@capgo/capacitor-updater

v6.3.17

Published

11 days ago

Live update for capacitor apps

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Capacitor updater

Update Ionic Capacitor apps without App/Play Store review (Code-push / hot-code updates).

You have 3 ways possible :

Use capgo.app a full featured auto-update system in 5 min Setup, to manage version, update, revert and see stats.
Use your own server update with auto-update system
Use manual methods to zip, upload, download, from JS to do it when you want.

Community

Join the discord to get help.

Documentation

I maintain a more user-friendly and complete documentation here.

Compatibility

| Plugin version | Capacitor compatibility | Maintained | | -------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------- | | v6.*.* | v6.*.* | ✅ | | v5.*.* | v5.*.* | Critical bug only | | v4.*.* | v4.*.* | ⚠️ Deprecated | | v3.*.* | v3.*.* | ⚠️ Deprecated | | > 7 | v4.*.* | ⚠️ Deprecated, our CI got crazy and bumped too much version |

iOS

Privacy manifest

Add the NSPrivacyAccessedAPICategoryUserDefaults dictionary key to your Privacy Manifest (usually ios/App/PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPITypes</key>
    <array>
      <!-- Add this dict entry to the array if the file already exists. -->
      <dict>
        <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPIType</key>
        <string>NSPrivacyAccessedAPICategoryUserDefaults</string>
        <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPITypeReasons</key>
        <array>
          <string>CA92.1</string>
        </array>
      </dict>
    </array>
  </dict>
</plist>

We recommend to declare CA92.1 as the reason for accessing the UserDefaults API.

Installation

npm install @capgo/capacitor-updater
npx cap sync

Auto-update setup

Create your account in capgo.app and get your API key

For detailed instructions on the auto-update setup, refer to the Auto update documentation.

Manual setup

Download update distribution zipfiles from a custom URL. Manually control the entire update process.

Edit your capacitor.config.json like below, set autoUpdate to false.

// capacitor.config.json
{
	"appId": "**.***.**",
	"appName": "Name",
	"plugins": {
		"CapacitorUpdater": {
			"autoUpdate": false,
		}
	}
}

Add to your main code

  import { CapacitorUpdater } from '@capgo/capacitor-updater'
  CapacitorUpdater.notifyAppReady()

This informs Capacitor Updater that the current update bundle has loaded succesfully. Failing to call this method will cause your application to be rolled back to the previously successful version (or built-in bundle).

Add this to your application.

  const version = await CapacitorUpdater.download({
    url: 'https://github.com/Cap-go/demo-app/releases/download/0.0.4/dist.zip',
  })
  await CapacitorUpdater.set(version); // sets the new version, and reloads the app

Failed updates will automatically roll back to the last successful version.
Example: Using App-state to control updates, with SplashScreen: You might also consider performing auto-update when application state changes, and using the Splash Screen to improve user experience.

  import { CapacitorUpdater, VersionInfo } from '@capgo/capacitor-updater'
  import { SplashScreen } from '@capacitor/splash-screen'
  import { App } from '@capacitor/app'

  let version: VersionInfo;
  App.addListener('appStateChange', async (state) => {
      if (state.isActive) {
        // Ensure download occurs while the app is active, or download may fail
        version = await CapacitorUpdater.download({
          url: 'https://github.com/Cap-go/demo-app/releases/download/0.0.4/dist.zip',
        })
      }

      if (!state.isActive && version) {
        // Activate the update when the application is sent to background
        SplashScreen.show()
        try {
          await CapacitorUpdater.set(version);
          // At this point, the new version should be active, and will need to hide the splash screen
        } catch () {
          SplashScreen.hide() // Hide the splash screen again if something went wrong
        }
      }
  })

TIP: If you prefer a secure and automated way to update your app, you can use capgo.app - a full-featured, auto-update system.

Store Guideline Compliance

Android Google Play and iOS App Store have corresponding guidelines that have rules you should be aware of before integrating the Capacitor-updater solution within your application.

Google play

Third paragraph of Device and Network Abuse topic describe that updating source code by any method besides Google Play's update mechanism is restricted. But this restriction does not apply to updating JavaScript bundles.

This restriction does not apply to code that runs in a virtual machine and has limited access to Android APIs (such as JavaScript in a web view or browser).

That fully allow Capacitor-updater as it updates just JS bundles and can't update native code part.

