restart_app
Restart your Flutter app from Dart on Android, iOS, web, macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Documentation · API reference · Example
Features
- A single API for restarting apps across mobile, web, and desktop.
- Configurable restart options, capability checks, and error handling.
- AI agent skills using the official Dart and Flutter package skills workflow.
Quick start
Add the package to your project:
flutter pub add restart_app
Import the package and restart your app from anywhere:
import 'package:restart_app/restart_app.dart';
await Restart.restartApp();
iOS setup
In ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift, add the import:
import restart_app
Add this callback at the beginning of your existing didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method:
RestartAppPlugin.configureEngineRestart { engine in
GeneratedPluginRegistrant.register(with: engine)
}
Keep your existing AppDelegate code, including its plugin registration, then rebuild the iOS app.
The iOS guide includes complete examples for UIScene and older AppDelegate projects, plus custom setup options.
Web setup
By default, restarting reloads the entire web app at the same URL. For example, an app opened at /settings restarts at /settings. Your router determines which screen appears.
To restart at the website root, set webOrigin to /:
await Restart.restartApp(webOrigin: '/');
For an app hosted in a subdirectory, use its base path, such as /my-app/. Hash routes such as #/home are also supported.
Supported platforms
Restart.restartApp() uses the default restart behavior for each platform:
| Platform | Restart behavior |
|---|---|
| Android | Relaunches the app's main activity. Use RestartMode.process to also restart the native process. Android TV and Fire TV are supported. |
| iOS | Starts the Dart app again with a new Flutter engine. The native iOS process stays running. |
| Web | Reloads the whole app at the same browser URL. Supports JavaScript and WebAssembly builds. |
| macOS | Opens a new app instance, then asks the existing instance to quit. |
| Linux | Runs the app executable again, replacing the running program while keeping the same process ID. |
| Windows | Opens a new app process with the original command line, then ends the existing process. |
Restarting does not erase saved preferences, files, or databases.
Error handling
Restart.restartApp() returns a RestartResult. If the request fails, code and message describe the error:
final result = await Restart.restartApp();
if (!result.success) {
print('Restart failed: ${result.code}: ${result.message}');
}
A successful result means the platform accepted the restart request. Code after the call may not run.
Requirements
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Dart | 3.4 |
| Flutter | 3.22 |
| Android | API 21, Java 17, Android Gradle Plugin 8.1.4, Kotlin 2.0.21 |
| iOS | 12.0 |
| macOS | 10.15 |
These are the package's minimum requirements. Your Flutter SDK and other dependencies may require newer operating systems or build tools.
AI agent skills
restart_app includes AI agent skills for using the restart API and configuring iOS. They follow the official package skills workflow for Dart and Flutter, using the skills CLI maintained and recommended by the Dart team.
After adding the package, run this command from your project directory with Dart 3.12 or later:
dart run skills@ get -p restart_app
Select the skills when prompted. Your coding agent can then use the instructions and examples included with your installed version of the package. Run the command again after upgrading to update the skills.
Documentation
- Requirements: SDK, operating system, and build tool compatibility.
- Configuration: restart modes, web destinations, and saved data.
- Platform behavior: available modes and platform limitations.
- Background isolates: send a restart request from a worker to the main isolate.
- Linux arguments: preserve command-line arguments when restarting.
- Agent skills: installation options and updates.
- API reference: parameters, results, and capability checks.
Author
Created by Soroush Yousefpour
