# Platform Testing The first complete runtime proof was built on Windows. The next platform pass should verify the same source layout on Linux and macOS, then use macOS to prepare iOS testing without introducing JIT or writable-executable-memory requirements. ## Prerequisites Linux: - Git - Bash - Dart or Flutter on `PATH` - Go 1.23+ - Python and standard build dependencies required by Dart/Flutter - Flutter Linux desktop build dependencies (`clang`, `cmake`, `ninja`, `pkg-config`, GTK development headers) - A graphical session or `xvfb-run` for headless runtime smoke tests macOS: - Git - Bash - Dart or Flutter on `PATH` - Go 1.23+ - Xcode command line tools - Full Xcode for iOS simulator/device follow-up Android runtime validation: - Android SDK platform tools (`adb`) - Java/JDK on `PATH` for APK builds - A connected Android device or emulator - Either `adb shell run-as` access for the test package or a rooted emulator/device. The seeded runtime smoke writes directly to the test app's private updater directory; production installs normally receive patches from the updater download flow. Both platforms need network access for a fresh `git submodule update` and `gclient sync`. ## Bootstrap Linux: ```bash ./scripts/bootstrap_linux.sh ``` macOS: ```bash ./scripts/bootstrap_macos.sh ``` Useful environment variables: | Variable | Effect | | --- | --- | | `SKIP_GCLIENT_SYNC=1` | Do not run `gclient sync`. Useful when dependencies are already present. | | `SKIP_TESTS=1` | Prepare checkout only; skip Dart/Go tests. | | `DART_BIN=/path/to/dart` | Override the Dart executable. | | `FLUTTER_BIN=/path/to/flutter` | Override the Flutter executable. | | `GO_BIN=/path/to/go` | Override the Go executable. | | `RUN_IOS_SMOKE=1` | On macOS, run a no-codesign iOS build smoke check when Flutter/Xcode are available. | | `INCLUDE_ENGINE_DEPS=1` | On macOS, write the Flutter engine `.gclient` and include iOS, Android, and web/emsdk dependencies. | | `AOT_PATCH_BUILD_DIR=/path/to/build` | Override the Dart SDK AOT patch build used by the license/flavor verifier. | | `IOS_ENGINE_DIR=/path/to/ios_release` | Override the iOS engine build checked by `verify_ios_interpreter_route.sh`. | | `HOST_ENGINE_DIR=/path/to/host_release_arm64` | Override the host engine build checked by `verify_ios_interpreter_route.sh`. | | `IOS_APP_BUNDLE=/path/to/Runner.app` | Optionally verify that a reviewed app bundle does not contain a seeded patch payload. | | `IOS_IPA=/path/to/App.ipa` | Optionally verify the `Payload/*.app` inside an IPA instead of a raw app bundle. | | `IOS_PATCH_ARTIFACT=/path/to/dlc.vmcode` | Optionally verify that the patch artifact is an encrypted iOS arm64 interpreter full-snapshot artifact. | | `APP_STORE_STRICT=1` | Fail the iOS route check when App Store-inappropriate signing state, such as `get-task-allow=true`, is present. | | `ANDROID_SERIAL=` | Select the Android device used by `scripts/android_runtime_patch_smoke.sh` when more than one device is attached. | | `SKIP_ANDROID_BUILDS=1` | Reuse APKs for the Android runtime smoke instead of rebuilding; set `ANDROID_FREE_APK` and `ANDROID_PRO_APK`. | | `KEEP_ANDROID_RUNTIME_SMOKE_ARTIFACTS=1` | Keep the temporary APK/libapp extraction directory after the Android runtime smoke. | | `LINUX_RUNTIME_SMOKE_XVFB=0` | Disable automatic `xvfb-run` wrapping in `scripts/linux_runtime_patch_smoke.sh`. | | `KEEP_LINUX_RUNTIME_SMOKE_ARTIFACTS=1` | Keep the temporary Linux app copy and free/pro bundles after the Linux runtime smoke. | ## Expected Checks The bootstrap scripts run: 1. `git submodule update --init --recursive` 2. platform-specific `.gclient` generation 3. optional `gclient sync` 4. public updater sync into the Flutter engine third-party location 5. Shorebird CLI focused tests for self-hosted `base_url` behavior 6. open AOT patch tool tests 7. self-hosted server Go tests 8. license/flavor AOT verification when an AOT patch SDK build already exists. The verifier checks `AOT_PATCH_BUILD_DIR` first, then common local outputs such as `dart-sdk/xcodebuild/ReleaseARM64`, `dart-sdk/out/ReleaseARM64AotPatch`, and `dart-sdk/out/ReleaseX64AotPatch`. 