Godot Android In-App Update Plugin

A Godot 4.5+ Android plugin for Google Play In-App Updates using the Play Core library.
Supports both Flexible and Immediate update flows.

Author: Mayank Meena | License: MIT

Screenshot from Block Blast RPG – Puzzle Quest on Google Play, which uses this plugin.

Features

✅ Check if an update is available on Google Play
✅ Start Flexible updates (background download, user continues using app)
✅ Start Immediate updates (full-screen Google Play UI, auto-restart)
✅ Monitor download progress with signals
✅ Complete flexible updates (trigger app restart after download)
✅ Automatically resumes stalled immediate updates on app resume
✅ Exposes update staleness days and update priority
✅ Clean GDScript wrapper with typed signals

How It Works

Once integrated, the plugin will automatically handle in-app updates based on how you publish your app:

Upload Method	Update Priority	Behavior
Google Play Console (Web)	Always `0`	Shows an optional (flexible) update dialog. Users can skip or update later.
Google Play Developer API / Fastlane	`0` – `5` (configurable)	You control the priority. Use `priority >= 4` to trigger a forced (immediate) update.

Staleness-based force update: Even when uploading via the web (priority = 0), you can use staleness_days to force an update after a threshold. For example, if the update has been available for more than 7 days, trigger an immediate update — ensuring all users eventually get critical fixes.

# Example: Optional update by default, forced after 7 days
if priority >= 4 or staleness_days > 7:
    InAppUpdate.start_immediate_update()   # Force update
elif is_flexible:
    InAppUpdate.start_flexible_update()     # Optional update

Installation

Option A: Download from GitHub Releases (Recommended)

Go to the Releases page.
Download the latest release .zip file.
Extract the addons/GodotAndroidInAppUpdate/ folder into your Godot project.

Option B: Copy from the Demo Project

If you've cloned this repository, you can copy the pre-built plugin directly:

# Build first
./gradlew assemble

# Then copy the addons folder
cp -r plugin/demo/addons/GodotAndroidInAppUpdate/ /path/to/your_project/addons/

Option C: Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dcryptoniun/Godot-Android-InAppUpdate.git
cd Godot-Android-InAppUpdate

# Build
./gradlew assemble

This compiles the AAR and copies it along with the export scripts to plugin/demo/addons/GodotAndroidInAppUpdate/.

Project Structure

After installation, your project should look like:

your_project/
├── addons/
│   └── GodotAndroidInAppUpdate/
│       ├── plugin.cfg
│       ├── export_plugin.gd
│       ├── in_app_update.gd
│       └── bin/
│           ├── debug/
│           │   └── GodotAndroidInAppUpdate-debug.aar
│           └── release/
│               └── GodotAndroidInAppUpdate-release.aar

Enable the Plugin

Open your project in Godot Editor.
Go to Project → Project Settings → Plugins.
Enable GodotAndroidInAppUpdate.

Use Custom Android Build

In-App Updates require a custom Android build:

Go to Project → Install Android Build Template.
In Export → Android, enable Use Gradle Build.

Usage

Option A: Use the GDScript Wrapper (Recommended)

Add in_app_update.gd as an AutoLoad singleton (e.g., named InAppUpdate):

Go to Project → Project Settings → Autoload.
Add res://addons/GodotAndroidInAppUpdate/in_app_update.gd as InAppUpdate.

Then use it in your scripts:

extends Node

func _ready() -> void:
    InAppUpdate.update_info_received.connect(_on_update_info)
    InAppUpdate.update_status_changed.connect(_on_status_changed)
    InAppUpdate.update_check_failed.connect(_on_check_failed)
    InAppUpdate.update_flow_result.connect(_on_flow_result)

    # Check for updates when the game starts
    InAppUpdate.check_for_update()


func _on_update_info(
        is_available: bool,
        is_flexible: bool,
        is_immediate: bool,
        version_code: int,
        staleness_days: int,
        priority: int
) -> void:
    if not is_available:
        print("App is up to date!")
        return

    print("Update available! Version: ", version_code)

    # Choose update type based on priority
    if priority >= 4 or staleness_days > 7:
        # High priority or stale → force immediate update
        InAppUpdate.start_immediate_update()
    elif is_flexible:
        # Otherwise, use flexible update
        InAppUpdate.start_flexible_update()


func _on_status_changed(status: int, downloaded: int, total: int) -> void:
    match status:
        InAppUpdate.InstallStatus.DOWNLOADING:
            var percent: float = 0.0
            if total > 0:
                percent = float(downloaded) / float(total) * 100.0
            print("Downloading: %.1f%%" % percent)
        InAppUpdate.InstallStatus.DOWNLOADED:
            # Update downloaded! Prompt user or complete immediately
            print("Update downloaded! Installing...")
            InAppUpdate.complete_flexible_update()
        InAppUpdate.InstallStatus.FAILED:
            print("Update failed!")
        InAppUpdate.InstallStatus.CANCELED:
            print("Update canceled by user.")


func _on_check_failed(error: String) -> void:
    print("Update check failed: ", error)


func _on_flow_result(result_code: int) -> void:
    if result_code == InAppUpdate.RESULT_OK:
        print("User accepted update")
    else:
        print("User declined update (code: %d)" % result_code)

