React Native APK Installer

Install an Android APK from your react-native project. This project is based react-native-install-apk with enhancements to support current RN versions.

Installing ApkInstaller

1. Add rn-android-apk-install to your project

• Install directly from npm: npm install --save rn-android-apk-install.
• Or do npm install --save git+https://github.com/walterleong95/rn-android-apk-install.git in your main project.

2. Link the library:

• Add the following to android/settings.gradle:

    include ':rn-android-apk-install'
    project(':rn-android-apk-install').projectDir = new File(settingsDir, '../node_modules/rn-android-apk-install/android')

• Add the following to android/app/build.gradle:

    ...
  
    dependencies {
        ...
        implementation project(':rn-android-apk-install')
    }

• Add the following to android/app/src/main/java/**/MainApplication.java:

    ...
    import com.wl.apkinstall.ApkInstallerPackage;  // add this for rn-android-apk-install
  
    public class MainApplication extends Application implements ReactApplication {
  
        @Override
        protected List<ReactPackage> getPackages() {
            return Arrays.<ReactPackage>asList(
                new MainReactPackage(),
                ...
                new ApkInstallerPackage()     // add this for rn-android-apk-install
            );
        }
    }

4. Add the following to your AndroidManifest.xml file. Take note of the value of android:authorities. It will be used in the last step. For example, (APP_BUNDLE_ID).provider.

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES"/>

  <provider
          android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
          android:authorities="${applicationId}.provider"
          android:exported="false"
          android:grantUriPermissions="true"
          tools:replace="android:authorities">
          <!-- you might need the tools:replace thing to workaround rn-fetch-blob or other definitions of provider -->
          <!-- just make sure if you "replace" here that you include all the paths you are replacing *plus* the cache path we use -->
          <meta-data tools:replace="android:resource"
              android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
              android:resource="@xml/filepaths"/>
      </provider>

5. Create a file named filepaths.xml in the res/xml directory & append it with the following content.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">


  <!-- Select one of the following based on your apk location -->

  <!-- cache dir is always available and requires no permissions, but space may be limited -->
  <cache-path name="cache" path="/" />
  <root-path name="root" path="." />

  <!-- <files-path name="name" path="/" />  -->

  <!-- External cache dir is maybe user-friendly for downloaded APKs, but you must be careful. -->
  <!-- 1) in API <19 (KitKat) this requires WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. >=19, no permission -->
  <!-- 2) this directory may not be available, check Environment.isExternalStorageEmulated(file) to see -->
  <!-- 3) there may be no beneifit versus cache-path if external storage is emulated. Check Environment.isExternalStorageEmulated(File) to verify -->
  <!-- 4) the path will change for each app 'com.example' must be replaced by your application package -->
  <!-- <external-cache-path name="external-cache" path="/data/user/0/com.example/cache" /> -->

  <!-- Note that these external paths require WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission -->
  <!-- <external-path name="some_external_path" path="put-your-specific-external-path-here" />  -->
  <!-- <external-files-path name="external-files" path="/data/user/0/com.example/cache" />  -->
  <!-- <external-media-path name="external-media" path="put-your-path-to-media-here" />  -->
</paths>

6. Lastly, add import ApkInstaller from 'rn-android-apk-install' to the list of imports. (You might also need to install react-native-fs package). Note: Your file provider ID must be the same as the one you've defined in step 4

  import RNFS from 'react-native-fs';
  import ApkInstaller from 'rn-android-apk-install'

   try {
       var filePath = RNFS.CachesDirectoryPath + '/com.example.app.apk';
       var download = RNFS.downloadFile({
         fromUrl: 'http://example.com/com.example.app.apk',
         toFile: filePath,
         progress: res => {
             console.log((res.bytesWritten / res.contentLength).toFixed(2));
         },
         progressDivider: 1
       });

       download.promise.then(result => {
         if(result.statusCode == 200) {
           console.log(filePath);
           ApkInstaller.install(filePath, 'com.your.application.provider');
         }
       });
   }
   catch(error) {
       console.warn(error);
   }