nearby_cross 1.0.1

Flutter plugin for Android and iOS to use Nearby Connections API and send messages between devices.

Nearby Cross

A flutter plugin that uses Google's Nearby Connections to connect devices across multiple operative systems

Getting Started

Add the dependency:

flutter pub get nearby_cross

And follow the steps to make it work in iOS

1. You need to request the access to protected resources in the following link
2. Run pod install inside the ios folder
3. Open XCode and install nearby using SPM and add all packages to the plugin nearby_cross
4. Done!

Models

Connector

• Functions that are shared between discoverer and advertiser

Advertiser

• The advertiser has the functions to advertise and stopAdvertising and all the Connector functions
• To advertise you need to indicate the service id for example com.example.nearbyCrossExample used in the example app
• Its basically the one starting the network
• You can choose between different strategies:
  • Star
  • Cluster
  • Point To Point

final advertiser = Advertiser()
/* Future<void> advertise(
  String serviceId, {
  bool manualAcceptConnections = false,
  NearbyStrategies strategy = NearbyStrategies.star,
})
*/
advertiser.startAdvertising('com.example.nearbyCrossExample', false, NearbyStrategies.star)
//
// ... send or receive connections
//
advertiser.stopAdvertising()

Discoverer

• The discoverer that connects to the advertiser, its the one connecting to the advertiser

  You can set the following callbacks:

  Function(Device) callbackOnDeviceFound = (_) => {};
  Function(Device) callbackOnDeviceLost = (_) => {};
  

  That will run the function that you pass it through when those actions happen

ConnectionManager

• This class contains all callbacks generated for in between actions, device disconnected, new data received etc. You must register callback to be executed in every flow you are interested, specially when receiving a message.

Authenticated connections

This plugin also allows to stablish secure conections using ECDSA cryptographic algorithm to generate digital signatures. If you want to include this feature in your application, an authenticationManager must be provided to the ConnectionsManager instance when creating it for the first time, for example:

var experimentalAuthManager = ExperimentalAuthManager();
experimentalAuthManager.setIdentifier('test_experimental');
ConnectionsManager(authenticationManager: experimentalAuthManager);

This "Authentication Manager" must extend AuthenticationManager abstract class:

abstract class AuthenticationManager {
  /// SiginigManager instance.
  /// It will be used to sign messages before sending it to the connected peer
  late SigningManager signingManager;

  /// Identifier for this device (eg: uuid)
  late String identifier;

  /// Initializer function for this class. It will be executed when ConnectionsManager
  /// is initialized.
  /// Use this to set-up your authentication flow, like setting up the signingManager instance.
  void initialize();

  /// Signs NearbyMessage using signingManager instance
  void sign(NearbyMessage message) {
    message.signMessage(signingManager);
  }

  /// Starts handshake protocol.
  /// This will be executed every new device connection
  void startHandshake(Device device);

  /// Process a handshake message
  /// This will be executed when a NearbyMessageType.handshake message is received
  void processHandshake(Device device, NearbyMessage message);

  /// Sets identifier
  void setIdentifier(String newId);
}

Example for authentication flow

ExperimentalAuthManager is an example that implements a possible authentication flow using ECDSA and Handshake protocol:

In experimental mode, public keys are being shared in handshake process during device connection. These public keys are being loaded before stablishing connection and sending messages, and it is later used to verify messages signatures. More complex flows can be implemented using this interface and implementing other types of trustworthy sources to store public keys.

Example

In the example folder there's a chat implemented utilizing the plugin which you can share messages and stop and start the connection choosing which strategy you want

More links

• Nearby Connections GH
• Nearby Connections Documentation