Resolving the Cleartext HTTP traffic Issue in Flutter Video Player

Описание: In this guide, we address the common error when attempting to play videos from HTTP URLs in Flutter's Video Player. We provide a clear solution to enable HTTP traffic and ensure smooth video playback.
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Resolving the Cleartext HTTP traffic Issue in Flutter Video Player

If you are developing a Flutter application that requires video playback from an HTTP URL, you might come across an issue where the video does not play, showing a black screen and an error message instead. This problem is often associated with the security settings of Android, specifically the blocking of cleartext HTTP traffic. In this guide, we'll dive deeper into this issue and provide you with straightforward solutions.

The Problem

When trying to play a video from your server, you might experience the following symptoms:

Error Message: "Cleartext HTTP traffic to your domain is not permitted."

Black Screen: Your video player may display a black screen as it fails to connect to the video URL.

Different Behavior with Other URLs: Videos from other sources (like Flutter's example video URL) play perfectly fine, indicating that the issue is isolated to your HTTP URL.

Example Scenario

You might be using a video URL in your Flutter app that looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

And facing an error with your server's video URL like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The key part of the error you might find is as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Understanding the Cause

This issue arises due to Android's security measures that restrict the use of cleartext (unsecured) HTTP connections. By default, Android 9 (API level 28) and higher disallow cleartext communication, emphasizing the use of HTTPS for enhanced security.

The Solution: Enabling Cleartext Traffic

Step 1: Allow Cleartext Traffic in your AndroidManifest.xml

To resolve this issue, you can allow cleartext traffic in your Flutter app. Here's how:

Open your AndroidManifest.xml file located at android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml.

Add the following attribute to the <application> tag:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Save the file and rebuild your project.

Important Note

While enabling cleartext traffic might solve immediate connectivity issues, it's crucial to understand that using HTTPS is recommended for production applications. If your server supports HTTPS, switch to using it instead of HTTP for better security practices.

Testing Your Changes

Once you have made these changes, test your application again:

Use the previously non-working HTTP video URL.

Check if the video now plays without any errors.

Conclusion

By addressing cleartext HTTP traffic restrictions in your Flutter application, you can effectively resolve video playback issues from server URLs. We encourage developers to consider transitioning to HTTPS endpoints for enhanced security. Happy coding and video streaming!