Introduction

Shorebird is transforming the way Flutter developers handle app updates as it eliminates the traditional delays caused by app store review processes. Updates can now be sent straight to users' smartphones by developers, allowing for feature improvements and fast fixes without awaiting approval. This feature streamlines the development and deployment process by enabling instant patching without requiring a whole app update, which is particularly useful when defects are found after the app has been released.

Tailored for Flutter applications, Shorebird integrates easily with existing workflows, providing a stable, cross-platform solution for both Android and iOS. By supporting over-the-air (OTA) updates, developers can modify Dart code and deploy changes seamlessly without disrupting their app's user experience. Founded by Eric Seidel, one of the original creators of Flutter, Shorebird reflects a deep understanding of developers’ needs and the challenges of keeping apps up-to-date and user-friendly in a fast-paced environment. This article examines how Shorebird revolutionizes app development by facilitating over-the-air updates for Flutter apps, and how it achieve to avoid app store hold-ups, optimizing deployment processes, and letting developers offer real-time improvements and fixes.

Introduction to Shorebird: Code Push for Flutter

1. Revolutionizing App Updates

Fixing issues after publishing is one of the most annoying situations for app developers, and Shorebird tackles this issue. Bug fixes typically require developers to make a new version of their software, submit it to the software Store and Google Play, and wait for approval. Rejections, delays, and numerous iterations are common in this process, which frustrates developers and causes needless downtime for users. By allowing developers to send updates straight to customers' devices without waiting for store approvals, Shorebird removes this inefficiency and guarantees quick bug repairs and feature improvements.

Shorebird, created especially for Flutter applications, offers a reliable code-push method for iOS and Android. Developers can change any Dart code in their applications with this creative method without changing their current workflows. Developers maintain all control over their projects and can easily integrate Shorebird with no effort. They can also remove Shorebird at any point by simply returning to Flutter CLI commands. Shorebird, which was founded by Eric Seidel, the man of Flutter, demonstrates a profound comprehension of the difficulties that the Flutter community faces.

2. Key Features and Benefits

Shorebird offers a host of features tailored to enhance app development and deployment workflows:

Instant Updates: Avoid the laborious store review process by sending app patches straight to consumers' devices.

Dart Code Compatibility: Flutter applications can update any Dart code.

Cross-Platform Stability: dependable operation on all iOS and Android smartphones.

Store Compliance: Made to adhere to App Store and Google Play guidelines, guaranteeing a seamless deployment process.

Easy Integration: Without needing to modify any code, begin using Shorebird in a matter of minutes.

Shorebird offers a free Hobby package as part of its developer-friendly pricing structure. This makes it a great option for developers experimenting with code-push features or small-scale projects. Additional plans provide improved support and scalability for those with more complex requirements. By applying patches sparingly, developers can make the most of Shorebird and guarantee timely and economical updates.

Although Shorebird's method is revolutionary, several developers have pointed out possible performance issues, especially on iOS devices where apps might run on the patch version at first. Its smooth transition to the release version, however, lessens these problems. To provide the best possible user experiences, developers are urged to test performance consequences.

Getting Started with Shorebird 

1. Setting Up a Shorebird Account

Making an account through the Shorebird Console is the initial step in integrating Shorebird. To access the Shorebird CLI, the main tool for controlling your apps, authenticate using one of the various methods. A complimentary Hobby package is made accessible upon registration, providing an affordable option for experimentation or small-scale projects.

2. Installing the Shorebird CLI

Shorebird's CLI simplifies integration and deployment. To install, follow the instructions below.

Mac/Linux: Run the following command in the terminal:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://raw.githubusercontent.com/shorebirdtech/install/main/install.sh -sSf | bash

This script adds Shorebird to your PATH automatically and installs it in ~/.shorebird/bin. Shorebird's cache also contains a customized version of Flutter and Dart, which does not conflict with already installed programs.

Windows: Clone the repository and add its bin folder to your PATH using the following command:

git clone -b

After installation, confirm everything is set up by running the following command that verifies the installation and ensures all dependencies are correctly configured.

shorebird doctor

3. Initializing Shorebird in a Flutter Project

Begin by creating a new Flutter app if you do not have one:

flutter create my_shorebird_app
cd

Once verified, integrate Shorebird into the app by running:

shorebird init

This command links the project to your Shorebird app ID by creating a shorebird.yaml file in the root directory. Additionally, it does diagnostics to make sure it works with your Flutter configuration. Although more recent versions are advised, Shorebird supports Flutter versions as early as 3.10.0.

