How to autoupdate android app without playstore? Like Facebook app or any Contest app

Question

How do apps update internally automatically without updating from playstore? I mean the internal data of app is changed (via internet) without updating from playstore. For e

Answer 1

https://github.com/bitstadium/HockeySDK-Android/blob/develop/hockeysdk/src/main/java/net/hockeyapp/android/tasks/DownloadFileTask.java#L194 has the perfect and still working implementation on opening a downloaded APK file...

   private fun install(downloadedAPK: File, context: Context) {
        val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_INSTALL_PACKAGE)
        intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(downloadedAPK),
                "application/vnd.android.package-archive")
        intent.flags = Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK

        var oldVmPolicy: StrictMode.VmPolicy? = null

        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {
            oldVmPolicy = StrictMode.getVmPolicy()
            val policy = StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder()
                    .penaltyLog()
                    .build()
            StrictMode.setVmPolicy(policy)
        }

        context.startActivity(intent)

        if (oldVmPolicy != null) {
            StrictMode.setVmPolicy(oldVmPolicy)
        }
    }