Option B: Use the Plugin Singleton Directly

var plugin: Object

func _ready() -> void:
    if Engine.has_singleton("GodotAndroidInAppUpdate"):
        plugin = Engine.get_singleton("GodotAndroidInAppUpdate")
        plugin.connect("update_info_received", _on_update_info)
        plugin.connect("update_status_changed", _on_status_changed)
        plugin.connect("update_check_failed", _on_check_failed)
        plugin.connect("update_flow_result", _on_flow_result)
        plugin.checkUpdateAvailable()

API Reference

Methods

Method	Description
`checkUpdateAvailable()`	Checks if an update is available. Emits `update_info_received` or `update_check_failed`.
`startFlexibleUpdate()`	Starts a flexible (background) update flow.
`startImmediateUpdate()`	Starts an immediate (full-screen) update flow.
`completeFlexibleUpdate()`	Installs a downloaded flexible update and restarts the app.

Signals

Signal	Parameters	Description
`update_info_received`	`is_available: bool, is_flexible_allowed: bool, is_immediate_allowed: bool, available_version_code: int, staleness_days: int, update_priority: int`	Emitted after `checkUpdateAvailable()` succeeds.
`update_check_failed`	`error_message: String`	Emitted when the update check fails.
`update_status_changed`	`status: int, bytes_downloaded: int, total_bytes_to_download: int`	Emitted during flexible update download/install.
`update_flow_result`	`result_code: int`	Emitted when user accepts/cancels the update dialog.

Install Status Constants

Constant	Value	Description
`STATUS_UNKNOWN`	0	Unknown status
`STATUS_PENDING`	1	Update is pending
`STATUS_DOWNLOADING`	2	Update is downloading
`STATUS_DOWNLOADED`	3	Update downloaded, ready to install
`STATUS_INSTALLING`	4	Update is being installed
`STATUS_INSTALLED`	5	Update installed successfully
`STATUS_FAILED`	6	Update failed
`STATUS_CANCELED`	7	Update was canceled

Setting Update Priority

The Update Priority (0 to 5) cannot be set via the Google Play Console web interface. It must be set at the time of publication using the Google Play Developer API.

How to set it:

Using the Google Play Developer API (Recommended for CI/CD): If you use automated tools to upload your builds, you can set the updatePriority in the Edits.tracks resource. The field is an integer between 0 (default) and 5 (highest priority).
Using Fastlane (Supply): If you use Fastlane, you can specify the priority in your Appfile or directly in the upload_to_play_store command:
```
upload_to_play_store(
  track: 'production',
  update_priority: 5
)
```
Manual Workaround (via API): If you don't have an automated pipeline, you would need to use a tool like Google API Explorer or a custom script to "patch" the release track after the build has been uploaded but before it is fully released.

What happens if I upload via the Play Console (Web)?

If you upload your app via the browser, the Update Priority will always be 0.

However, Staleness Days will still work! staleness_days indicates how many days have passed since the update became available on the Play Store, regardless of how it was uploaded. You can use this value as a fallback to force updates after a certain period (e.g., if staleness_days > 30).

Update Flows Explained

Flexible Update

Call checkUpdateAvailable() → receive update_info_received
Call startFlexibleUpdate() → Google Play shows a small consent dialog
User accepts → download happens in background
Listen for update_status_changed with status DOWNLOADED (3)
Call completeFlexibleUpdate() → app restarts with the new version

Immediate Update

Call checkUpdateAvailable() → receive update_info_received
Call startImmediateUpdate() → Google Play takes over the full screen
Google Play handles everything; app restarts automatically

Important Notes

In-app updates only work on devices with Google Play and when your app is distributed via the Play Store.
Testing locally (via USB debug) will report NOT_AVAILABLE since there's no Play Store update to compare against.
To test, upload your app to a Play Console test track (Internal Testing or Internal App Sharing), install the older version, then upload a newer versionCode.
Immediate updates are automatically resumed if the app returns to foreground while an update is in progress.

Demo Project

The plugin/demo/ folder contains a ready-to-use Godot project that demonstrates all update flows with buttons and a log panel.

./gradlew assemble
# Then open plugin/demo/ in Godot, export to Android, and test.

License

MIT License - See LICENSE for details.

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Godot Android In-App Update Plugin

Features

How It Works

Installation

Option A: Download from GitHub Releases (Recommended)

Option B: Copy from the Demo Project

Option C: Build from Source

Project Structure

Enable the Plugin

Use Custom Android Build

Usage

Option A: Use the GDScript Wrapper (Recommended)

Option B: Use the Plugin Singleton Directly

API Reference

Methods

Signals

Install Status Constants

Setting Update Priority

How to set it:

What happens if I upload via the Play Console (Web)?

Update Flows Explained

Flexible Update

Immediate Update

Important Notes

Demo Project

License

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README.md

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README.md

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Godot Android In-App Update Plugin

Features

How It Works

Installation

Option A: Download from GitHub Releases (Recommended)

Option B: Copy from the Demo Project

Option C: Build from Source

Project Structure

Enable the Plugin

Use Custom Android Build

Usage

Option A: Use the GDScript Wrapper (Recommended)

Option B: Use the Plugin Singleton Directly

API Reference

Methods

Signals

Install Status Constants

Setting Update Priority

How to set it:

What happens if I upload via the Play Console (Web)?

Update Flows Explained

Flexible Update

Immediate Update

Important Notes

Demo Project

License