Presentum: A Declarative Presentation Engine for Flutter

Presentum is a declarative Flutter engine for building dynamic, conditional UI at scale. It helps you manage campaigns, app updates, special offers, tips, notifications and so much more with clean, testable, type-safe code.

Modern apps need personalized, adaptive experiences: show the right message to the right user at the right time, with impression limits, cooldowns, A/B testing, and analytics. Presentum handles all of that.

Instead of spreading show/hide logic across your widgets, you describe what should be shown as data, and Presentum’s engine, guards, and outlets handle where, when, and how it appears.

📚 Full Documentation · 🚀 Quick Start

The problem

Most apps manage presentations by mixing logic across widgets and state managers:

// ❌ Violates SOLID, doesn't scale, hard to test
class HomeScreen extends StatefulWidget {
  @override
  State<HomeScreen> createState() => _HomeScreenState();
}

class _HomeScreenState extends State<HomeScreen> {
  bool _showBanner = false;
  Campaign? _campaign;

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _checkEligibility();
  }

  Future<void> _checkEligibility() async {
    final count = await prefs.getInt('banner_count') ?? 0;
    final lastShown = await prefs.getInt('banner_last_shown');

    final withinTimeRange =
            DateTime.now().difference(DateTime.prase(lastShown)).inHours > 24;
    if (count < 3 && (lastShown == null || withinTimeRange)) {
      final campaign = await fetchCampaign();
      if (campaign case final campaign?
          when campaign.isActive && !userIsPremium) {
        setState(() {
          _showBanner = true;
          _campaign = campaign;
        });
      }
    }
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Column(
      children: [
        if (_campaign case final campaign? when _showBanner)
          BannerWidget(
            campaign: _campaign,
            onClose: () => _handleDismiss(),
          ),
        // other content
      ],
    );
  }
}

This doesn't scale. With multiple presentation types, surfaces, eligibility rules, and A/B tests, complexity grows fast.

The solution

Presentum separates what (payloads), when (guards), where (surfaces), and how (outlets):

// ✅ Declarative, testable, maintainable

// 1. Define domain data
class CampaignPayload extends PresentumPayload<AppSurface, CampaignVariant> {
  final String id;
  final int priority;
  final Map<String, Object?> metadata;
  final List<PresentumOption<AppSurface, CampaignVariant>> options;
  // Extend as needed, add whatever else you might need...
}

// 2. Define logic in guards
class CampaignGuard extends PresentumGuard<CampaignItem, AppSurface> {
  @override
  FutureOr<PresentumState<CampaignItem, AppSurface>> call(
    storage, history, state, candidates, context,
  ) async {
    for (final candidate in candidates) {
      // Check impression count
      final count = await storage.getShownCount(
        candidate.id,
        surface: candidate.surface,
        variant: candidate.variant,
      );
      if (count >= 3) continue;

      // Check cooldown
      final lastShown = await storage.getLastShown(
        candidate.id,
        surface: candidate.surface,
        variant: candidate.variant,
      );
      if (lastShown case final lastShown?) {
        final hoursSince = DateTime.now().difference(lastShown).inHours;
        if (hoursSince < candidate.cooldownHours) continue;
      }

      // Check user eligibility
      if (!await _isEligible(candidate)) continue;

      // All checks passed
      state.setActive(candidate.surface, candidate);
    }
    return state;
  }
}

// 3. Display widget with built-in outlet
class HomeTopBannerOutlet extends StatelessWidget {
  const HomeTopBannerOutlet({
    super.key,
  });

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return PresentumOutlet<CampaignItem, AppSurface>(
      surface: AppSurface.homeTopBanner,
      builder: (context, item) {
        return BannerWidget(
          campaign: item.payload,
          onClose: () => context
              .presentum<CampaignItem, AppSurface>()
              .markDismissed(item),
        );
      },
    );
  }
}

All eligibility logic is centralized. The outlet renders. The payload is data. Guards contain business rules. Everything is testable.

