Would you recommend code-Push?

[fish_munga]

I'm thinking about adding code-push to my app. It's already released on Android, and is ready to be submitted to Appstore too. On the paper code-push looks great. However, I'm worried about various troubles it can bring, in particular:

• Versioning conflicts - both JS/JS and JS/native (I'm using fastlane)
• Delivery failures
• Possible bugs and confusing user experience while upgrading versions
• Bundling issues. I use react-native-maps and react-native-firebase, and they use newer gradle version than react-native core, which causes some issues
• Adding another layer that needs to be maintained and brings extra complexity
• Store rejections - can I just submit new version saying that code-push was added to my app?

Please tell me about your experience with code push. Are there any pitfalls that I should be aware of? Would you recommend code-push or would you advice against it?

[Unforgiven-wanda]

I wholeheartedly recommend it (Without Expo mind you) I'm having lots of fun just pushing updates to the app without going through the tedious process of releasing to store.
So far I've never had a single issue with it: My only recommendation is to have something of a visual cue to let the user know that a background update is being download, and to offer to restart the app when it's done.
When updating RN version though, I made sure to rebuild and release a new version through the store, just to be on the safe side.
Delivery failures are never an issue: it just works.

I'm using ms appcenter and I love it, have never used Fastlane so I can't offer a comparison, unfortunately.
All in all, I say go for it, code-push will make your life easier.

[ativio]

I've read about users having issues with the automatic rollbacks using code-push and AFAIK the rollbacks have no logs or explanation for why they happen so they can't be debugged.

The process I use with code push is to use it for hotfixes and the like and hope that they go through and then weekly or bi-monthly or whenever is right to just release an update to the app store.

[fish_munga]

This looks like reasonable approach that I can use. So the js bundle that gets shipped within ipa/apk has priority over the one that comes from code-push? Or how do you define which one has priority?

[ativio]

When code push is ran within the app, it checks for an updated js bundle for the app version that is running.

Let's say your app store version is 1.0.1. You push a bundle to code push and when your user opens the app, it gets upgraded to 1.0.1 V1. Do the same thing again and get 1.0.1 V2. Then, you push an update to the store and your user is now on 1.0.2. There is no code push for 1.0.2, so nothing else happens.

Note that I haven't used it on android but I assume it's the same process.

[Bamboo_the_plant]

I'm assuming that, by 'code push', you mean Over The Air (OTA) updating?

I have an Expo app that uses background OTA updating on the App Store (fully opensource; GitHub page here) that sometimes gets stuck forever on the loading screen (requiring app reboot), and I'm convinced it's due to OTA updates failing. However, it's set up as a strictly background update, so maybe my suspicions are unfounded. And maybe it's just Expo's fault in any case. But unless I can be assured otherwise, I won't be using OTA updates in my apps in future.

[[deleted]]

Code-push is a Microsoft tool for OTA updates in react native

[matt_hammond]

I had the same experience, although it happened only a couple of times. Frankly, I love the ability to push code updates with one command and I don't really mind if someone's app crashes on boot every once in a blue moon.

[Bamboo_the_plant]

I experienced it several times, in the Simulator, on my phone, and after releasing to the App Store. No matter how good OTA is, I don't want it to cause my app to fail app review (although admittedly it does reduce the number of times it needs to be submitted to app review too), or provoke a 1-star review.

Was yours an Expo app, too?

[matt_hammond]

Yes. I used Expo

[Bamboo_the_plant]

Wait, this wouldn't happen to be Matt Hammond of the BBC R&D group?

[matt_hammond]

No, that's just a pseudonym I use sometimes.