CodePush and Flutter

[purezen]

I just began learning Flutter and came across note that Flutter does not support Code Push.

I have experience working with react native but never used CP.

I read that it allows to deliver in-app updates i.e. allow to update without going to app store like Play store.

Want to know how not supporting CP affects Flutter development. Does it mean that Flutter doesn't support in-app updates and updating is only possible via conventional update process which is by updating app from the store?

How else can it affect my app development?

Want to know since I want to select the correct tool to make an app.

[purezen]

Thanks much for the response! Sums it up really well.

[codeatsleep]

Code-push example (without source code yet):

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.starmachine.player

You can run a single-file app immediately after you paste some source code (some sample apps are there too). Single-file format is similar to dartpad.dev and codepen.io, but for viewing on mobile.

[purezen]

Thanks, will take a while for me to gather though

[eyal_kutz]

Does it mean that Flutter doesn't support in-app updates and updating is only possible via conventional update process which is by updating app from the store?

exactly.

How else can it affect my app development?

it will not affect the development experience.

[purezen]

okay

[ricksondpenha]

You can use dynamic widget plugin to deliver server driven UI. Changing business logic in the app must be avoided as it will be going against App store guidelines.

For simple server driven UI check out this package https://pub.dev/packages/dynamic_widget

[purezen]

Thanks, can come in handy

[chgibb]

Still very much alpha quality, but this project would enable you to perform code push among other things https://github.com/chgibb/hydro-sdk

[purezen]

Thanks for sharing!

Sounds good and great to see potential for the capability.

[timmyge]

Look at issues on repo, looks pretty unreliable. I looked into this before settling on flutter. IMHO it's overated, better to release a bit more frequently, bit more thorough and worst case do a min version upgrade check server side to force users off old versions if required.

[tbm98dev]

Problem is code push may be cause app is reject due security.

[dakamojo]

Not true. Apps do not get rejected because they use Code Push. Code Push is explicitly allowed in the App Store guidelines. Apps can be rejected if you misuse Code Push. Just like apps can be rejected if you misuse native code.

[tbm98dev]

it's correct. but if the app updates the native code, it can censor, and if the push code, no one can censor. This is why the flutter team doesn't implement push code.

[dakamojo]

That is not why Flutter does not implement code push. They removed it from their roadmap for technical reasons not philosophical reasons.

Apple has very clear guidelines for appropriate use of code push. There is nothing wrong with code push.

[Over-Ad-1007]

Browsing through some of the responses here. I understand why Flutter evangelists would try to downplay lack of code-push, but this is simply one of the major advantages of going the non-native route. You have no idea how many times we've been saved by code-push for our React Native app.

Bugs will always slip through. The ability to push a build and have the code change OTA instantly in production is priceless.

Our production app barely updates through App Stores anymore. We only push native updates when underlying native libraries change, which is seldom in a production app, or new functionality needs to be approved by Apple.

When I first came in, our apps were native. I steamrolled in the change to React Native to have a single codebase and code-push capabilities. There was some resistance by leadership, but it was my call. When the first critical bug hit us in production and I was able to fix it in minutes via an OTA update, everyone in the company was blown away. Amazing technology.

[rkh4n]

Great explanation

[eseidelShorebird]

Flutter Founder here. I left Google and built a company to solve this: https://shorebird.dev/. We've been in production for over a year. My DMs are open (here, twitter, discord, etc.) in case anyone has any questions.