How it works

Presentum coordinates the flow between your data sources, eligibility rules, and UI:

1. Data Fetching: Your app fetches candidates from Supabase, Firebase Remote config, APIs, or local sources
2. Engine Processing: The Presentum Engine receives candidates and runs eligibility checks through guards
3. State Management: Engine updates state, manages slots per surface, and tracks history/transitions
4. UI Rendering: Outlets render active items based on current state
5. User Interaction: Users interact with presented items (dismiss, convert, etc.)
6. Event Recording: Storage layer records all user interactions and state changes
7. Re-evaluation: Guards re-evaluate eligibility as needed based on new data or interactions

What you can build

This, and so much more:

App updates & maintenance Force update dialogs (Shorebird, CodePush) Optional update prompts Maintenance mode notices Changelog announcements	Marketing & promotions Special offers with discount codes Limited-time sales Seasonal campaigns Multi-variant A/B tests
User onboarding Feature discovery tips Contextual tutorials Progressive disclosure Completion tracking	In-app messaging User-specific promotions Survey requests Upgrade prompts for premium features Time-sensitive alerts

Presentum handles ANY condition you need:

• User segments (premium, free, trial)
• Geographic location (country, region, city)
• App version (force update for old versions)
• Device type (phone, tablet, platform)
• OS type (iPhone, Android, Web)
• User behavior (purchase history, usage patterns)
• Time-based rules (holidays, business hours)
• A/B test groups
• Feature flags (is_active)
• Custom business logic

The engine is flexible and scalable - if you can write a rule for it, Presentum can handle it. The only limit is your imagination.

Installation

Add Presentum to your pubspec.yaml:

dart pub add presentum

Core concepts

Surfaces

Where presentations appear. Named locations in your UI:

enum AppSurface with PresentumSurface {
  homeTopBanner,      // Top of home screen
  watchlistHeader,    // Watchlist header area
  profileAlert,       // Profile page alert
  popup,              // Modal overlay dialogs
}

Payloads

What you want to show. Your domain objects:

class CampaignPayload extends PresentumPayload<AppSurface, CampaignVariant> {
  final String id;
  final int priority;
  final Map<String, Object?> metadata;
  final List<PresentumOption<AppSurface, CampaignVariant>> options;
}

Example: Production campaign payload with JSON serialization

Options

How payloads appear, with constraints:

class CampaignPresentumOption
    extends PresentumOption<CampaignSurface, CampaignVariant> {
  final CampaignSurface surface;
  final CampaignVariant variant;
  final bool isDismissible;
  final int? stage;
  final int? maxImpressions;
  final int? cooldownMinutes;
  final bool alwaysOnIfEligible;
}

CampaignPresentumOption(
  surface: AppSurface.homeTopBanner,
  variant: CampaignVariant.banner,
  maxImpressions: 3,       // Show at most 3 times
  cooldownMinutes: 1440,   // Wait 24h between shows
  isDismissible: true,     // User can close it
)

Outlets

Rendering widgets. Just UI code:

class MyOutlet extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyOutlet({
    required this.surface,
    super.key,
  });

  final MySurface surface;

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return PresentumOutlet<MyItem, MySurface>(
      surface: surface,
      builder: (context, item) {
        return MyWidget(item);
      },
    );
  }
}

Example: Popup host for dialog presentations

How to present

Use the context.presentum.setState((state) => ...) method as a basic presentum method.

And realize any presentum logic inside the callback as you please.

context.presentum.setState((state) {
  state.setActive(AppSurface.homeTopBanner, campaignItem);
  state.enqueue(AppSurface.profileAlert, alertItem);
  return state;
});

You can truly do anything you want. Just change the state, slots, active items, and queues as you please. Everything is in your hands and just works fine, that's a declarative approach as it should be.

However, guards should be your primary tool for scheduling presentations, removing ineligible items, periodic refreshes, and complex eligibility rules. Use direct state changes when you need a very explicit controll.

