flutter_in_app_updater

A unified, lightweight, and highly flexible Flutter plugin for handling app update checks. Supports native store update flows (Google Play In-App Updates for Android and StoreKit for iOS), fully dynamic custom server-driven API checks with forced/soft updates, custom UI support, debug bypass, and Enterprise Direct APK Downloads & Installation.

pub package license

Features

  • šŸ“± Native Store Support: Integrates directly with Google Play Core (Android) and StoreKit (iOS).
  • šŸ¢ Enterprise Direct APK Installation: Zero-dependency side-loading and direct APK installation support for enterprise or internal distribution servers.
  • āš” Custom API Check: Compare installed versions against your own server endpoint.
  • šŸ”’ Server-Driven Forced Updates: Lock app usage with forced_update flags directly controlled by your backend.
  • šŸ“ Release Notes / Changelog: Optional dynamic release notes support in update dialogs.
  • šŸŽØ Flexible UI Options: Use built-in default dialogs or pass custom UI callbacks (onUpdateRequired / progressBuilder).
  • šŸ› ļø Debug Mode Bypass: Avoid nuisance popups during development with automatic debug detection (bypassInDebug).
  • šŸ›‘ Error Handling: Built-in onError catchers for network failures or parsing issues.

Installation

Add flutter_in_app_updater to your pubspec.yaml file:

dependencies:
  flutter_in_app_updater: ^1.1.0

Then run:

flutter pub get

Usage

1. Custom Server-Driven API Check

This approach lets your backend or firebase remote config decide when updates are required and whether they are forced or optional.

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter_in_app_updater/flutter_in_app_updater.dart';

void checkForUpdates(BuildContext context) {
  FlutterInAppUpdater.updateViaCustomApi(
    context: context,
    // Provide a callback fetching a JSON payload from your backend
    fetchConfigFromApi: () async {
      // Example API response structure:
      return {
        'min_required_version': '1.2.0',
        'forced_update': true, // Directly controls dismissibility
        'update_url_android': 'https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yourcompany.app',
        'update_url_ios': 'https://apps.apple.com/app/id123456789',
        'release_notes': 'ā€¢ Performance enhancements\nā€¢ Bug fixes and stability improvements',
      };
    },
    // Set to false during local development if you want to test dialogs in debug mode
    bypassInDebug: false,
    onError: (error) {
      debugPrint("Update check failed: $error");
    },
  );
}

Custom UI Callback Example

If you want to render your own custom dialog instead of the built-in fallback:

FlutterInAppUpdater.updateViaCustomApi(
  context: context,
  fetchConfigFromApi: () async => fetchAppConfig(),
  onUpdateRequired: (storeUrl, isForced, releaseNotes) {
    showDialog(
      context: context,
      barrierDismissible: !isForced,
      builder: (context) => PopScope(
        canPop: !isForced,
        child: AlertDialog(
          title: Text(isForced ? 'Critical Update Needed' : 'New Version Ready'),
          content: Text(releaseNotes ?? 'Please update to the latest version.'),
          actions: [
            if (!isForced)
              TextButton(
                onPressed: () => Navigator.pop(context),
                child: const Text('Later'),
              ),
            ElevatedButton(
              onPressed: () /* Launch storeUrl */,
              child: const Text('Update'),
            ),
          ],
        ),
      ),
    );
  },
);

2. Native Store Update Flow

For standard in-app store updates using official store SDKs (Google Play In-App Update API & iOS SKStoreProductViewController):

await FlutterInAppUpdater.updateNative(
  immediateAndroid: true, // Use immediate (blocking) flow on Android
  iosAppStoreId: '123456789', // Your App Store numeric ID
);

3. Enterprise Distribution / Direct APK Installation

If you are distributing your app outside the Google Play Store (e.g., enterprise side-loading, internal distribution servers), use EnterpriseInstaller.

1. Android Manifest Configuration

Enterprise installation requires external file sharing and package installation privileges. Add the following permissions and FileProvider block to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

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

<application ...>
    <provider
        android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
        android:authorities="${applicationId}.fileprovider"
        android:exported="false"
        android:grantUriPermissions="true">
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
            android:resource="@xml/file_paths" />
    </provider>
</application>

2. FileProvider Paths Configuration

Create a file named file_paths.xml inside your app's android/app/src/main/res/xml/ directory:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <cache-path name="external_cache_files" path="." />
</paths>

3. Usage in Dart

Call EnterpriseInstaller.downloadAndInstall with your direct binary .apk URL. (Note: Make sure that the given URL would be direct binary provider not the token based or the private URL which requires access. Use public URL for the same.)

Using the Built-in Progress Dialog:
await EnterpriseInstaller.downloadAndInstall(
  context: context,
  apkUrl: 'https://your-server.com/downloads/app-release.apk',
  forcedUpdate: true, // Prevents user dismissal if true
  bypassInDebug: true,     // Skips update execution during debug/local testing
);
Using a Custom Progress UI:

If you want to style your own download popup, pass a progressBuilder:

await EnterpriseInstaller.downloadAndInstall(
  context: context,
  apkUrl: 'https://your-server.com/downloads/app-release.apk',
  progressBuilder: (context, progress) {
    return Column(
      mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
      children: [
        LinearProgressIndicator(value: progress),
        const SizedBox(height: 12),
        Text('Downloading update: ${(progress * 100).toStringAsFixed(0)}%'),
      ],
    );
  },
);

(Note: Standard Google Play Core in-app updates remain fully independent and do not require any of the enterprise manifest configurations or permissions).

API Reference

updateViaCustomApi Parameters

Parameter Type Mandatory Description
context BuildContext Yes Context required to present the update dialog.
fetchConfigFromApi Future<Map<String, dynamic>> Function() Yes Async callback returning the update configuration map.
onUpdateRequired Function(String storeUrl, bool isForced, String? releaseNotes)? No Custom UI renderer. Overrides default dialog if provided.
onError Function(Object error)? No Callback invoked on API or parsing failures.
iosAppStoreId String? No App Store ID used if update_url_ios is omitted in payload.
bypassInDebug bool No Defaults to true. Ignores update checks during kDebugMode.

Important Platform Notes

  • Android Play Core API: Native updates require your app to be published on a Google Play track (Internal Testing, Closed Testing, or Production). Native updates will return error -6 when tested via local flutter run side-loaded APKs.
  • iOS StoreKit: Native modal presentation requires a valid iosAppStoreId.
  • Enterprise APK Installation: Requires REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission and FileProvider setup inside the host application's manifest when using EnterpriseInstaller.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Libraries

enterprise_installer
flutter_in_app_updater