Providers

Use this page when the default store lookup is not enough. For example, you want your own server to decide the minimum version, or you want a backup for Google Play.

A provider answers one question: what is the newest version, and where do I get it? By default the package uses the App Store on iOS and the Play Store on Android.

A backup for Google Play

Google Play has no official way to ask for a version, so the package reads the public store page. If Google changes the page, or your app shows "Varies with device", there is no version to read and the check fails with a ParseError. It never guesses.

Add your own JSON as a backup:

import { UpdatePrompt, chain, jsonProvider, playStore } from '@axonpack/in-app-updates';
import { Platform, Text, View } from 'react-native';

const provider = Platform.OS === 'android'
  ? chain(playStore, jsonProvider({ url: 'https://example.com/version.json' }))
  : 'appStore';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <View style={{ flex: 1 }}>
      <Text>My app</Text>
      <UpdatePrompt provider={provider} />
    </View>
  );
}

New builds with the same version name

The Play page shows only the version name. If you ship a hotfix with the same name and a higher versionCode, the page looks unchanged. When the optional Play in-app update module is installed, the provider also asks Play for its availableVersionCode, and uses it as the build number. Your installed versionCode is read from expo-application, and the two are compared as numbers. If Play does not answer in time, or the module is missing, the check works as before, from the page alone.

Your own JSON

Host a file like this anywhere:

{
  "latestVersion": "2.1.0",
  "minimumVersion": "2.0.0",
  "storeUrl": "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.example.app",
  "releaseNotes": "Faster start. Bug fixes.",
  "required": false
}

Only latestVersion is needed. To give iOS and Android different values, nest them:

{
  "ios": { "latestVersion": "2.1.0" },
  "android": { "latestVersion": "2.0.4", "minimumVersion": "2.0.0" }
}

For any other shape, tell the package how to read it with parse:

import { jsonProvider } from '@axonpack/in-app-updates';

export const provider = jsonProvider({
  url: 'https://example.com/config',
  headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer your-token' },
  parse: (json) => ({
    version: json.app.currentVersion,
    minimumVersion: json.app.minimum,
  }),
});

Network settings

Answers from your own providers are never remembered, because the package cannot tell when they change.

Next: Version formats