Guards

Guards are a powerful tool for controlling presentations. They allow you to check the state and mutate/filter items based on eligibility rules. For example, you can check user preferences, storage, history, impression limits, cooldowns, or A/B test segments to determine what should be shown.

Examples:

1. Scheduling guard with priority and sequencing
2. Remove ineligible campaigns guard
3. Sync state with candidates guard

Eligibility system

Build complex eligibility checks using conditions, rules, and extractors:

// Define eligibility conditions
final eligibility = AllOfEligibility(conditions: [
  TimeRangeEligibility(
    start: DateTime(2025, 1, 1),
    end: DateTime(2025, 12, 31),
  ),
  AnySegmentEligibility(
    contextKey: 'user_segments',
    requiredSegments: {'premium', 'verified'},
  ),
  NumericComparisonEligibility(
    contextKey: 'app_version',
    comparison: NumericComparison.greaterThanOrEqual,
    threshold: 2.0,
  ),
]);

// Create resolver with standard rules
final resolver = DefaultEligibilityResolver(
  rules: createStandardRules(),
  extractors: [
    TimeRangeExtractor(),
    AnySegmentExtractor(),
    NumericComparisonExtractor(),
  ],
);

// Evaluate in your guard
final context = {
  'user_segments': {'premium', 'trial'},
  'app_version': 2.1,
};

final isEligible = await resolver.isEligible(candidate.payload, context);
if (isEligible) {
  state.setActive(candidate.surface, candidate);
}

Transition observers

React to state changes with comprehensive diff snapshots. Useful for integrating with BLoC, Provider, or other state management:

class StateChangeObserver implements IPresentumTransitionObserver<Item, Surface, Variant> {
  StateChangeObserver(this.bloc);

  final MyBloc bloc;

  @override
  FutureOr<void> call(PresentumStateTransition<Item, Surface, Variant> transition) {
    final diff = transition.diff;

    // Fire events to your business logic layer
    for (final change in diff.activated) {
      bloc.add(PresentationActivated(change.item, change.surface));
    }

    for (final change in diff.deactivated) {
      bloc.add(PresentationDeactivated(change.item, change.surface));
    }

    for (final change in diff.queued) {
      bloc.add(PresentationQueued(change.item, change.surface));
    }
  }
}

presentum = Presentum(
  storage: storage,
  guards: guards,
  transitionObservers: [StateChangeObserver(myBloc)],
);

Event system

Capture user interactions with a flexible event system:

// Built-in events: PresentumShownEvent, PresentumDismissedEvent, PresentumConvertedEvent

// Create custom event handlers
class AnalyticsEventHandler implements IPresentumEventHandler<Item, Surface, Variant> {
  AnalyticsEventHandler(this.analytics);

  final AnalyticsService analytics;

  @override
  FutureOr<void> call(PresentumEvent<Item, Surface, Variant> event) {
    switch (event) {
      case PresentumShownEvent(:final item, :final timestamp):
        analytics.logImpression(item.id, timestamp);
      case PresentumDismissedEvent(:final item, :final timestamp):
        analytics.logDismissal(item.id, timestamp);
      case PresentumConvertedEvent(:final item, :final timestamp, :final conversionMetadata):
        analytics.logConversion(item.id, timestamp, conversionMetadata);
    }
  }
}

// Register event handlers
presentum = Presentum(
  storage: storage,
  guards: guards,
  eventHandlers: [
    PresentumStorageEventHandler(storage: storage), // Built-in storage handler
    AnalyticsEventHandler(analyticsService),
    // Add more handlers as needed
  ],
);

// Manually add custom events
await context.presentum.addEvent(MyCustomEvent(item: item, timestamp: DateTime.now()));

Auto-tracking widgets

Widgets that automatically call markShown when widget renders and persists showed value in PageStorage to prevent any redundant calls:

TrackedWidget(
  presentum: presentum,
  item: campaignItem,
  trackVisibility: true,
  builder: (context) => MyCampaignWidget(),
)

State structure

Under the hood, Presentum manages state as a map of slots, where each slot represents one surface in your app.