App Store

Paragraph 3.3.2, since back in 2015's Apple Developer Program License Agreement fully allowed performing over-the-air updates of JavaScript and assets.

And in its latest version (20170605) downloadable here this ruling is even broader:

Interpreted code may be downloaded to an Application, but only so long as such code:

(a) does not change the primary purpose of the Application by providing features or functionality that are inconsistent with the intended and advertised purpose of the Application as submitted to the App Store
(b) does not create a store or storefront for other code or applications
(c) does not bypass signing, sandbox, or other security features of the OS.

Capacitor-updater allows you to respect these rules in full compliance, so long as the update you push does not significantly deviate your product from its original App Store approved intent.

To further remain in compliance with Apple's guidelines, we suggest that App Store-distributed apps don't enable the Force update scenario, since in the App Store Review Guidelines it is written that:

Apps must not force users to rate the app, review the app, download other apps, or other similar actions to access functionality, content, or use of the app.

This is not a problem for the default behavior of background update, since it won't force the user to apply the new version until the next app close, but at least you should be aware of that ruling if you decide to show it.

Packaging `dist.zip` update bundles

Capacitor Updater works by unzipping a compiled app bundle to the native device filesystem. Whatever you choose to name the file you upload/download from your release/update server URL (via either manual or automatic updating), this .zip bundle must meet the following requirements:

The zip file should contain the full contents of your production Capacitor build output folder, usually {project directory}/dist/ or {project directory}/www/. This is where index.html will be located, and it should also contain all bundled JavaScript, CSS, and web resources necessary for your app to run.
Do not password encrypt the bundle zip file, or it will fail to unpack.
Make sure the bundle does not contain any extra hidden files or folders, or it may fail to unpack.

Updater Plugin Config

CapacitorUpdater can be configured with these options:

| Prop | Type | ------------------------ | -------------------- | appReadyTimeout | responseTimeout | autoDeleteFailed | autoDeletePrevious | autoUpdate | resetWhenUpdate | updateUrl | channelUrl | statsUrl | privateKey | publicKey | version | directUpdate | periodCheckDelay | localS3 | localHost | localWebHost | localSupa | localSupaAnon | localApi | localApiFiles | allowModifyUrl | defaultChannel | appId | Description | Default | Since | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------- | | number | Configure the number of milliseconds the native plugin should wait before considering an update 'failed'. Only available for Android and iOS. | 10000 // (10 seconds) | | | number | Configure the number of milliseconds the native plugin should wait before considering API timeout. Only available for Android and iOS. | 20 // (20 second) | | | boolean | Configure whether the plugin should use automatically delete failed bundles. Only available for Android and iOS. | true | | | boolean | Configure whether the plugin should use automatically delete previous bundles after a successful update. Only available for Android and iOS. | true | | | boolean | Configure whether the plugin should use Auto Update via an update server. Only available for Android and iOS. | true | | | boolean | Automatically delete previous downloaded bundles when a newer native app bundle is installed to the device. Only available for Android and iOS. | true | | | string | Configure the URL / endpoint to which update checks are sent. Only available for Android and iOS. | https://api.capgo.app/updates | | | string | Configure the URL / endpoint for channel operations. Only available for Android and iOS. | https://api.capgo.app/channel_self | | | string | Configure the URL / endpoint to which update statistics are sent. Only available for Android and iOS. Set to "" to disable stats reporting. | https://api.capgo.app/stats | | | string | Configure the private key for end to end live update encryption. Only available for Android and iOS. | undefined | | | string | Configure the public key for end to end live update encryption Version 2 Only available for Android and iOS. | undefined | 6.2.0 | | string | Configure the current version of the app. This will be used for the first update request. If not set, the plugin will get the version from the native code. Only available for Android and iOS. | undefined | 4.17.48 | | boolean | Make the plugin direct install the update when the app what just updated/installed. Only for autoUpdate mode. Only available for Android and iOS. | undefined | 5.1.0 | | number | Configure the delay period for period update check. the unit is in seconds. Only available for Android and iOS. Cannot be less than 600 seconds (10 minutes). | 600 // (10 minutes) | | | boolean | Configure the CLI to use a local server for testing or self-hosted update server. | undefined | 4.17.48 | | string | Configure the CLI to use a local server for testing or self-hosted update server. | undefined | 4.17.48 | | string | Configure the CLI to use a local server for testing or self-hosted update server. | undefined | 4.17.48 | | string | Configure the CLI to use a local server for testing or self-hosted update server. | undefined | 4.17.48 | | string | Configure the CLI to use a local server for testing. | undefined | 4.17.48 | | string | Configure the CLI to use a local api for testing. | undefined | 6.3.3 | | string | Configure the CLI to use a local file api for testing. | undefined | 6.3.3 | | boolean | Allow the plugin to modify the updateUrl, statsUrl and channelUrl dynamically from the JavaScript side. | false | 5.4.0 | | string | Set the default channel for the app in the config. | undefined | 5.5.0 | | string | Configure the app id for the app in the config. | undefined | 6.0.0 |

