Hi! My question is simple: I am trying to make an app for android, but only for private use with my and my friends. So I was wondering, is it at all possible to update an app for all users without using the google play store? If so, how do I go about doing that? Thanks!
Any AAB files you make will overwrite current installs. There aren’t “updates” without google play, no.
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First off, to update you need to install the updated APK of your game over the old one. This can be done over an auto-installation that is controlled by the game but this is not so easy. You need to have a database using Google’s tools or MySQL that the game will grab information from.
There are 2 ways on how you can use the database for updates.
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Every time you want to update, you set a variable in your database that the game will read. By using conditions, if for example the server/database returns the variable called “GameUpdateAvailable” = 1, Then the game will trigger a screen that says you need to update, then redirect you to a download link.
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Same as 1, but this time, if the game detects new information on the server, it will start receiving information from the server, storing it on a temporary folder in the phone. Then after it’s done, an action in the game will trigger the APK to start.
Hope this helped you! 
wow thanks! This was really helpful (:
But I do have one more question, what specific tools can you use with Google? Thanks!
Google’s Firebase or its Developer Database
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