When building Flutter apps, automating repetitive tasks can save a lot of time. One such task is building an APK and renaming it with a timestamp to track different builds easily. In this tutorial, we will create a Bash script that automates this process by:
Deleting previous APKs with the same prefix.
Running the Flutter build command.
Renaming the generated APK with a timestamp.
This is especially useful for version management and organizing build artifacts efficiently.
Bash Script to Build and Rename Flutter APK
Here’s the full Bash script:
Code Explanation
1. Define Directories and Prefix
APK_DIR="build/app/outputs/apk/release/"
APK_PREFIX="makanmakan"
This sets the directory where the APK will be saved and defines a prefix (makanmakan) that will be used in the APK filename.
2. Generate a Timestamp
TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%y_%m_%d_%H_%M")
NEW_APK="${APK_PREFIX}_${TIMESTAMP}.apk"
FILE_PATH="${APK_DIR}${NEW_APK}"
A timestamp in the format yy_MM_dd_hh_mm is generated and appended to the APK filename.
3. Delete Previous APKs
echo "Deleting previous APKs matching prefix '${APK_PREFIX}'..."
find "$APK*DIR" -name "${APK_PREFIX}*\*.apk" -exec rm -f {} \;
This finds and removes old APKs that match the prefix to keep the directory clean.
4. Build the Flutter APK
flutter build apk --release --no-tree-shake-icons
This runs the Flutter build command in release mode, excluding tree-shaking for icons to prevent missing assets.
5. Rename and Move the APK
if [ -f "${APK_DIR}app-release.apk" ]; then
mv "${APK_DIR}app-release.apk" "$FILE_PATH"
echo "APK built and saved as $NEW_APK"
else
echo "Error: Flutter build did not generate an APK."
exit 1
fi
After building, the script checks if the APK exists. If so, it renames it using the timestamp. If not, an error message is displayed.
How to Use the Script
1. Create the Script File
Save the script as build_apk.sh in your Flutter project root.
2. Give Execution Permission
Run the following command to make the script executable:
chmod +x build_apk.sh
3. Run the Script
Execute the script by running:
./build_apk.sh
Conclusion
This Bash script streamlines the APK build process by automating renaming and cleanup tasks. It helps keep track of builds efficiently without manual intervention. By following this tutorial, you can enhance your Flutter development workflow with a simple yet powerful automation script.
Happy coding!
