatically on device reboot.
  • Due to the background processing limitations of the platform, the onEvent event may not work properly in the background. But in the foreground it works fine.

Objective-C:

  1. To use this plugin developed in Swift language in a project using Objective-C, you need to add a bridge header. If you don't have an ios/Runner/Runner-Bridging-Header.h file in your project, check this page.

  2. Open the ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift file and add the commented code.

#import "AppDelegate.h"
#import "GeneratedPluginRegistrant.h"

// here
#import <flutter_foreground_task/FlutterForegroundTaskPlugin.h>

// here
void registerPlugins(NSObject<FlutterPluginRegistry>* registry) {
  [GeneratedPluginRegistrant registerWithRegistry:registry];
}

@implementation AppDelegate

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application
    didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
  [GeneratedPluginRegistrant registerWithRegistry:self];

  // here, Without this code the task will not work.
  [FlutterForegroundTaskPlugin setPluginRegistrantCallback:registerPlugins];
  if (@available(iOS 10.0, *)) {
    [UNUserNotificationCenter currentNotificationCenter].delegate = (id<UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate>) self;
  }

  return [super application:application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:launchOptions];
}

@end

Swift:

  1. Declare the import statement below in the ios/Runner/Runner-Bridging-Header.h file.
#import <flutter_foreground_task/FlutterForegroundTaskPlugin.h>
  1. Open the ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift file and add the commented code.
import UIKit
import Flutter

@UIApplicationMain
@objc class AppDelegate: FlutterAppDelegate {
  override func application(
    _ application: UIApplication,
    didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?
  ) -> Bool {
    GeneratedPluginRegistrant.register(with: self)

    // here, Without this code the task will not work.
    SwiftFlutterForegroundTaskPlugin.setPluginRegistrantCallback(registerPlugins)
    if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {
      UNUserNotificationCenter.current().delegate = self as? UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate
    }

    return super.application(application, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: launchOptions)
  }
}

// here
func registerPlugins(registry: FlutterPluginRegistry) {
  GeneratedPluginRegistrant.register(with: registry)
}

How to use

This plugin has two ways to start a foreground task. There is a way to manually start a foreground task and a way to start it when the app is minimized or closed by the WillStartForegroundTask widget.

:hatched_chick: Start manually

  1. Initialize the FlutterForegroundTask. You can use the FlutterForegroundTask.init() function to set notifications and task options.
  • androidNotificationOptions: Options for setting up notifications on the Android platform.
  • iosNotificationOptions: Options for setting up notifications on the iOS platform.
  • foregroundTaskOptions: Options for setting the foreground task.
void _initForegroundTask() {
  FlutterForegroundTask.init(
    androidNotificationOptions: AndroidNotificationOptions(
      channelId: 'notification_channel_id',
      channelName: 'Foreground Notification',
      channelDescription: 'This notification appears when the foreground service is running.',
      channelImportance: NotificationChannelImportance.LOW,
      priority: NotificationPriority.LOW,
      iconData: const NotificationIconData(
        resType: ResourceType.mipmap,
        resPrefix: ResourcePrefix.ic,
        name: 'launcher',
      ),
      buttons: [
        const NotificationButton(id: 'sendButton', text: 'Send'),
        const NotificationButton(id: 'testButton', text: 'Test'),
      ],
    ),
    iosNotificationOptions: const IOSNotificationOptions(
      showNotification: true,
      playSound: false,
    ),
    foregroundTaskOptions: const ForegroundTaskOptions(
      interval: 5000,
      isOnceEvent: false,
      autoRunOnBoot: true,
      allowWakeLock: true,
      allowWifiLock: true,
    ),
  );
}

@override
void initState() {
  super.initState();
  _initForegroundTask();
}
  1. Add WithForegroundTask widget to prevent the app from closing when the foreground service is running.
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
  // A widget that prevents the app from closing when the foreground service is running.
  // This widget must be declared above the [Scaffold] widget.
  return WithForegroundTask(
    child: Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(
        title: const Text('Flutter Foreground Task'),
        centerTitle: true,
      ),
      body: buildContentView(),
    ),
  );
}
  1. Write callback and handler and start the foreground service. FlutterForegroundTask.startService() provides the following options:
  • notificationTitle: The title that will be displayed in the notification.
  • notificationText: The text that will be displayed in the notification.
  • callback: A top-level function that calls the setTaskHandler function.
// The callback function should always be a top-level function.
@pragma('vm:entry-point')
void startCallback() {
  // The setTaskHandler function must be called to handle the task in the background.
  FlutterForegroundTask.setTaskHandler(FirstTaskHandler());
}

class FirstTaskHandler extends TaskHandler {
  SendPort? _sendPort;

  @override
  Future<void> onStart(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    _sendPort = sendPort;