9. iOS interpreter route verification when local `ios_release` and `host_release_arm64` engine args exist. This checks that `DART_DYNAMIC_MODULES` is off, the no-DDM interpreter route is on for both the device engine and host snapshotter, and the native AOT patch path is off for iOS. ## Current Coverage Status | Platform | Open patch route | Current status | | --- | --- | --- | | iOS | Encrypted Dart bytecode interpreter artifact, `DART_DYNAMIC_MODULES=false` | Verified on a real iPad on June 25, 2026; the patched app displayed `license:pro`. | | Android | Public updater binary diff `patch-*.zip` artifact with native AOT patch runtime enabled | CI builds mirror-ready patch binaries and a manual `android-engine-arm64` artifact with `dart_enable_aot_patching=true`, `shorebird_enable_aot_patching=true`, and interpreter mode off; local arm64 release APK build passed. Runtime smoke script is available, but this macOS host currently has no Android device or AVD attached. | | macOS | Public updater binary diff `patch-*.zip` artifact with native AOT patch runtime enabled | Verified locally on June 25, 2026 with a native-AOT Flutter snapshot patch; the patched app displayed `license:pro`. CI builds macOS x64/arm64 patch binaries and a manual `macos-engine-arm64` artifact with native AOT patch runtime args verified. | | Linux | Public updater binary diff `patch-*.zip` artifact with native AOT patch runtime enabled | CI builds the Linux x64 patch binary and a manual `linux-engine-x64` artifact with native AOT patch runtime args verified. The runtime smoke defaults to `linux_release_x64`; local runtime validation requires a Linux runner. | | Windows | Public updater binary diff `patch-*.zip` artifact | Previously tested; CI still builds the Windows patch binary. | | Web | Not a Shorebird CodePush release platform in this CLI/protocol | Manual CI builds `flutter-web-sdk`; local release web build passed with the matching local engine, but it is not counted as a Shorebird runtime patch test. | The open CI currently does not publish `aot-tools.dill`. That artifact belongs to the legacy native-AOT iOS linker path. The App Store-safe iOS route proven above does not use it; Android/Linux/macOS/Windows patch creation uses the public updater `patch` binary instead. ## macOS Host Smoke Results On June 25, 2026, the default source-level bootstrap path passed locally with `SKIP_GCLIENT_SYNC=1`, the workspace Flutter/Dart SDK, and network access for pub packages: ```sh SKIP_GCLIENT_SYNC=1 \ DART_BIN=/Users/tonylu/git/shorebird-workspace/flutter/bin/dart \ FLUTTER_BIN=/Users/tonylu/git/shorebird-workspace/flutter/bin/flutter \ ./scripts/bootstrap_linux.sh ``` This ran the focused Shorebird CLI tests, open patch tool tests, self-hosted server Go tests, and license/flavor AOT verifier. The AOT verifier reported: ```text AOT patch applied to license_flavor_patch_test successfully. base: license:free / pro-feature:off patch: license:pro / pro-feature:enabled ``` The same app also built successfully for macOS release with the local engine: ```sh flutter build macos --release \ --local-engine-src-path=/Users/tonylu/git/shorebird-workspace/flutter/engine/src \ --local-engine=host_release_arm64 \ --local-engine-host=host_release_arm64 \ --dart-define=LICENSE_TYPE=free ``` Output: ```text build/macos/Build/Products/Release/license_flavor_patch_test.app ``` On June 25, 2026, the macOS runtime patch path was also verified locally. The test saved a free baseline app, rebuilt the same Flutter app with `--dart-define=LICENSE_TYPE=pro`, copied the resolved pro `App.framework/Versions/A/App` Mach-O into the sandboxed updater container as: ```text Library/Application Support/shorebird/shorebird_updater/ license-flavor-patch-test/patches/1/dlc.vmcode ``` and seeded `pointers.json` plus `patches/1/state.json` for patch `1`. Launching the saved free app selected that patch path and wrote: ```text license:pro pro-feature:enabled ``` The seeded payload must be a Flutter app snapshot for this smoke. A standalone Dart verifier snapshot is loadable by the updater handoff, but it is not a valid Flutter application isolate and fails later with `dart:ui` missing. When copying from `App.framework/App`, resolve the framework symlink first (`Versions/A/App` or `cp -L`) so the updater validates the real Mach-O size rather than the symlink size. Android arm64 release also built successfully with the local Android engine: ```sh flutter build apk --release \ --target-platform android-arm64 \ --local-engine-src-path=/Users/tonylu/git/shorebird-workspace/flutter/engine/src \ --local-engine=android_release_arm64 \ --local-engine-host=host_release_arm64 \ --dart-define=LICENSE_TYPE=free ``` Output: ```text build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-release.apk ``` Android runtime validation is scripted but was not run to completion on this macOS host because `adb devices -l` returned no Android devices and `emulator -list-avds` returned no AVDs. When a target is available, run: ```sh ANDROID_SERIAL= \ ./scripts/android_runtime_patch_smoke.sh ``` The same script can be run from GitHub Actions with `workflow_dispatch` and `run_runtime_smokes=true` on a provisioned Android runner. Use `android_runtime_runner` to choose the runner label and `android_serial` to select the target device when needed. The script builds free and pro arm64 release APKs with the local Android engine, installs the free APK, verifies the visible `license:free` and `pro-feature:off` UI with `uiautomator`, extracts the pro `libapp.so`, seeds it as patch `1` under the app-private `files/shorebird_updater` directory, relaunches the free app, and verifies `license:pro` plus `pro-feature:enabled`. The seed step needs access to app-private storage. Use an emulator/device where `adb shell run-as com.example.licenseflavorpatchtest.license_flavor_patch_test` works, or a rooted emulator/device where `adb root` works. This seeded smoke is for local runtime proof; production Android patch installation should exercise the updater download path through the self-hosted server. A normal web release build succeeds when pointed at the matching local engine: ```sh flutter build web --release \ --local-engine-src-path=/Users/tonylu/git/shorebird-workspace/flutter/engine/src \ --local-engine=host_release_arm64 \ --local-engine-host=host_release_arm64 \ --dart-define=LICENSE_TYPE=free ``` Output: ```text build/web/main.dart.js ``` Running the same web build without `--local-engine` currently fails because the prebuilt `const_finder.dart.snapshot` in `flutter/bin/cache` expects a different kernel binary format than this workspace Dart SDK emits. Use the local engine when validating this workspace's web build artifacts. The self-hosted server bundle packaging was also smoke-tested locally for `darwin/arm64`: the archive was extracted, the server started with SQLite and local storage, `/health` returned `status=ok`, and `/` served the packaged dashboard HTML from the sibling `web/` directory. The server serves the checked OpenAPI contract at `/openapi.yaml`, and CI verifies that endpoint from the packaged Linux x64 archive. CI server artifacts therefore package `web/` and `openapi.yaml` next to the binary instead of uploading a bare executable. ## Linux Runtime Smoke Linux runtime validation is scripted for a Linux host: ```sh ./scripts/linux_runtime_patch_smoke.sh ``` The script copies `testapps/license_flavor_patch_test` into a temporary directory, generates the missing Linux platform scaffold there with `flutter create --platforms=linux`, builds free and pro release bundles with the local Linux engine, launches the saved free bundle, verifies `license:free`/`pro-feature:off`, seeds the pro bundle's `lib/libapp.so` as patch `1` under: ```text ~/.shorebird_cache/shorebird_updater/license-flavor-patch-test/ ``` then relaunches the saved free bundle and verifies `license:pro` plus `pro-feature:enabled`. If no `DISPLAY` is set and `xvfb-run` exists, the script uses it automatically. This macOS host cannot execute Linux desktop bundles, so this check remains a Linux-runner task. The same check can be triggered in GitHub Actions with `workflow_dispatch` and `run_runtime_smokes=true` on a provisioned Linux runner. Use `linux_runtime_runner` to choose the runner label; the runner must preserve the matching `flutter/engine/src/out/host_release` local engine output. ## iOS Preparation Notes The macOS script writes this minimal root `.gclient` by default: ```python target_os = ["mac", "ios"] ``` Set `INCLUDE_ENGINE_DEPS=1` to also write `flutter/.gclient` and include Android plus web/emsdk engine dependencies: ```python target_os = ["mac", "ios", "android"] ``` The native AOT `.vmcode` path is useful for development-device validation, but it is not the iOS App Store candidate route because it maps downloaded native snapshot text as executable memory. The iOS interpreter route keeps `DART_DYNAMIC_MODULES` disabled and uses the Dart SDK's no-DDM interpreter patch runtime mode instead of loading native AOT code directly. Real App Store or TestFlight acceptance still has to be proven through Apple's review flow. Use this gate before producing an App Store/TestFlight archive: ```sh IOS_APP_BUNDLE=testapps/license_flavor_patch_test/build/ios/iphoneos/Runner.app \ IOS_PATCH_ARTIFACT=/path/to/shorebird_updater/patches/1/dlc.vmcode \ APP_STORE_STRICT=1 \ ./scripts/verify_ios_interpreter_route.sh ``` For an exported IPA, use: ```sh IOS_IPA=/path/to/App.ipa APP_STORE_STRICT=1 \ ./scripts/verify_ios_interpreter_route.sh ``` The app-bundle/IPA check is intentionally limited to review hygiene and executable-memory risk indicators: a submitted app should not include a pre-seeded `shorebird_updater` directory or `dlc.vmcode` payload, should not request JIT or unsigned-executable-memory entitlements, and should not have `get-task-allow=true` in strict mode. When `IOS_PATCH_ARTIFACT` is set, the gate also rejects Mach-O and ELF patch files and requires the encrypted open artifact metadata to declare `runtime_mode=dart-bytecode-interpreter`, `target_os=ios`, `target_arch=arm64`, and `payload_kind=full-snapshot`. It parses the artifact as JSON and also requires the AES-256-GCM wrapper fields, base64 ciphertext, nonce/tag, key id, payload digest, and AAD digest to be present and well formed. In strict mode, the gate also rejects bundled `aot_patch_key_hex` values; production apps should provide patch keys with `FlutterDartProject.shorebirdAotPatchKeyProvider` or an equivalent app-owned key source. Real patches should arrive through the updater after the reviewed app is installed. ## iOS Device Results On June 24, 2026, a physical iPad Pro 13-inch (M4), iOS 26.5, successfully ran the license/flavor patch test in release mode with the local `ios_release` engine and `host_release_arm64` host engine. The working development proof used a free baseline app installed on device and a pro AOT Mach-O patch seeded into: ```text Library/Application Support/shorebird/shorebird_updater/patches/1/dlc.vmcode ``` The patch payload must be signed with a valid Apple development/distribution identity. An ad-hoc signed payload reached the