Live Updates

# 1) Configure the Live Update plugin
# npm install @capacitor/live-updates
# npx cap sync

# capacitor.config.ts
# import { CapacitorConfig } from '@capacitor/cli';
# const config: CapacitorConfig = {
#   appId: 'au.com.example.shop',
#   appName: 'Shop',
#   webDir: 'www',
#   plugins: {
#     LiveUpdates: {
#       appId: '<APPFLOW_APP_ID>',
#       channel: 'production',        // or 'preview', 'qa'
#       autoUpdateMethod: 'background',
#       maxVersions: 2,
#     }
#   }
# };
# export default config;

# 2) Initialise the plugin on app start
# main.ts
import { LiveUpdates } from '@capacitor/live-updates';
import { Capacitor } from '@capacitor/core';

async function checkForUpdates() {
  if (Capacitor.getPlatform() === 'web') return;     // no-op in browser dev

  const result = await LiveUpdates.sync();
  if (result.activeApplicationPathChanged) {
    // New bundle is downloaded; reload on next opportunity
    await LiveUpdates.reload();
  }
}

document.addEventListener('deviceready', checkForUpdates);

# 3) Build + deploy from Appflow
# Connect your git repo to Appflow.
# Appflow builds your web bundle on every push, hosts the result, and serves
# matching binaries via the configured channel.

# OR via CLI:
# ionic build --prod
# ionic deploy

# 4) Channels = environments
# - 'production'   live users
# - 'qa'           internal testers
# - 'preview'      stakeholders + the dogfooding channel

# Promote a build by changing the channel mapping in Appflow Web UI.
# No code change, no rebuild.

# 5) Pin builds to binaries with Live Update 'binding'
# In Appflow, every binary build records the JS bundle version it shipped with.
# A JS bundle deploys ONLY to binaries whose native version is compatible
# (much like Expo's runtimeVersion). Bump the native version when you change
# native code.

# 6) Roll back instantly
# Appflow keeps the last N bundles per channel. Change the active build to
# the previous one; devices fetch it on next launch.
# Add UI for forced reload on rollback:
#   await LiveUpdates.reload();

# 7) Per-user opt-in / rollouts
# Use a remote-config style flag in your app (or Appflow's percentage rollout)
# to gate the bundle download for a subset of users.

# 8) When NOT to live-update
# - You added a native plugin or modified Info.plist / AndroidManifest
# - You bumped Capacitor / a major native dependency
# - The change touches code that the store reviewed for the binary listing
#   (e.g. moves an external link behind an in-app paywall — Apple guidelines)

# 9) Observability
# - Crashlytics on the bundle version (set a custom key 'js_version')
# - Alert on a sudden spike in JS errors after a deploy
# - Stage rollouts: 10% -> 25% -> 100% on the 'production' channel

# 10) Open-source alternative
# Capgo / capacitor-updater is a community OTA solution if you do not want
# Appflow. Same shape: a hosted bundle, a plugin in the app, a channel.

# 11) Decision tree
# - Web bundle / JS-only fix             -> Live Update
# - Native plugin added                  -> Rebuild + store release
# - Major Capacitor / dependency bump    -> Rebuild + store release
# - Marketing copy in JSON               -> Live Update (or Remote Config)

# Ionic Live Updates ship JS-only fixes without store re-submission.
ionic deploy build
ionic deploy add --channel production