Imagine you have three surfaces in your app showing different presentations:

homeTopBanner
├─ active: Campaign "Black Friday Sale" (priority: 100)
└─ queue: [
     Campaign "New Year Promo" (priority: 80),
     Tip "Swipe to refresh" (priority: 50)
   ]

profileAlert
├─ active: AppUpdate "Version 2.0 Available" (priority: 200)
└─ queue: []

settingsNotice
├─ active: null
└─ queue: [
     Tip "Enable notifications" (priority: 60)
   ]

Let's create the following state to represent our expectations:

final state = PresentumState$Immutable<CampaignItem, AppSurface, CampaignVariant>(
  intention: PresentumStateIntention.auto,
  slots: {
    AppSurface.homeTopBanner: PresentumSlot(
      surface: AppSurface.homeTopBanner,
      active: CampaignItem(
        payload: CampaignPayload(
          id: 'black-friday-2025',
          priority: 100,
          metadata: {
            'title': 'Black Friday Sale',
            'discount': '50%',
            'expiresAt': '2025-11-30T23:59:59Z',
          },
          options: [
            CampaignOption(
              surface: AppSurface.homeTopBanner,
              variant: CampaignVariant.banner,
              maxImpressions: 5,
              cooldownMinutes: 1440,
              isDismissible: true,
            ),
          ],
        ),
        option: CampaignOption(/* ... */),
      ),
      queue: [
        CampaignItem(
          payload: CampaignPayload(
            id: 'new-year-promo-2026',
            priority: 80,
            metadata: {
              'title': 'New Year Promo',
              'discount': '30%',
            },
            options: [/* ... */],
          ),
          option: CampaignOption(/* ... */),
        ),
        TipItem(
          payload: TipPayload(
            id: 'tip-swipe-refresh',
            priority: 50,
            metadata: {
              'title': 'Swipe to refresh',
              'description': 'Pull down to see latest updates',
            },
            options: [/* ... */],
          ),
          option: TipOption(/* ... */),
        ),
      ],
    ),
    AppSurface.profileAlert: PresentumSlot(
      surface: AppSurface.profileAlert,
      active: AppUpdateItem(
        payload: AppUpdatePayload(
          id: 'app-update-2.0',
          priority: 200,
          metadata: {
            'version': '2.0.0',
            'isForced': false,
            'releaseNotes': 'New features and improvements',
          },
          options: [/* ... */],
        ),
        option: AppUpdateOption(/* ... */),
      ),
      queue: [],
    ),
    AppSurface.settingsNotice: PresentumSlot(
      surface: AppSurface.settingsNotice,
      active: null,  // Nothing currently shown
      queue: [
        TipItem(
          payload: TipPayload(
            id: 'tip-enable-notifications',
            priority: 60,
            metadata: {
              'title': 'Enable notifications',
              'description': 'Stay updated with important alerts',
            },
            options: [/* ... */],
          ),
          option: TipOption(/* ... */),
        ),
      ],
    ),
  },
);

Each slot is a container for one surface with:

PresentumSlot<TItem, S, V> {
  final S surface;           // Where it appears
  final TItem? active;       // What's showing now
  final List<TItem> queue;   // What's waiting
}

When you dismiss the active item, the next queued item automatically becomes active:

Before dismissing an item:

homeTopBanner
├─ active: "Black Friday Sale"
└─ queue: ["New Year Promo", "Swipe to refresh"]

After dismissing or ineligibility removal:

homeTopBanner
├─ active: "New Year Promo"  <- Promoted from queue
└─ queue: ["Swipe to refresh"]

This happens automatically via state.clearActive(surface) or when you call context.presentum.markDismissed(item).

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for release notes.

License

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

Maintainers

• Emil Zulufov (@itsezlife)

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