    // You can use the getData function to get the stored data.
    final customData =
        await FlutterForegroundTask.getData<String>(key: 'customData');
    print('customData: $customData');
  }

  @override
  Future<void> onEvent(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    // Send data to the main isolate.
    sendPort?.send(timestamp);
  }

  @override
  Future<void> onDestroy(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    // You can use the clearAllData function to clear all the stored data.
    await FlutterForegroundTask.clearAllData();
  }

  @override
  void onButtonPressed(String id) {
    // Called when the notification button on the Android platform is pressed.
    print('onButtonPressed >> $id');
  }

  @override
  void onNotificationPressed() {
    // Called when the notification itself on the Android platform is pressed.
    //
    // "android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" permission must be granted for
    // this function to be called.

    // Note that the app will only route to "/resume-route" when it is exited so
    // it will usually be necessary to send a message through the send port to
    // signal it to restore state when the app is already started.
    FlutterForegroundTask.launchApp("/resume-route");
    _sendPort?.send('onNotificationPressed');
  }
}

class ExampleApp extends StatelessWidget {
  const ExampleApp({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      initialRoute: '/',
      routes: {
        '/': (context) => const ExamplePage(),
        '/resume-route': (context) => const ResumeRoutePage(),
      },
    );
  }
}

class ExamplePage extends StatefulWidget {
  const ExamplePage({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  State<StatefulWidget> createState() => _ExamplePageState();
}

class _ExamplePageState extends State<ExamplePage> {
  ReceivePort? _receivePort;

  // ...

  Future<bool> _startForegroundTask() async {
    // "android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" permission must be granted for
    // onNotificationPressed function to be called.
    //
    // When the notification is pressed while permission is denied,
    // the onNotificationPressed function is not called and the app opens.
    //
    // If you do not use the onNotificationPressed or launchApp function,
    // you do not need to write this code.
    if (!await FlutterForegroundTask.canDrawOverlays) {
      final isGranted =
          await FlutterForegroundTask.openSystemAlertWindowSettings();
      if (!isGranted) {
        print('SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission denied!');
        return false;
      }
    }

    // You can save data using the saveData function.
    await FlutterForegroundTask.saveData(key: 'customData', value: 'hello');

    bool reqResult;
    if (await FlutterForegroundTask.isRunningService) {
      reqResult = await FlutterForegroundTask.restartService();
    } else {
      reqResult = await FlutterForegroundTask.startService(
        notificationTitle: 'Foreground Service is running',
        notificationText: 'Tap to return to the app',
        callback: startCallback,
      );
    }

    ReceivePort? receivePort;
    if (reqResult) {
      receivePort = await FlutterForegroundTask.receivePort;
    }
 
    return _registerReceivePort(receivePort);
  }

  bool _registerReceivePort(ReceivePort? receivePort) {
    _closeReceivePort();

    if (receivePort != null) {
      _receivePort = receivePort;
      _receivePort?.listen((message) {
        if (message is DateTime) {
          print('timestamp: ${message.toString()}');
        } else if (message is String) {
          if (message == 'onNotificationPressed') {
            Navigator.of(context).pushNamed('/resume-route');
          }
        }
      });

      return true;
    }

    return false;
  }

  void _closeReceivePort() {
    _receivePort?.close();
    _receivePort = null;
  }

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _initForegroundTask();
    WidgetsBinding.instance?.addPostFrameCallback((_) async {
      // You can get the previous ReceivePort without restarting the service.
      if (await FlutterForegroundTask.isRunningService) {
        final newReceivePort = await FlutterForegroundTask.receivePort;
        _registerReceivePort(newReceivePort);
      }
    });
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    _closeReceivePort();
    super.dispose();
  }
}

class ResumeRoutePage extends StatelessWidget {
  const ResumeRoutePage({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(
        title: const Text('Resume Route'),
        centerTitle: true,
      ),
      body: Center(
        child: ElevatedButton(
          onPressed: () {
            // Navigate back to first route when tapped.
            Navigator.of(context).pop();
          },
          child: const Text('Go back!'),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

As you can see in the code above, you can manage data with the following functions.

void function() async {
  await FlutterForegroundTask.getData(key: String);
  await FlutterForegroundTask.getAllData();
  await FlutterForegroundTask.saveData(key: String, value: Object);
  await FlutterForegroundTask.removeData(key: String);
  await FlutterForegroundTask.clearAllData();
}

If the plugin you want to use provides a stream, use it like this:

class FirstTaskHandler extends TaskHandler {
  StreamSubscription<Location>? _streamSubscription;

  @override
  Future<void> onStart(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    _streamSubscription = FlLocation.getLocationStream().listen((event) {
      FlutterForegroundTask.updateService(
        notificationTitle: 'My Location',
        notificationText: '${event.latitude}, ${event.longitude}',
      );