Code Push and Shorebird

Bypassing the conventional app store update procedure, Code Push is a cutting-edge solution that makes it easier for Flutter apps to receive over-the-air (OTA) upgrades. This enables developers to immediately update end-user devices with new features, bug fixes, or optimizations. During the app's start, a modified Flutter engine continuously looks for Dart code updates thanks to Shorebird integration. Updates are downloaded and installed if they are available, and the user can see them when the app restarts. The process entails generating a release, distributing the application through stores, and then using Shorebird CLI commands to deploy further changes. By lowering reliance on outside clearance procedures, this smooth system improves app delivery.

1. Initialize: Setting Up Shorebird

By getting the project ready for the next releases and changes, initializing Shorebird in a Flutter project guarantees smooth OTA updates. Running the shorebird init command in the project root produces a shorebird.yaml configuration file, a unique app_id for the application, and an update to the pubspec.yaml file that adds shorebird.yaml as an asset. These settings allow Shorebird to dynamically manage updates and are version-control-safe.

Example Command:

shorebird init

Output Configuration Example:

# shorebird.yaml
app_id

With this setup, the project is ready for Shorebird releases and patches.

2. Release: Creating and Deploying a Version

According to a version and build number, a release in Shorebird denotes a certain app version. The shorebird release command is used to make releases, upload artifacts to Shorebird's servers, and compile the Dart code. App shops are used to disseminate these artifacts.

Example Command:

shorebird release android

Output Example:

📱 App: MyApp
📦 Release Version: 1.0.0+1
🕹️ Platform: android

This process also supports additional configurations like specifying flavors or custom Flutter versions.

3. Patch: Applying Over-the-Air Updates

Through patching, developers can apply updates OTA and change the Dart code of the app without releasing a new version to the app store. The shorebird patch command is used to develop patches; it creates a diff of changes and uploads the patch to Shorebird servers. The most recent patch is applied when the app launches, guaranteeing uninterrupted end-user updates.

Example Command:

shorebird patch android

Output Example:

📦 Release Version: 1.0.0+1
🕹️ Platform: android [arm64, arm32]

This approach minimizes update size and enhances user experience by reducing downtime.

4. Preview: Testing Releases Locally

The shorebird preview command downloads release artifacts, installs the app, and launches it on the target device. Developers can preview a Shorebird release on physical devices or emulators prior to deployment, ensuring that the build performs as expected in real-world settings.

Example Command:

shorebird preview

This local testing capability provides confidence in the release's stability and compatibility.

5. Rollback: Reverting to a Previous Patch

When a live patch causes problems, Shorebird enables reverting to a previous stable version. While the issue patch is being fixed, this rollback guarantees the least amount of interruption to users.

Command for Rollback:

shorebird rollback

Even in the event of unforeseen bugs, developers may preserve application stability and protect the user experience by utilizing rollbacks.

Shorebird transforms the way Flutter apps manage updates with its simplified tools for startup, release creation, patching, previewing, and rollback. By emphasizing effectiveness and user experience, Shorebird enables developers to produce high-caliber apps quickly and consistently.

Development Workflow Overview

Following our explanation of the Shorebird system and its elements, we will go over a generalized software development workflow that makes use of Shorebird while emphasizing a more comprehensive view of the CI/CD pipeline. The development workflow is an organized method for creating software that is intended to improve productivity, guarantee the quality of the code, and facilitate the process of moving from coding to deployment. When using solutions like Shorebird, which allows for over-the-air updates to clients, this procedure is very important. From the first stages of coding to distribution and maintenance, it ensures that software advances dependably by incorporating a well-defined sequence of actions, such as development, release, and patching. The main goal is to automate tedious processes like releases and patches so that teams may concentrate on producing high-quality products.

The three stages of the Shorebird development pipeline are development, release, and patch.

Development: In different branches, developers work on features and bug fixes. Continuous integration keeps the main codebase stable by ensuring that changes are tested before being integrated.

Release: A release branch is made and assigned a version once features are prepared. The build artifacts are produced by automated processes and are usually made available to users via app stores.

Patch: If a serious flaw is discovered, developers make a patch and send it out through Shorebird. This enables quick bug patches without awaiting clearance from the app store.

This workflow streamlines development, ensures quick updates, and maintains stability, as represented in the following graphic: 

1. Development Phase

Building new features and fixing bugs are the main goals of the development phase. Developers start this phase by branching off the main trunk. Every branch relates to a particular feature or job. Pull requests are used to thoroughly review the work completed in these branches. Every pull request is thoroughly tested through linting, formatting, and the execution of unit and integration tests thanks to continuous integration, or CI.

