Cordova Hot Update Plugin

A Cordova plugin enabling secure remote JavaScript updates for apps distributed through app stores.

Installation

cordova plugin add cordova-hot-update

Quick Start

1. Register your app at cordova-hot-update.com
2. Get your App ID and API Key
3. Configure your app:

// Initialize the plugin
cordova.plugins.hotUpdate.initialize({
    appId: 'YOUR_APP_ID',
    apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY'
}, function() {
    console.log('Hot Update initialized');
}, function(error) {
    console.error('Initialization failed:', error);
});

// Check for updates
cordova.plugins.hotUpdate.checkForUpdate(function(result) {
    if (result.available) {
        console.log('Update available:', result.version);

        // Download and apply update
        cordova.plugins.hotUpdate.applyUpdate(function() {
            console.log('Update applied successfully');
        }, function(error) {
            console.error('Update failed:', error);
        });
    }
}, function(error) {
    console.error('Check failed:', error);
});

API Reference

initialize(options, success, error)

Initialize the plugin with your app credentials.

Parameters:

• options (Object):
  • appId (String): Your app ID from the dashboard
  • apiKey (String): Your API key from the dashboard
• success (Function): Success callback
• error (Function): Error callback

checkForUpdate(success, error)

Check if a new update is available.

Parameters:

• success (Function): Callback with update info {available: boolean, version: string}
• error (Function): Error callback

applyUpdate(success, error)

Download and apply the available update.

Parameters:

• success (Function): Success callback
• error (Function): Error callback

getCurrentVersion(success, error)

Get the currently installed update version.

Parameters:

• success (Function): Callback with version string
• error (Function): Error callback

enableErrorReporting(enable, success, error)

Enable or disable automatic error reporting.

Parameters:

• enable (Boolean): Enable/disable error reporting
• success (Function): Success callback
• error (Function): Error callback

Features

• Secure updates with Ed25519 signature verification
• Hotfix deployment to all app versions
• Access to native app version in hotfix code
• Error reporting and analytics
• Platform targeting (iOS/Android)
• Fallback to previous version on failure

How Updates Work

This plugin uses an always-fresh hotfix system:

• Always Fetch Latest: Every app launch fetches the latest hotfix from the server (no caching)
• One Active Hotfix: Only ONE hotfix exists at any time - updating replaces the old one
• Version Label: Optional label for developer tracking only (e.g., "fix-login-bug", timestamp)
• Native App Version: Automatically detected from Info.plist (iOS) or build.gradle (Android)

Important: Apps always download the current hotfix on every launch. There is no version comparison or caching.

Accessing Native App Version in Hotfix Code

The plugin automatically injects a global variable before executing your hotfix:

// This variable is automatically available in your hotfix code
console.log(window.CordovaHotUpdateCurrentAppVersion); // e.g., "1.0.0" or "1.0.1"

// Example: Version-specific hotfix logic
if (window.CordovaHotUpdateCurrentAppVersion === '1.0.0') {
    // Fix specific to version 1.0.0
    window.oldApiBugWorkaround = function() {
        // Workaround for bug only present in v1.0.0
    };
} else if (window.CordovaHotUpdateCurrentAppVersion >= '1.0.1') {
    // Enhancement for v1.0.1+
    window.newFeature = function() {
        // New functionality
    };
}

// Global fixes apply to all versions
window.criticalBugFix = function() {
    // This runs on all app versions
};

Security

All updates are:

1. Fetched from your configured source URL by our backend
2. Encrypted and signed with Ed25519
3. Verified by the plugin before execution
4. Never executed if signature verification fails

Support

• Dashboard: https://cordova-hot-update.com
• Issues: https://github.com/yourusername/cordova-hot-update/issues
• Docs: https://docs.cordova-hot-update.com

License

MIT