Other methods of android Github updates.

[S7venLights]

Firstly, thanks for making Obtanium and giving it such a cool name. Until now I've been using Octodroid https://www.f-droid.org/packages/com.gh4a/ with a Github account to get github updates. If you login on a PC there's a way to use Githubs 'Watch' feature where you only watch for releases. Then Octodroid notifies me of releases.

Disadvantages:

• It takes 8 clicks to update 1 app and some cleanup time for the downloaded APKs and time to choose the APK.
• It doesn't seem to be maintained or developed frequently.
• Requires a Github account for notifications which could be less anonymous.
• Only Github releases can be followed

Advantages:

• Lets you interact with app developers (EG I'm writing this issue with Octodroid now).
• You can follow projects without APK releases and stay up to date with their projects.
• Works without account (With limited features)
• Modernish SDK

Maybe you can combine obtaniums features with octodroids to have the best of both?

Other alternatives:

• FastHub-RE (Haven't tested yet)
• Accrescent (New secure & private app store in early developement) https://accrescent.app
• Graphene OS's own app store which could be extended to support more apps.

[ImranR98]

Obtainium is mainly for app updates, interacting with the project etc is kind of out of scope.

Regarding the modern SDK, yeah it's annoying not being able to do background updates, but I'm not a native Android dev so sadly limited to what Flutter plugins are available for now.

Also yes, keeping an eye on Accrescent 👀 it could really be the F-droid replacement the FOSS ecosystem needs

[jonaharagon]

This app is nearly exactly what I was just looking for, except I need unattended/background updates. I'm not an Android dev, what exactly would be required for you to be able to add this feature? I'm almost tempted to hire an Android dev that could build a Flutter plugin that would work for this project, because that would make this the perfect app updater 🤔

At a glance though, it seems like replacing install_plugin_v2 with flutter_install_app would provide the functionality you're looking for, is there a reason this plugin couldn't be used?

• Without user action (Android 12 or higher):

If set, user action will not be required when all of the following conditions are met:

• The app being installed targets API 30 or higher and is running on Android 12 or higher:
• The app is the installer of record of an existing version of the app (in other words, this install session is an app update) or the installer is updating itself.
• The installer declares the UPDATE_PACKAGES_WITHOUT_USER_ACTION permission.

AppInstaller.installApk('/sdcard/apk/app-debug.apk', actionRequired: false);

https://pub.dev/packages/flutter_install_app

[ImranR98]

Thanks for finding this. I tried a few different plugins, but not this one probably because it's in the second page of search results. Have made a separate issue for this, hopefully this plugin will work.

[jonaharagon]

I just searched for "UPDATE_PACKAGES_WITHOUT_USER_ACTION", hope it works 🤞

[S7venLights]

Neostore and Droidify can do unattended updates using something called shizuki if I remember correctly.
They say it uses android APIs to achieve install.