Examples

In capacitor.config.json:

{
  "plugins": {
    "CapacitorUpdater": {
      "appReadyTimeout": 1000 // (1 second),
      "responseTimeout": 10 // (10 second),
      "autoDeleteFailed": false,
      "autoDeletePrevious": false,
      "autoUpdate": false,
      "resetWhenUpdate": false,
      "updateUrl": https://example.com/api/auto_update,
      "channelUrl": https://example.com/api/channel,
      "statsUrl": https://example.com/api/stats,
      "privateKey": undefined,
      "publicKey": undefined,
      "version": undefined,
      "directUpdate": undefined,
      "periodCheckDelay": undefined,
      "localS3": undefined,
      "localHost": undefined,
      "localWebHost": undefined,
      "localSupa": undefined,
      "localSupaAnon": undefined,
      "localApi": undefined,
      "localApiFiles": undefined,
      "allowModifyUrl": undefined,
      "defaultChannel": undefined,
      "appId": undefined
    }
  }
}

In capacitor.config.ts:

/// <reference types="@capgo/capacitor-updater" />

import { CapacitorConfig } from '@capacitor/cli';

const config: CapacitorConfig = {
  plugins: {
    CapacitorUpdater: {
      appReadyTimeout: 1000 // (1 second),
      responseTimeout: 10 // (10 second),
      autoDeleteFailed: false,
      autoDeletePrevious: false,
      autoUpdate: false,
      resetWhenUpdate: false,
      updateUrl: https://example.com/api/auto_update,
      channelUrl: https://example.com/api/channel,
      statsUrl: https://example.com/api/stats,
      privateKey: undefined,
      publicKey: undefined,
      version: undefined,
      directUpdate: undefined,
      periodCheckDelay: undefined,
      localS3: undefined,
      localHost: undefined,
      localWebHost: undefined,
      localSupa: undefined,
      localSupaAnon: undefined,
      localApi: undefined,
      localApiFiles: undefined,
      allowModifyUrl: undefined,
      defaultChannel: undefined,
      appId: undefined,
    },
  },
};

export default config;

API

notifyAppReady()

notifyAppReady() => Promise<AppReadyResult>

Notify Capacitor Updater that the current bundle is working (a rollback will occur if this method is not called on every app launch) By default this method should be called in the first 10 sec after app launch, otherwise a rollback will occur. Change this behaviour with {@link appReadyTimeout}

Returns: Promise<AppReadyResult>

setUpdateUrl(...)

setUpdateUrl(options: UpdateUrl) => Promise<void>

Set the updateUrl for the app, this will be used to check for updates.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | options | UpdateUrl | contains the URL to use for checking for updates. |

Since: 5.4.0

setStatsUrl(...)

setStatsUrl(options: StatsUrl) => Promise<void>

Set the statsUrl for the app, this will be used to send statistics. Passing an empty string will disable statistics gathering.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | | options | StatsUrl | contains the URL to use for sending statistics. |

Since: 5.4.0

setChannelUrl(...)

setChannelUrl(options: ChannelUrl) => Promise<void>

Set the channelUrl for the app, this will be used to set the channel.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | options | ChannelUrl | contains the URL to use for setting the channel. |

Since: 5.4.0

download(...)

download(options: DownloadOptions) => Promise<BundleInfo>

Download a new bundle from the provided URL, it should be a zip file, with files inside or with a unique id inside with all your files

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | DownloadOptions | The {@link DownloadOptions} for downloading a new bundle zip. |

Returns: Promise<BundleInfo>

next(...)

next(options: BundleId) => Promise<BundleInfo>

Set the next bundle to be used when the app is reloaded.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | BundleId | Contains the ID of the next Bundle to set on next app launch. {@link BundleInfo.id} |

Returns: Promise<BundleInfo>

set(...)

