Solving Token Authentication Issues in Flutter Video Streaming with HLS & DASH

The Problem

Android: ExoPlayer + Token in Segment Requests

class ResolvingDataSource(
    private val context: Context,
    private val token: String
) : DataSource.Factory {

    override fun createDataSource(): DataSource {
        val defaultDataSourceFactory = DefaultHttpDataSource.Factory()
        defaultDataSourceFactory.setDefaultRequestProperties(
            mapOf("Authorization" to token)
        )
        return defaultDataSourceFactory.createDataSource()
    }
}

// Usage:
val mediaItem = MediaItem.fromUri(videoUrl)
val dataSourceFactory = ResolvingDataSource(context, "Bearer eyJhbGciOiJI...")
val mediaSource = HlsMediaSource.Factory(dataSourceFactory).createMediaSource(mediaItem)
exoPlayer.setMediaSource(mediaSource)
exoPlayer.prepare()
exoPlayer.playWhenReady = true

iOS: AVPlayer + Token Auth via Proxy

func serveVideoLocally(from url: URL, token: String, completion: @escaping (URL) -> Void) {
    let server = GCDWebServer()

    server.addHandler(forMethod: "GET", pathRegex: "/.*", request: GCDWebServerRequest.self) { request in
        let targetURL = resolveActualSegmentURL(request: request)
        var req = URLRequest(url: targetURL)
        req.setValue(token, forHTTPHeaderField: "Authorization")

        let response = try? Data(contentsOf: targetURL)
        return GCDWebServerDataResponse(data: response ?? Data(), contentType: "video/MP2T")
    }

    try? server.start(options: [GCDWebServerOption_Port: 8080])
    let rewrittenPlaylistURL = rewritePlaylist(originalURL: url)
    completion(rewrittenPlaylistURL)
}

func playHLS(from localURL: URL) {
    let player = AVPlayer(url: localURL)
    player.play()
}

Flutter Integration: Bridging the Gap

To connect your Flutter code with the custom native ExoPlayer (Android) and AVPlayer (iOS) logic, you’ll use MethodChannels. This allows Dart code to call native functions.

• Set Up Platform Channel in Flutter
  Kotlin

  content_copy

  import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
  
  class NativeVideoPlayer {
    static const _channel = MethodChannel('com.rutu.native_video');
  
    /// Plays video with token-authenticated HLS or DASH stream
    static Future<void> playVideo({
      required String url,
      required String token,
    }) async {
      try {
        await _channel.invokeMethod('playVideo', {
          'url': url,
          'token': token,
        });
      } on PlatformException catch (e) {
        print("Error playing video: ${e.message}");
      }
    }
  }

• How to Use in Flutter UI
  Kotlin

  content_copy

  ElevatedButton(
    onPressed: () {
      NativeVideoPlayer.playVideo(
        url: 'https://yourdomain.com/secure/video.m3u8',
        token: 'Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR...',
      );
    },
    child: const Text('Play Video'),
  ),

• Android Native Code (MainActivity.kt or a dedicated platform handler)
  Kotlin

  content_copy

  private val CHANNEL = "com.rutu.native_video"
  
  override fun configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine: FlutterEngine) {
      super.configureFlutterEngine(flutterEngine)
      MethodChannel(flutterEngine.dartExecutor.binaryMessenger, CHANNEL).setMethodCallHandler {
          call, result ->
          if (call.method == "playVideo") {
              val url = call.argument<String>("url")!!
              val token = call.argument<String>("token")!!
              // Call your custom ExoPlayer setup with ResolvingDataSource
              playVideoWithToken(url, token)
              result.success(null)
          } else {
              result.notImplemented()
          }
      }
  }
  
  fun playVideoWithToken(url: String, token: String) {
      val context = this
      val mediaItem = MediaItem.fromUri(url)
      val dataSourceFactory = ResolvingDataSource(context, token)
      val mediaSource = HlsMediaSource.Factory(dataSourceFactory).createMediaSource(mediaItem)
      val player = ExoPlayer.Builder(context).build()
      player.setMediaSource(mediaSource)
      player.prepare()
      player.playWhenReady = true
  }

• iOS Native Code (AppDelegate.swift or a separate Swift file)
  Swift

  content_copy

  let controller = window.rootViewController as! FlutterViewController
  let channel = FlutterMethodChannel(name: "com.rutu.native_video", binaryMessenger: controller.binaryMessenger)
  channel.setMethodCallHandler { (call: FlutterMethodCall, result: @escaping FlutterResult) in
      if call.method == "playVideo",
         let args = call.arguments as? [String: Any],
         let urlStr = args["url"] as? String,
         let token = args["token"] as? String,
         let videoURL = URL(string: urlStr) {
  
          serveVideoLocally(from: videoURL, token: token) { localURL in
              playHLS(from: localURL)
              result(nil)
          }
      } else {
          result(FlutterMethodNotImplemented)
      }
  }

• iOS Native Code (AppDelegate.swift or a separate Swift file)
  Swift

  content_copy

  let controller = window.rootViewController as! FlutterViewController
  let channel = FlutterMethodChannel(name: "com.rutu.native_video", binaryMessenger: controller.binaryMessenger)
  channel.setMethodCallHandler { (call: FlutterMethodCall, result: @escaping FlutterResult) in
      if call.method == "playVideo",
         let args = call.arguments as? [String: Any],
         let urlStr = args["url"] as? String,
         let token = args["token"] as? String,
         let videoURL = URL(string: urlStr) {
  
          serveVideoLocally(from: videoURL, token: token) { localURL in
              playHLS(from: localURL)
              result(nil)
          }
      } else {
          result(FlutterMethodNotImplemented)
      }
  }