how to add your Flutter app release to Google App Store using vs code

To publish a Flutter app on the Google Play Store using Visual Studio Code (VSCode), you need to follow several steps. Here’s a general outline of the process:

1. Prepare Your Flutter App:

- Update Version Information:
Ensure that the `versionCode` and `versionName` in your `android/app/build.gradle` file are updated appropriately.

- Update AndroidManifest.xml:
Verify that the `<application>` tag in `android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml` has a proper `label` attribute for your app.

2. Generate a Signing Key:

You need to sign your app with a private key before uploading it to the Google Play Store.

Open a terminal in your project’s root directory and run the following command:

keytool -genkey -v -keystore keystore.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias key

Follow the prompts to enter the required information.

- Place the generated `keystore.jks` file in a secure location.

3. Configure Flutter Build for Release:

• Open a terminal and run the following command to build your Flutter app for release:

flutter build apk - release

4. Configure Android App for Release:

- Navigate to the `android` folder in your Flutter project.

• Open the `gradle.properties` file and add the following lines at the end:

signingConfig.storeFile=keystore.jks
signingConfig.keyAlias=key

• Open `android/app/build.gradle` and add the signingConfig block inside the android block:

 android {
   …
   signingConfigs {
     release {
       storeFile file('keystore.jks')
       keyAlias 'key'
     }
   }
   buildTypes {
       release {
         signingConfig signingConfigs.release
         …
       }
   }
 }

5. Build the Release APK:

• Run the following command to build the release APK:

flutter build apk - release

6. Upload to Google Play Console:

-> Go to the [Google Play Console](https://play.google.com/apps/publish/).

-> Click on “Create Application.”

-> Fill in the required information and click “Save Draft.”

-> Navigate to the “Release” section and click “Create Release.”

-> Upload your generated APK file.

-> Complete the release process by providing release notes and other required information.

-> Click “Review” and then “Start Rollout to Production.”

Once the review process is complete, your Flutter app will be published on the Google Play Store.

Remember that these steps are a general guide, and you may need to adjust them based on your specific project configuration. Additionally, Google Play Console may have undergone changes, so it’s a good idea to refer to the latest documentation for any updates.