Building a Flutter app

.YAML Quick start guides Building a Flutter app

How to build a Flutter app with codemagic.yaml

Setting up a Flutter project

The apps you have available in Codemagic are listed on the Applications page. Click Add application to add a new app.

On the Applications page, click Set up build next to the app you want to start building.
On the popup, select Flutter App as the project type and click Continue.
Then you can choose to either set up your builds in the codemagic.yaml file or select the Workflow Editor tab to configure the builds in the UI. New Flutter apps come with the Workflow Editor by default and it can be switched to codemagic.yaml in app settings by clicking the Switch to YAML configuration button. Exporting current configuration as codemagic.yaml is possible if the checkbox is marked in the pop-up page.

codemagic.yaml is a highly customizable configuration file that you can use to build, test and publish Flutter apps, widgets, and Flutter or Dart packages. The Workflow Editor is a quick way to get started building standard Flutter applications.

You can simultaneously set up workflows both in codemagic.yaml and the Workflow Editor. However, when a codemagic.yaml is detected in the repository, it is automatically used for configuring builds that are triggered in response to the events defined in the file and any configuration in the Flutter workflow editor is ignored.

For documentation on building Flutter projects using the workflow editor, please refer to Building Flutter apps via the workflow editor.

Building with YAML

In order to use codemagic.yaml for build configuration in Codemagic, commit the file to the root directory of your repository.
Back in app settings in Codemagic, select the codemagic.yaml tab.
Scan for the codemagic.yaml file by selecting a branch to scan and clicking the Check for configuration file button at the top of the page. Note that you can have different configuration files in different branches.
If a codemagic.yaml file is found in that branch, you can click Start your first build and select the branch and workflow to build.
Finally, click Start new build to build the app.

Android builds

You can find an up-to-date codemagic.yaml Flutter Android workflow in Codemagic Sample Projects.

Set up local properties

- echo "flutter.sdk=$HOME/programs/flutter" > "$CM_BUILD_DIR/android/local.properties"

Building an app bundle

- flutter build appbundle --release

Building .apk for debug builds

- flutter build apk --debug

Building universal .apk(s) from existing app bundle(s) with user-specified keys

If your app settings in Codemagic have building Android App Bundles enabled, we will automatically include a script for generating a signed app-universal.apk during the YAML export. If you are creating a YAML file from a scratch, add the following script to receive the .apk file(s):

- android-app-bundle build-universal-apk \
  --bundle 'project_directory/build/**/outputs/**/*.aab' \
  --ks /tmp/keystore.keystore \
  --ks-pass $CM_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD \
  --ks-key-alias $CM_KEY_ALIAS \
  --key-pass $CM_KEY_PASSWORD

Please make sure to wrap the --bundle pattern in single quotes. If the --bundle option is not specified, default glob pattern **/*.aab will be used.

More information about Android code signing can be found here.

Codemagic uses the android-app-bundle utility to build universal .apk files from Android App Bundles.