updater but failed during executable mapping with `mmap failed Operation not permitted`. Re-signing the patch Mach-O with the Apple Development identity allowed the release app to boot from patch `1`; the updater state promoted `last_booted_patch` to `1`, and an instrumented pro payload wrote: ```text license:pro pro-feature:enabled ``` This result proves updater selection, metadata compatibility, signing requirements, and the native development path. It does not make native AOT patch execution App Store-safe. The iOS App Store candidate test target is the interpreter runtime mode (`runtime_mode=dart-bytecode-interpreter`) with `DART_DYNAMIC_MODULES` disabled. On June 24, 2026, the local `ios_release` engine also built successfully with the no-DDM interpreter configuration: ```gn dart_dynamic_modules = false dart_enable_aot_patching = true dart_enable_shorebird_interpreter = true shorebird_use_interpreter = true shorebird_enable_aot_patching = false ``` The matching host `gen_snapshot` build must also enable the no-DDM interpreter path when it is used to produce iOS AOT snapshots: ```sh flutter/tools/gn --runtime-mode=release --mac-cpu=arm64 \ --target-dir=host_release_arm64 --shorebird-interpreter \ --gn-args='dart_dynamic_modules=false dart_enable_aot_patching=true dart_enable_shorebird_interpreter=true shorebird_use_interpreter=true' ninja -C out/host_release_arm64 gen_snapshot ``` Without the host-side interpreter and AOT patch flags, the generated app snapshot can bind AOT static calls directly to base `Code` objects and omit the static-call metadata that the iOS interpreter runtime uses to enter patched bytecode. The current open-source interpreter path wires the no-DDM artifact handoff and an initial product-AOT function replacement mapper. Interpreter-mode artifacts now force and validate `payload_kind=full-snapshot`; compact interpreter diffs are rejected until runtime reconstruction exists. The engine can hand an encrypted open patch artifact to `Dart_InstallAotPatch`, decrypt it with an app-owned AES key provider, verify the decrypted payload is Dart bytecode, and install it through `Dart_ReloadBytecodePatch`. A development-only `aot_patch_key_hex` field in `shorebird.yaml` is still supported when no app key provider is configured, but strict App Store-route checks reject it. For product iOS AOT, `Dart_ReloadBytecodePatch` no longer uses stock VM reload. It reads patch bytecode as data, maps declarations to already-loaded libraries/classes/functions, and switches matched existing functions to the VM's signed `InterpretCall` stub with `Function::AttachBytecode`. This updates VM heap metadata only; it does not load native AOT patch files, map downloaded text executable, or enable `DART_DYNAMIC_MODULES`. On June 25, 2026, the no-DDM interpreter route was verified on the same real iPad. The app was built as a release iOS app with the local `ios_release` engine and `host_release_arm64` snapshotter, then installed on device: ```sh flutter build ios --release \ --local-engine-src-path=/Users/tonylu/git/shorebird-workspace/flutter/engine/src \ --local-engine=ios_release \ --local-engine-host=host_release_arm64 \ --dart-define=LICENSE_TYPE=free xcrun devicectl device install app \ --device 3289ED7F-552F-59D2-984F-AAE78463DA70 \ testapps/license_flavor_patch_test/build/ios/iphoneos/Runner.app \ --timeout 120 ``` The patch seed was copied into the app container: ```text Library/Application Support/shorebird/shorebird_updater/ ``` with these files: ```text patches/1/dlc.vmcode patches/1/state.json pointers.json state.json ``` Launching the app with that seeded patch displayed: ```text license:pro ``` This verifies the real-device interpreter patch flow for an existing-function full-snapshot bytecode payload: updater selection, artifact decryption, `Dart_ReloadBytecodePatch`, bytecode