      // Send data to the main isolate.
      sendPort?.send(event);
    });
  }

  @override
  Future<void> onEvent(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {

  }

  @override
  Future<void> onDestroy(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    await _streamSubscription?.cancel();
  }
}
  1. Use FlutterForegroundTask.updateService() to update the foreground service. The options are the same as the start function.
// The callback function should always be a top-level function.
@pragma('vm:entry-point')
void startCallback() {
  // The setTaskHandler function must be called to handle the task in the background.
  FlutterForegroundTask.setTaskHandler(FirstTaskHandler());
}

class FirstTaskHandler extends TaskHandler {
  int _eventCount = 0;

  @override
  Future<void> onStart(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {

  }

  @override
  Future<void> onEvent(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    FlutterForegroundTask.updateService(
      notificationTitle: 'FirstTaskHandler',
      notificationText: timestamp.toString(),
      callback: _eventCount >= 10 ? updateCallback : null,
    );

    // Send data to the main isolate.
    sendPort?.send(_eventCount);

    _eventCount++;
  }

  @override
  Future<void> onDestroy(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {

  }
}

@pragma('vm:entry-point')
void updateCallback() {
  FlutterForegroundTask.setTaskHandler(SecondTaskHandler());
}

class SecondTaskHandler extends TaskHandler {
  @override
  Future<void> onStart(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {

  }

  @override
  Future<void> onEvent(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {
    FlutterForegroundTask.updateService(
      notificationTitle: 'SecondTaskHandler',
      notificationText: timestamp.toString(),
    );

    // Send data to the main isolate.
    sendPort?.send(timestamp);
  }

  @override
  Future<void> onDestroy(DateTime timestamp, SendPort? sendPort) async {

  }
}
  1. If you no longer use the foreground service, call FlutterForegroundTask.stopService().
Future<bool> _stopForegroundTask() async {
  return await FlutterForegroundTask.stopService();
}

:hatched_chick: Start with WillStartForegroundTask widget

@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
  return MaterialApp(
    // A widget to start the foreground service when the app is minimized or closed.
    // This widget must be declared above the [Scaffold] widget.
    home: WillStartForegroundTask(
      onWillStart: () async {
        // Return whether to start the foreground service.
        return true;
      },
      androidNotificationOptions: AndroidNotificationOptions(
        channelId: 'notification_channel_id',
        channelName: 'Foreground Notification',
        channelDescription: 'This notification appears when the foreground service is running.',
        channelImportance: NotificationChannelImportance.LOW,
        priority: NotificationPriority.LOW,
        iconData: NotificationIconData(
          resType: ResourceType.mipmap,
          resPrefix: ResourcePrefix.ic,
          name: 'launcher',
        ),
      ),
      iosNotificationOptions: const IOSNotificationOptions(
        showNotification: true,
        playSound: false,
      ),
      foregroundTaskOptions: const ForegroundTaskOptions(
        interval: 5000,
        autoRunOnBoot: false,
        allowWifiLock: false,
      ),
      notificationTitle: 'Foreground Service is running',
      notificationText: 'Tap to return to the app',
      callback: startCallback,
      child: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(
          title: const Text('Flutter Foreground Task'),
          centerTitle: true,
        ),
        body: buildContentView(),
      ),
    ),
  );
}

Models

:chicken: AndroidNotificationOptions

Notification options for Android platform.

Property Description
channelId Unique ID of the notification channel.
channelName The name of the notification channel. This value is displayed to the user in the notification settings.
channelDescription The description of the notification channel. This value is displayed to the user in the notification settings.
channelImportance The importance of the notification channel. The default is NotificationChannelImportance.DEFAULT.
priority Priority of notifications for Android 7.1 and lower. The default is NotificationPriority.DEFAULT.
enableVibration Whether to enable vibration when creating notifications. The default is false.
playSound Whether to play sound when creating notifications. The default is false.
showWhen Whether to show the timestamp when the notification was created in the content view. The default is false.
isSticky Whether the system will restart the service if the service is killed. The default is true.
visibility Control the level of detail displayed in notifications on the lock screen. The default is NotificationVisibility.VISIBILITY_PUBLIC.
iconData The data of the icon to display in the notification. If the value is null, the app launcher icon is used.
buttons A list of buttons to display in the notification. A maximum of 3 is allowed.

:chicken: NotificationIconData

Data for setting the notification icon.

Property Description
resType The resource type of the notification icon. If the resource is in the drawable folder, set it to ResourceType.drawable, if the resource is in the mipmap folder, set it to ResourceType.mipmap.
resPrefix The resource prefix of the notification icon. If the notification icon name is ic_simple_notification, set it to ResourcePrefix.ic and set name to simple_notification.
name Notification icon name without prefix.