Example codemagic.yaml Flutter Android workflow

workflows:
  android-workflow:
    name: Android Workflow
    max_build_duration: 120
    environment:
      groups:
        - keystore_credentials # <-- (Includes CM_KEYSTORE, CM_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD, CM_KEY_PASSWORD, CM_KEY_ALIAS)
        - google_play # <-- (Includes GCLOUD_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_CREDENTIALS)
        - other
        # Add the above group environment variables in Codemagic UI (either in Application/Team variables) - https://docs.codemagic.io/variables/environment-variable-groups/
      vars:
        CM_KEYSTORE_PATH: /tmp/keystore.keystore
        PACKAGE_NAME: 'YOUR PACKAGE NAME' # <-- Put your package name here e.g. "io.codemagic.flutteryaml"
        GOOGLE_PLAY_TRACK: 'alpha' # <-- Any default or custom track that is not in ‘draft’ status
      flutter: stable
      xcode: latest
      cocoapods: default
    scripts:
      - name: Set up key properties
        script: |
          echo $CM_KEYSTORE | base64 --decode > /tmp/keystore.keystore
          cat >> "$CM_BUILD_DIR/android/key.properties" <<EOF
          storePassword=$CM_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD
          keyPassword=$CM_KEY_PASSWORD
          keyAlias=$CM_KEY_ALIAS
          storeFile=/tmp/keystore.keystore
          EOF          
      - name: Set up local.properties
        script: |
                    echo "flutter.sdk=$HOME/programs/flutter" > "$CM_BUILD_DIR/android/local.properties"
      - name: Get Flutter packages
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter packages pub get
      - name: Flutter analyze
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter analyze
      - name: Flutter unit tests
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter test
        ignore_failure: true
      - name: Build APK with Flutter
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter build apk --release --build-name=1.0.0 --build-number=$(($(google-play get-latest-build-number --package-name "$PACKAGE_NAME" --tracks "$GOOGLE_PLAY_TRACK") + 1))
    artifacts:
      - build/**/outputs/bundle/**/*.aab
      - build/**/outputs/apk/**/*.apk
      - build/**/outputs/**/mapping.txt
      - flutter_drive.log
    publishing:
      # See the following link for details about email publishing - https://docs.codemagic.io/yaml-publishing/email
      email:
        recipients:
          - user_1@example.com
          - user_2@example.com
        notify:
          success: true # To receive a notification when a build succeeds
          failure: false # To not receive a notification when a build fails
      slack:
        # See the following link about how to connect your Slack account - https://docs.codemagic.io/yaml-publishing/slack
        channel: '#builds'
        notify_on_build_start: true # To receive a notification when a build starts
        notify:
          success: true # To receive a notification when a build succeeds
          failure: false # To not receive a notification when a build fails
      google_play:
        credentials: $GCLOUD_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_CREDENTIALS
        track: $GOOGLE_PLAY_TRACK
        in_app_update_priority: 0

iOS builds

You can find an up-to-date codemagic.yaml Flutter iOS workflow in Codemagic Sample Projects.

Building an unsigned application .app

- flutter build ios --debug --no-codesign

Building a signed iOS application archive .ipa

Codemagic uses the xcode-project to prepare iOS application code signing properties for build.

- xcode-project use-profiles
- xcode-project build-ipa --workspace ios/Runner.xcworkspace --scheme Runner

Read more about the different schemes in Apple’s documentation.

Note: If you are using Flutter version 1.24.0-6.0 or higher, the recommended command for building an .ipa archive is flutter build ipa as shown below. Read more about it in Flutter’s documentation.

- xcode-project use-profiles
- flutter build ipa --export-options-plist=/Users/builder/export_options.plist