set(options: BundleId) => Promise<void>

Set the current bundle and immediately reloads the app.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | BundleId | A {@link BundleId} object containing the new bundle id to set as current. |

delete(...)

delete(options: BundleId) => Promise<void>

Deletes the specified bundle from the native app storage. Use with {@link list} to get the stored Bundle IDs.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | BundleId | A {@link BundleId} object containing the ID of a bundle to delete (note, this is the bundle id, NOT the version name) |

list()

list() => Promise<BundleListResult>

Get all locally downloaded bundles in your app

Returns: Promise<BundleListResult>

reset(...)

reset(options?: ResetOptions | undefined) => Promise<void>

Reset the app to the builtin bundle (the one sent to Apple App Store / Google Play Store ) or the last successfully loaded bundle.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | ResetOptions | Containing {@link ResetOptions.toLastSuccessful}, true resets to the builtin bundle and false will reset to the last successfully loaded bundle. |

current()

current() => Promise<CurrentBundleResult>

Get the current bundle, if none are set it returns builtin. currentNative is the original bundle installed on the device

Returns: Promise<CurrentBundleResult>

reload()

reload() => Promise<void>

Reload the view

setMultiDelay(...)

setMultiDelay(options: MultiDelayConditions) => Promise<void>

Sets a {@link DelayCondition} array containing conditions that the Plugin will use to delay the update. After all conditions are met, the update process will run start again as usual, so update will be installed after a backgrounding or killing the app. For the date kind, the value should be an iso8601 date string. For the background kind, the value should be a number in milliseconds. For the nativeVersion kind, the value should be the version number. For the kill kind, the value is not used. The function has unconsistent behavior the option kill do trigger the update after the first kill and not after the next background like other options. This will be fixed in a future major release.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | MultiDelayConditions | Containing the {@link MultiDelayConditions} array of conditions to set |

Since: 4.3.0

cancelDelay()

cancelDelay() => Promise<void>

Cancels a {@link DelayCondition} to process an update immediately.

Since: 4.0.0

getLatest()

getLatest() => Promise<LatestVersion>

Get Latest bundle available from update Url

Returns: Promise<LatestVersion>

Since: 4.0.0

setChannel(...)

setChannel(options: SetChannelOptions) => Promise<ChannelRes>

Sets the channel for this device. The channel has to allow for self assignment for this to work. Do not use this method to set the channel at boot when autoUpdate is enabled in the {@link PluginsConfig}. This method is to set the channel after the app is ready.

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | SetChannelOptions | Is the {@link SetChannelOptions} channel to set |

Returns: Promise<ChannelRes>

Since: 4.7.0

unsetChannel(...)

unsetChannel(options: UnsetChannelOptions) => Promise<void>

Unset the channel for this device. The device will then return to the default channel

| Param | Type | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | UnsetChannelOptions |

Since: 4.7.0

getChannel()

getChannel() => Promise<GetChannelRes>

Get the channel for this device

Returns: Promise<GetChannelRes>

Since: 4.8.0

setCustomId(...)

setCustomId(options: SetCustomIdOptions) => Promise<void>

Set a custom ID for this device

| Param | Type | Description | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | SetCustomIdOptions | is the {@link SetCustomIdOptions} customId to set |

Since: 4.9.0

getBuiltinVersion()

getBuiltinVersion() => Promise<BuiltinVersion>

Get the native app version or the builtin version if set in config

Returns: Promise<BuiltinVersion>

Since: 5.2.0

getDeviceId()

getDeviceId() => Promise<DeviceId>

Get unique ID used to identify device (sent to auto update server)

Returns: Promise<DeviceId>

getPluginVersion()

getPluginVersion() => Promise<PluginVersion>

Get the native Capacitor Updater plugin version (sent to auto update server)

Returns: Promise<PluginVersion>

isAutoUpdateEnabled()

isAutoUpdateEnabled() => Promise<AutoUpdateEnabled>

Get the state of auto update config.

Returns: Promise<AutoUpdateEnabled>

removeAllListeners()

removeAllListeners() => Promise<void>

Remove all listeners for this plugin.

Since: 1.0.0

addListener('download', ...)

addListener(eventName: "download", listenerFunc: (state: DownloadEvent) => void) => Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Listen for bundle download event in the App. Fires once a download has started, during downloading and when finished.

| Param | Type | | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | eventName | 'download' | | listenerFunc | (state: DownloadEvent) => void |