Keeping the trunk in a deployable state at all times is the aim of continuous integration. To maintain the integrity of the codebase, merging is only permitted if all CI checks have been completed. GitHub Actions processes, for instance, automate these checks by completing tasks like testing, code formatting, and dependency installation. This methodical approach lowers integration risks, guarantees code stability, and gets the project ready for later release stages.

Code Example: CI Workflow

name: ci
on:
 pull_request:
   branches:
     - main
jobs:
 ci_checks:
   runs-on: ubuntu-latest
   steps:
     - name: Git Checkout
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Install Dependencies
       run: flutter pub get
     - name: Format
       run: dart format --set-exit-if-changed .
     - name: Analyze
       run: dart analyze --fatal-warnings .
     - name: Test
       run

2. Release Phase

The development process is transformed into a deployable product during the release phase. Making a release branch from the trunk is the first step. This branch is labeled with a version identifier (e.g., v1.0.0) to ensure traceability and consistency. After being tagged, automated processes produce signed artifacts for distribution, like iOS IPAs or Android APKs.

Uploading these artifacts to the appropriate app stores or platforms is the distribution process. In addition to speeding up this procedure, automated workflows also lessen the possibility of human error. This stage also highlights how crucial it is to keep versioning clear, which makes it easier to manage changes and guarantees that consumers receive the right upgrades.

Code Example: Release Workflow

name: release
on:
 push:
   tags:
     - "v[0-9].[0-9]+.[0-9]+" # e.g., v1.0.0
jobs:
 release-android:
   runs-on: ubuntu-latest
   steps:
     - name: Git Checkout
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Setup Shorebird
       uses: shorebirdtech/setup-shorebird@v1
     - name: Shorebird Release
       uses: shorebirdtech/shorebird-release@v0
       env:
         KEYSTORE_FILE: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE }}
         KEYSTORE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE_PASSWORD }}
         KEYSTORE_ALIAS: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE_ALIAS }}
       with:
         platform: android
         args: "--verbose --artifact=apk"

3. Patch Phase

Despite rigorous testing, bugs may occasionally escape detection. The patch phase is designed to address such critical issues promptly. Developers fix bugs on the trunk and cherry-pick these changes into the appropriate release branch. This streamlined process ensures that patches are distributed without requiring users to update manually.

The tagged patches trigger workflows that validate and distribute the updates. Previews of these patches can be tested in staging environments to verify their effectiveness. Once validated, the patches are promoted to production, providing an immediate resolution to users. This capability highlights the flexibility and responsiveness of the Shorebird system.

Code Example: Patch Workflow

name: patch
on:
 push:
   tags:
     - "v[0-9].[0-9]+.[0-9]+-hotfix.[0-9]+" # e.g., v1.0.0-hotfix.1
jobs:
 patch-android:
   runs-on: ubuntu-latest
   steps:
     - name: Git Checkout
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Setup Shorebird
       uses: shorebirdtech/setup-shorebird@v1
     - name: Shorebird Patch
       uses: shorebirdtech/shorebird-patch@v0
       env:
         KEYSTORE_FILE: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE }}
         KEYSTORE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE_PASSWORD }}
         KEYSTORE_ALIAS: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE_ALIAS }}
       with:
         platform: android
         args: "--staging"

The development workflow integrates robust development, release, and patch phases into a cohesive process. By leveraging automation, tagging, and CI/CD pipelines, teams can maintain a clean, deployable codebase while ensuring swift responses to critical issues. The described approach empowers teams to focus on innovation and quality, ensuring a seamless experience for both developers and end users.

Conclusion 

By giving developers the means to deliver new features and fast fixes straight to customers' devices, Shorebird transforms the way Flutter apps manage updates. Shorebird removes delays by eschewing conventional app store clearance procedures, enabling more flexible development cycles. Developers can maintain consistent, current user experiences without the hassle of managing numerous versions across different platforms thanks to the platform's ability to deploy updates for both iOS and Android. Shorebird's smooth integration into current processes frees teams to concentrate on development because they know that upgrades can be implemented effectively and consistently.

Through a clearly defined development, release, and patching procedure, Shorebird's integration into the development pipeline improves workflow overall and permits continuous delivery. This method preserves the integrity of the app's performance while minimizing downtime, lowering human error, and guaranteeing that problems can be resolved quickly. Shorebird offers a dynamic solution that not only speeds up development but also enhances the end-user experience by automating crucial processes and guaranteeing that changes are done promptly. This ultimately adds to the application's success and endurance.