How to download file in Android using Retrofit library?

Use @Streaming

Asynchronous

EDIT 1

//On your api interface
@POST("path/to/your/resource")
@Streaming
void apiRequest(Callback<POJO> callback);

restAdapter.apiRequest(new Callback<POJO>() {
        @Override
        public void success(POJO pojo, Response response) {
            try {
                //you can now get your file in the InputStream
                InputStream is = response.getBody().in();
            } catch (IOException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        }

        @Override
        public void failure(RetrofitError error) {

        }
    });

Synchronous

//On your api interface
@POST("path/to/your/resource")
@Streaming
Response apiRequest();

Response response = restAdapter.apiRequest();

try {
    //you can now get your file in the InputStream
    InputStream is = response.getBody().in();
} catch (IOException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

In kotlin, Do this:

In your service add method:

    @Streaming
    @GET
    suspend fun downloadFile(@Url fileUrl:String): Response<ResponseBody>

To call this method, from ViewModel:

viewModelScope.launch {
     val responseBody=yourServiceInstance.downloadFile(url).body()
     saveFile(responseBody,pathWhereYouWantToSaveFile)
}

To save file:

fun saveFile(body: ResponseBody?, pathWhereYouWantToSaveFile: String):String{
        if (body==null)
            return ""
        var input: InputStream? = null
        try {
            input = body.byteStream()
            //val file = File(getCacheDir(), "cacheFileAppeal.srl")
            val fos = FileOutputStream(pathWhereYouWantToSaveFile)
            fos.use { output ->
                val buffer = ByteArray(4 * 1024) // or other buffer size
                var read: Int
                while (input.read(buffer).also { read = it } != -1) {
                    output.write(buffer, 0, read)
                }
                output.flush()
            }
            return pathWhereYouWantToSaveFile
        }catch (e:Exception){
            Log.e("saveFile",e.toString())
        }
        finally {
            input?.close()
        }
        return ""
    }

Note:

1. Make sure your refrofit client's base url and the url passed to downloadFile makes valid file url:

Retrofit's Base url + downloadFile's method url = File url

2. Here I am using suspend keyword before downloadFile to call this from ViewModel, I have used viewModelScope.launch {} you can use different coroutine scope according to your caller end.

3. Now pathWhereYouWantToSaveFile, If you want to store file into project's file directory, you can do this:

val fileName=url.substring(url.lastIndexOf("/")+1)
val pathWhereYouWantToSaveFile = myApplication.filesDir.absolutePath+fileName

4. If you are storing the downloaded file under file or cache directory, you don't need to acquire permission, otherwise for public storage, you know the process.

This is How to DOWNLOAD file in Retrofit 2

public interface ServerAPI {
        @GET
        Call<ResponseBody> downlload(@Url String fileUrl);

        Retrofit retrofit =
                new Retrofit.Builder()
                        .baseUrl("http://192.168.43.135/retro/") // REMEMBER TO END with /
                        .addConverterFactory(GsonConverterFactory.create())
                 .build();

}

    //How To Call
public void download(){
        ServerAPI api = ServerAPI.retrofit.create(ServerAPI.class);
        api.downlload("http://192.168.43.135/retro/pic.jpg").enqueue(new Callback<ResponseBody>() {
                    @Override
                    public void onResponse(Call<ResponseBody> call, Response<ResponseBody> response) {
                        try {
                            File path = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory();
                            File file = new File(path, "file_name.jpg");
                            FileOutputStream fileOutputStream = new FileOutputStream(file);
                            IOUtils.write(response.body().bytes(), fileOutputStream);
                        }
                        catch (Exception ex){
                        }
                    }

                    @Override
                    public void onFailure(Call<ResponseBody> call, Throwable t) {
                    }
                });
}