:chicken: ResourceType

The resource type of the notification icon.

Value Description
drawable A resources in the drawable folder. The drawable folder is where all kinds of images are stored.
mipmap A resources in the mipmap folder. The mipmap folder is usually where the launcher icon image is stored.

:chicken: ResourcePrefix

The resource prefix of the notification icon.

Value Description
ic A resources with the ic_ prefix.
img A resources with the img_ prefix.

:chicken: NotificationButton

The button to display in the notification.

Property Description
id The button identifier.
text The text to display on the button.

:chicken: IOSNotificationOptions

Notification options for iOS platform.

Property Description
showNotification Whether to show notifications. The default is true.
playSound Whether to play sound when creating notifications. The default is false.

:chicken: ForegroundTaskOptions

Data class with foreground task options.

Property Description
interval The task call interval in milliseconds. The default is 5000.
isOnceEvent Whether to invoke the onEvent of TaskHandler only once. The default is false.
autoRunOnBoot Whether to automatically run foreground task on boot. The default is false.
allowWakeLock Whether to keep the CPU turned on. The default is true.
allowWifiLock Allows an application to keep the Wi-Fi radio awake. The default is false.

:chicken: NotificationChannelImportance

The importance of the notification channel. See https://developer.android.com/training/notify-user/channels?hl=ko#importance

Value Description
NONE A notification with no importance: does not show in the shade.
MIN Min notification importance: only shows in the shade, below the fold.
LOW Low notification importance: shows in the shade, and potentially in the status bar (see shouldHideSilentStatusBarIcons()), but is not audibly intrusive.
DEFAULT Default notification importance: shows everywhere, makes noise, but does not visually intrude.
HIGH Higher notification importance: shows everywhere, makes noise and peeks. May use full screen intents.
MAX Max notification importance: same as HIGH, but generally not used.

:chicken: NotificationPriority

Priority of notifications for Android 7.1 and lower.

Value Description
MIN No sound and does not appear in the status bar.
LOW No sound.
DEFAULT Makes a sound.
HIGH Makes a sound and appears as a heads-up notification.
MAX Same as HIGH, but used when you want to notify notification immediately.

:chicken: NotificationVisibility

The level of detail displayed in notifications on the lock screen.

Value Description
VISIBILITY_PUBLIC Show this notification in its entirety on all lockscreens.
VISIBILITY_SECRET Do not reveal any part of this notification on a secure lockscreen.
VISIBILITY_PRIVATE Show this notification on all lockscreens, but conceal sensitive or private information on secure lockscreens.

Utility methods

:lollipop: minimizeApp (Both)

Minimize the app to the background.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

void function() => FlutterForegroundTask.minimizeApp();

:lollipop: launchApp (Android)

Launch the app if it is not running otherwise open the current activity.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

void function() => FlutterForegroundTask.launchApp();

It is also possible to pass a route to this function but the route will only be loaded if the app is not already running.

:lollipop: wakeUpScreen (Android)

Wake up the screen of a device that is turned off.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

void function() => FlutterForegroundTask.wakeUpScreen();

:lollipop: isIgnoringBatteryOptimizations (Android)

Returns whether the app has been excluded from battery optimization.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

Future<bool> function() => FlutterForegroundTask.isIgnoringBatteryOptimizations;

:lollipop: openIgnoreBatteryOptimizationSettings (Android)

Open the settings page where you can set ignore battery optimization.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

Future<bool> function() => FlutterForegroundTask.openIgnoreBatteryOptimizationSettings();

:lollipop: requestIgnoreBatteryOptimization (Android)

Request to ignore battery optimization. This function requires android.permission.REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS permission.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

Future<bool> function() => FlutterForegroundTask.requestIgnoreBatteryOptimization();

:lollipop: canDrawOverlays (Android)

Returns whether the "android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" permission was granted.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

Future<bool> function() => FlutterForegroundTask.canDrawOverlays;

:lollipop: openSystemAlertWindowSettings (Android)

Open the settings page where you can allow/deny the "android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" permission.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

Future<bool> function() => FlutterForegroundTask.openSystemAlertWindowSettings();

:lollipop: isAppOnForeground (Both)

Returns whether the app is in the foreground.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

Future<bool> function() => FlutterForegroundTask.isAppOnForeground;

:lollipop: setOnLockScreenVisibility (Android)

Toggles lockScreen visibility.

import 'package:flutter_foreground_task/flutter_foreground_task.dart';

void function() => FlutterForegroundTask.setOnLockScreenVisibility(true);

Support

If you find any bugs or issues while using the plugin, please register an issues on GitHub. You can also contact us at hwj930513@naver.com.