If your goal is to create an application from scratch, then you should know what Flutter is. This is an open-source framework from Google that you will need to start your project and get it working to distribute it on platforms like the Play Store or App Store.
In short, making an app is not an easy job, but Flutter is a program that makes the process much easier. Whether you are an experienced developer or not, in this article I explain how to use Flutter and everything you need to know about the resources it provides you for free to achieve your goals.
Ready to create your own Android or iOS app? Let’s get started!
What is Flutter and what is it for?
Flutter is used to create a high-quality free app, with a fluid and customizable user interface, which adapts to any screen size and orientation. Regarding design guidelines, the Material Design parameters for Android applications and Cupertino for iOS apps are followed.
Considering this and all the other features it offers you as a developer, Flutter makes it easy to develop quickly and iterate. In fact, it incorporates tools such as Hot Reload and Hot Restart that allow you to see changes in the code almost instantly and without losing the state of the application.
What can you do with Flutter?
According to the official Flutter page, you can make practically any type of application, from games to social networks and much more. Some examples of apps created with Flutter are:
Google Pay.
Ali Baba.
Reflectly.
Nubank.
Hamilton.
These are just some of the ones that have been created with this framework, so you probably already have an idea of the things you can do with Flutter. However, its functionalities are not limited only to the creation of mobile applications, but also to websites.
In case you want to generate applications that run in the browser, Flutter uses the Dart web compiler. With this tool, optimized code for modern pages is generated. For example, Flutter Gallery, Flutter Flow, and CodePen are applications made with this method.
How easy is it to learn Flutter?
Obviously, you don’t come to Flutter having all the necessary knowledge to carry out a project like Facebook or Instagram. As with many other programs, it requires experience with the functions it provides.
Learning Flutter can be easy or difficult depending on your level as a developer, as well as your goals and expectations about the app you want to create. However, in general, it can be said that Flutter is intuitive and requires moderate learning to start using it correctly.
Requirements: What is needed to learn Flutter?
First of all, the first thing you should know is its requirements. Of course, it mainly requires a computer, whether with a Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system and installing the Flutter SDK (development kit).
Here are some of the general Flutter requirements that your PC should have:
- Operating System: minimum 64-bit Windows 7 SP1 or higher.
- Storage: 400 MB for installation and more for saving apps.
- Tools: Windows PowerShell 5.0 or higher (preinstalled with Windows 10) or Git for Windows 2.x.
You must also have an editor or IDE compatible with the framework, such as Visual Studio Code or Android Studio. Finally, you need to have a mobile device or an emulator to test the applications you are going to create.
What programming language does Flutter use?
Flutter uses the Dart language as its programming language. It is multi-paradigm and typed, so it supports object-oriented and functional programming, as well as static and dynamic types.
Dart offers clear and concise syntax, making it easier to read and write code. Some of its most important features are:
- AOT Compilation: Generates native code for each platform, improving application performance and security.
- JIT Compilation: Capable of compiling code at runtime, so you can use Hot Reload and Hot Restart, as well as easily debug and test code.
- Reactive and asynchronous programming: used to create responsive and fluid applications that adapt to changes in data and state.
- Declarative programming: describes the user interface using widgets. These are Dart Classes that represent visual elements or the like.
How to use Flutter to build apps
If you are new to the world of programming or don’t know anything about it, I recommend that you first learn the main elements. The ideal would be to take a course until you can position yourself as an intermediate developer at least.
The reason I tell you this is because Flutter does have a coding composition that is not easy to understand if you do not know the areas of programming. Well, since I have clarified this for you, below I will show you how to create an Android app in Flutter step by step, and then how to adapt it for iOS.
Step 1: Install Flutter and its dependencies
To start developing, you need to install the framework and its dependencies on your computer. You can follow the official Flutter installation guide to achieve this. Basically, you will have to do the following:
- Download and install the Flutter SDK
- Add it to the PATH of your operating system.
- Install a code editor and configure Flutter and Dart plugins.
- Install the Android SDK and an emulator for the tests that you will do during the creation of the project.
Step 2: Create a Flutter project
Once you have everything ready, you can create your first Flutter project from your code editor by entering the following command as-is:
- flutter create your_app_name
This will generate a folder with all the files needed for your app, including the Dart source code. Here you will also see the “pubspec.yaml” file, where the dependencies and configuration of the project are defined.
Step 3: Write the code
The source code of your app is located in the lib folder. Here you will find the “main.dart” file that contains the entry point of the application. This defines a “main” function that calls the runApp method, which receives as an argument a widget that represents the user interface of the app.
When I talk about a widget, I mean a basic Flutter component. This can contain other widgets inside (like a container) that define how a part of the screen looks and behaves. Luckily, the framework offers a wide variety of predefined widgets to create complex interfaces with ease.
In this case, I will explain how to create a simple app that displays the text “Hello world” in the center of the screen. To achieve this, you must modify the widget that is passed to the runApp method with one called “Center” and you will pass another widget called “Text” as a child so that the text is displayed centered in the application.
The code would look like this:
import ‘package:flutter/material.dart’;
void main() {
runApp(
Center(
child: Text(
‘Hello World’,
style: TextStyle(fontSize: 24),
),
),
);
}
As you can see, it is very similar to web page development, only with different tags, functions, and statements.
Step 4: Test your app
To run your app, you can use this command in the console: flutter run. This will compile your code and run it on the emulator or connected device. It could also be done from your code editor if you have the Flutter plugin installed (which would be the most convenient).
Once everything compiles, you will see your app displaying the text “Hello world” in the center of the screen. Which means that the code you have put in has worked correctly. Otherwise, carry out an inspection to determine what errors have occurred and solve them.
Step 5: complement and finish your app
So far what I have shown you is only the beginning of a great project that you could achieve. From this moment on, it is all up to your creativity and effort to complete your application. However, here are some tips so that you can have a good follow-up of your work:
- Come up with a design: Find a color palette that suits your concept and make your design before coding. For this, you can use Color Hunt and Figma. With these tools, you will make your design and you will be able to preview it to see how it will look when it is ready (even without having the code).
- Divide your project work into parts: don’t get tangled or frustrated by wanting to finish quickly. Take your time and do organized work. For example, take care of the structure first, then start with the toolbar and, when you’re done, advance exponentially with the rest (just an idea).
- Consider the structure of the Back-End and Front-End: do not do both at the same time, ideally, you would do the backend first with a basic Front-End to determine the functionality of the application. Then you fix the design and everything that has to do with the Front-End.
How to adapt your app for iOS
Now, to make your Android project compatible with iOS, follow the same process as above, but adapt the app to this operating system. Therefore, you will only have to create an iOS app with the same code, following these steps:
- Install Xcode and the Flutter iOS SDK on your computer.
- Open the Runner.xcworkspace file located in the iOS folder of your Xcode project.
- Select a simulator or connect an iOS device to your computer.
- Run your app from Xcode or from the console with the command: flutter run.
This way, the project you have already done to make an Android app will have its own version on iOS. Remember that if you want to learn more about this framework, you can visit the official Flutter page to learn about all its features in detail.
Do you have any questions or concerns about what Flutter is and how it works? I await your comment and remember that you can share this article on all your social networks.
