In the arc of work around excluding dev_dependencies-based plugins from release-mode apps, we have run into multiple snags:

1. Android Flutter apps still support the (legacy) .flutter-plugins format (deprecated since 2019)
2. We need to be able to deduce what plugins should only be hooked up/built in non-production mode

For (1), we planned to announce a deprecation, give users a flag, and upgrade our own infrastructure:

• Deprecation: https://docs.flutter.dev/release/breaking-changes/flutter-plugins-configuration.
• Flag: Add --no-emit-legacy-flutter-plugins (which does not write .flutter-plugins) #157532
• Upgrade: Update settings.gradle for example apps to remove .flutter-plugins #157660

For (2), we ran into #102983 and #73870; where the historic flutter_gen synthetic package is being now overridden by dart pub deps --json, which is being used to figure out which packages come (strictly) from dev_dependencies.

@jonahwilliams's suggestion is to change the flag (--no-emit-legacy-flutter-plugins) to --implicit-pubspec-resolution (name TBD).

The flag would imply:

1. We no longer generate .flutter-plugins
2. The flutter generate command is non-operable
3. The flutter_gen package is output as source instead of as a synthetic package with package_config.json overrides

Background

In Q4, we're updating package:integration_test support to support more native UI interaction and assertions:

1. Add and augment "native app/view" functionality
2. Allow taking screenshot on mobile devices and emulators
3. Add functionality for interacting with/dismissing permission dialogs
4. Ensure there is sufficient extensibility for external customers

There are two major arcs of work being worked on right now:

• @johnmccutchan is adding Android UIAutomator support via an integration test plugin:
  Add dependency on androidx.test.uiautomator to integration_test #157370.

• @matanlurey is making sure testing-only plugins (i.e. integration_test_plugin) are not bundled in a release of an app:
  Strip plugins created from dev_dependencies from release-mode apps #56591