Example codemagic.yaml Flutter iOS workflow

workflows:
  ios-workflow:
    name: iOS Workflow
    # instance_type: mac_mini
    max_build_duration: 120
    environment:
      groups:
        - app_store_credentials # <-- (Includes APP_STORE_CONNECT_ISSUER_ID, APP_STORE_CONNECT_KEY_IDENTIFIER, APP_STORE_CONNECT_PRIVATE_KEY, CERTIFICATE_PRIVATE_KEY) - https://docs.codemagic.io/code-signing-yaml/signing-ios/
        - ios_config # <-- (Includes APP_STORE_ID)
        # Add the above group environment variables in Codemagic UI (either in Application/Team variables) - https://docs.codemagic.io/variables/environment-variable-groups/
      vars:
        XCODE_WORKSPACE: 'Runner.xcworkspace'
        XCODE_SCHEME: 'Runner'
        BUNDLE_ID: 'YOUR_BUNDLE_ID_HERE'
      flutter: stable
      xcode: latest
      cocoapods: default
    scripts:
      - name: Set up keychain to be used for codesigning using Codemagic CLI 'keychain' command
        script: |
                    keychain initialize
      - name: Fetch signing files
        script: |
                    app-store-connect fetch-signing-files $BUNDLE_ID --type IOS_APP_STORE --create
      - name: Use system default keychain
        script: |
                    keychain add-certificates
      - name: Set up code signing settings on Xcode project
        script: |
                    xcode-project use-profiles
      - name: Get Flutter packages
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter packages pub get
      - name: Flutter analyze
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter analyze
      - name: Flutter unit tests
        script: |
                    cd . && flutter test
        ignore_failure: true
      - name: Install pods
        script: |
                    find . -name "Podfile" -execdir pod install \;
      - name: Flutter build ipa and automatic versioning
        script: |
          flutter build ipa --release \
          --build-name=1.0.0 \
          --build-number=$(($(app-store-connect get-latest-testflight-build-number "$APP_STORE_ID") + 1)) \
          --export-options-plist=/Users/builder/export_options.plist          
    artifacts:
      - build/ios/ipa/*.ipa
      - /tmp/xcodebuild_logs/*.log
      - flutter_drive.log
    publishing:
      # See the following link for details about email publishing - https://docs.codemagic.io/yaml-publishing/email
      email:
        recipients:
          - user_1@example.com
          - user_2@example.com
        notify:
          success: true # To receive a notification when a build succeeds
          failure: false # To not receive a notification when a build fails
      slack:
        # See the following link about how to connect your Slack account - https://docs.codemagic.io/yaml-publishing/slack
        channel: '#builds'
        notify_on_build_start: true # To receive a notification when a build starts
        notify:
          success: true # To receive a notification when a build succeeds
          failure: false # To not receive a notification when a build fails
      app_store_connect: # https://docs.codemagic.io/yaml-publishing/app-store-connect
        api_key: $APP_STORE_CONNECT_PRIVATE_KEY
        key_id: $APP_STORE_CONNECT_KEY_IDENTIFIER
        issuer_id: $APP_STORE_CONNECT_ISSUER_ID

Web builds

- name: Build web
  script: |
    flutter config --enable-web
    flutter build web --release
    cd build/web
    7z a -r ../web.zip ./*

Windows desktop builds

Building an unpackaged Windows executable

scripts:
  - name: Build windows
    script: |
      flutter config --enable-windows-desktop
      flutter build windows --release
      cd build/windows/runner/Release
      7z a -r ../release.zip ./*      
artifacts:
  - build/windows/runner/*.zip

Creating an MSIX package for publishing to Microsoft Store

Codemagic uses the Flutter msix package for packaging the application. For publishing to the Microsoft Store, it is necessary to define certain arguments during packaging.

To pass these arguments to the packaging tool, either add the parameters to the packaging command in codemagic.yaml or add the package to your project and configure the arguments inside the pubspec.yaml file.

When defining the arguments inside codemagic.yaml, the necessary flags to add to the msix:create command are --store, --display-name, --publisher-display-name, --publisher and --version.

The values for --display-name, --publisher-display-name and --publisher can be found when when logging into Microsoft Partner Center and navigating to Apps and games > Your application > Product Identity.

The argument --display-name should be set to match the value of Package/Identity/Name, the argument --publisher should be set to match the value of Package/Identity/Publisher and the argument --publisher-display-name should be set to match the value of Package/Properties/PublisherDisplayName.

Check out how to version your package in the Microsoft documentation. Note that per Microsoft Store requirements applications are not allowed to have a version with a revision number (last digit of the version) other than zero.

scripts:
  - name: Build windows
    script: |
            ...
  - name: Package windows
    script: |
      flutter pub add msix  # this command is reduntant if you have got the msix pub package added to your project already
      flutter pub run msix:create --store --publisher-display-name=MyName --display-name=MyAppName --publisher=CN=xx-yy-zz --identity-name=com.flutter.MyApp --version=1.0.2.0      
artifacts:
  - build/windows/**/*.msix

For all the possible flags for the msix:create command, check the pub documentation. Note that when configuring the flags both in codemagic.yaml and pubspec.yaml, the ones configured in codemagic.yaml take precedence.

Testing, code signing and publishing a Flutter app

To test, code sign and publish a Flutter app:

Testing examples for a flutter app can be found here.
All iOS and Android applications need to be signed before release. Different script examples are available under the Publishing section.
All generated artifacts can be published to external services. Script examples for different options are available under the Publishing section.