attachment, and static-call dispatch all worked in a release iOS app on physical hardware. The current release app bundle also passes the stricter pre-review route gate: ```sh APP_STORE_STRICT=1 \ IOS_APP_BUNDLE=testapps/license_flavor_patch_test/build/ios/iphoneos/Runner.app \ IOS_PATCH_ARTIFACT=/private/tmp/shorebird-seed-main/shorebird_updater/patches/1/dlc.vmcode \ ./scripts/verify_ios_interpreter_route.sh ``` This verified the generated iOS and host engine args, found no bundled `shorebird_updater` or `dlc.vmcode` payload in the app bundle, found no JIT or unsigned-executable-memory entitlement, confirmed `get-task-allow` is not true, confirmed no `aot_patch_key_hex` is bundled, and verified that the seeded patch artifact is an encrypted interpreter full-snapshot for iOS arm64. Passing a Mach-O binary as `IOS_PATCH_ARTIFACT` correctly fails the route gate. The remaining App Store/TestFlight proof is a distribution test, not a local build test: 1. Export the reviewed app as an App Store/TestFlight IPA. 2. Run the route gate: ```sh APP_STORE_STRICT=1 \ IOS_IPA=/path/to/App.ipa \ IOS_PATCH_ARTIFACT=/path/to/dlc.vmcode \ ./scripts/verify_ios_interpreter_route.sh ``` 3. Upload the IPA to App Store Connect and install it through TestFlight or the App Store. 4. Publish or seed the interpreter patch after that reviewed app is installed. 5. Relaunch the installed app and verify the app displays the patched behavior (`license:pro` for the current smoke app). This is still a runtime milestone, not a complete App Store proof. The mapper currently targets existing libraries/classes/functions only. The patch compiler must emit an interpreter payload in that compatible shape, and compact reconstruction still needs to move into the SDK before compact bytecode patches can be accepted. For encrypted interpreter tests, `shorebird.yaml` may include these top-level fields: ```yaml aot_patch_runtime_mode: dart-bytecode-interpreter aot_patch_key_id: test-key aot_patch_app_build_id: 1.2.3+4 aot_patch_base_flavor_id: free aot_patch_base_license_type: free aot_patch_flavor_id: pro aot_patch_license_type: pro aot_patch_sdk_hash: aot_patch_base_snapshot_hash: ``` `aot_patch_bytecode_path` is optional and should normally be omitted. When it is omitted, `shorebird patch ios` compiles the patch target with the Dart SDK's `dart2bytecode` snapshot and writes `build/ios_interpreter_patch.bytecode`. The generated bytecode compile forwards user `--dart-define` values, Flutter's `FLUTTER_APP_FLAVOR` define, and Flutter's standard version/revision/Dart SDK defines from `bin/cache/flutter.version.json`. It also mirrors Flutter's runtime feature flag define (`FLUTTER_ENABLED_FEATURE_FLAGS`) for enabled runtime-id features. Set `aot_patch_bytecode_path` or `SHOREBIRD_IOS_INTERPRETER_PATCH_PATH` only to override that generated payload during local experiments. Development-only local tests may also include `aot_patch_key_hex`, but reviewed iOS app bundles should not. The `license_flavor_patch_test` iOS app now provides the test AES key through `FlutterDartProject.shorebirdAotPatchKeyProvider` instead. `shorebird patch ios` now treats the interpreter route as the default iOS patch artifact path. It packages the generated or overridden Dart bytecode payload as an encrypted `open-aot-vmcode-encrypted-v1` full-snapshot artifact with `runtime_mode=dart-bytecode-interpreter`, `target_os=ios`, and `target_arch=arm64`. For production builds, provide the encryption key to the CLI with `SHOREBIRD_AOT_PATCH_KEY_HEX` and keep `aot_patch_key_hex` out of the bundled app. The legacy native-AOT iOS patch path is development-only and now requires `SHOREBIRD_IOS_NATIVE_AOT_PATCH=1`. A production App Store implementation still needs compact interpreter reconstruction and TestFlight/App Store review validation.