flutter_distributor

Introducing Flutter Distributor

Flutter Distributor is an innovative all-in-one tool designed for Flutter developers who seek a streamlined solution for packaging and distributing their applications. This tool is tailored to meet diverse distribution requirements, providing a convenient and comprehensive approach to deploy apps across various platforms with ease.

Documentation

For more detailed guidance and step-by-step tutorials, users can refer to the full documentation available at distributor.leanflutter.dev.

Features

Makers

Flutter Distributor offers a variety of package makers that allow developers to create distribution-ready packages for different platforms. Here’s a breakdown of the available makers:

• AAB: Create a aab package for Android applications.
• APK: Generate an apk file for Android.
• AppImage: Package your app for Linux in an AppImage format.
• DEB: Create a deb package for Debian-based Linux systems.
• DMG: Prepare a dmg package for macOS users.
• EXE: Compile your application into an exe format for Windows.
• IPA: Develop an ipa package for iOS devices.
• MSIX: Distribute apps with a msix package for Windows.
• Pacman: Package your application for Arch Linux using pacman.
• PKG: Create a pkg package for macOS installer.
• RPM: Use the rpm format to target Red Hat-based systems.
• ZIP: Package your application in a zip format for general distribution.

Publishers

In addition to creating packages, Flutter Distributor provides publishers to seamlessly distribute your application to various platforms:

• AppCenter: Distribute your app to AppCenter.
• AppStore: Publish your app to the Apple AppStore.
• FIR: Use FIR.im for app distribution.
• Firebase: Release your app using Firebase.
• Firebase Hosting: Deploy your applications to Firebase Hosting.
• GitHub: Publish releases on GitHub.
• Pgyer: Use Pgyer for hosting and sharing apps.
• PlayStore: Distribute your application through Google PlayStore.
• Qiniu: Use Qiniu for convenient storage and distribution.
• Vercel: Deploy applications using Vercel.

Getting Started

Installation

To start using Flutter Distributor, developers can install it globally by running the following command:

dart pub global activate flutter_distributor

Usage

After installation, developers need to add a distribute_options.yaml file at the root of their project. This configuration file helps in defining the packaging and publishing tasks.

Here is an example of what the configuration might look like:

variables:
  PGYER_API_KEY: "your api key"
output: dist/
releases:
  - name: dev
    jobs:
      - name: release-dev-android
        package:
          platform: android
          target: apk
          build_args:
            target-platform: android-arm,android-arm64
            dart-define:
              APP_ENV: dev
        publish_to: pgyer
      - name: release-dev-ios
        package:
          platform: ios
          target: ipa
          build_args:
            export-options-plist: ios/dev_ExportOptions.plist
            dart-define:
              APP_ENV: dev
        publish_to: pgyer

Building and releasing the app is as simple as executing:

flutter_distributor release --name dev

Real-World Usage

Several notable applications are already leveraging the capabilities of Flutter Distributor:

• Biyi: A handy translation and dictionary app.
• Qianji: A dedicated application for bookkeeping.
• Alga: An app featuring various developer tools.
• Airclap: A cross-platform file-sharing application noted for its speed and ease of use.

Contributors and License

Flutter Distributor thrives thanks to its open-source community comprising multiple contributors who continuously enhance its features. The project is released under the MIT License, promoting open collaboration and use.

For a comprehensive list of contributors, please visit the project's GitHub page.

Flutter Distributor represents a crucial component for Flutter developers seeking a versatile and effective solution for app distribution, making the packaging and publishing process more manageable and efficient.