How to Upgrade my flutter app without using Playstore or App store?

Question

I have an app created for internal use. I have not published it on the play store, but I have to update it regularly.

Can anyone help...with which library should I use for implementing a self-upgrade system to my app. Any answer would be appreciated.

Eppie

For Android, you can create an apk file or an appbundle file that you can push to the device and install manually. It's a pain in the butt process but it's your best option. On iOS, you are effectively SoL unless you want to either root the device or install a development build via TestFlight or plugging the device into your Mac and installing manually via XCode. – Preceptive

Answer 1

The answer is - yes, You can upload your app to the Apple Store and Google Play but Not publish it to the public, instead, you can use internal testing So only users that you define will be able to see or download your app in the Google Play and Apple Store

Google Play internal test https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9303479?hl=en

Apple test flight https://developer.apple.com/testflight/

Yep it has some limitations, for example, Apple allows up to 10000 testers but I hope it's ok for your company, but its only way to share app internally without any issues on iOS (android allow you to download apps from anywhere, iOS don't)

Insusceptible

Thanks for the answer...but i was looking for something else.....😊 – Eppie

Answer 2

Now in 2023, it is possible!

The original founder of Flutter, Eric Seidel, is now working on shorebird.dev, which allows to upgrade Flutter apps without going through the App Store or Play Store.

Shorebird uses the fact that both the App Store and the Play Store allow to push interpreted javascript code directly to the app.

Shorebird compiles only the changes of your Dart code to Javascript and allows you to push them independently of any store. Because it only compiles the changes you make in Dart, the code remains very efficient. This also supports flutter packages as long as they don't use native code (which by the guideline of the App Store and Play Store is not allowed).

Strike

Answer 3

The answer is - no, you can't do that - not at least the Flutter* apps. As @Abion47 said, you can publish the new APK and ask users to install it. If you app involves back-end then you can check the (client) mobile app version and display the alert if the version is below minimum version required.

On the iOS side, it is slightly more difficult. For internal use, the organisation needs to sign-up with Apple's enterprise program. You can then distribute the app internally.

*- I've seen certain apps downloads the zip (or whatever) file, and updates themselves without actually going through App update process via AppStore/Playstore. However, it is more of a web part within the particular app which gets updated. The app version as such remains same.

Scummy

Can i use Firebase Remote Config for checking the app version & include a download link for that ?? – Eppie

Yes you can. You can set "MinAppVersion" from FRC. The app can check the version and show the download link. Alternatively, app sends its version to the server when it starts and intern Server sends back the download link, if any. – Scummy

Can you refer me to a proper guide about this process...It would be very helpful for me.....its my 1st Flutter project... what's why...im little bit confused. – Eppie

This link will help on how to get app version. Now, just make a REST call to your back-end get the result and show the alert box based on servers' response. This seems to be a good tutorial on Flutter networking. – Scummy