Futter, a popular technology in mobile development. The ease of implementation makes this technology quickly popular and used in many applications. But if you are new in flutter, how the first step do using it? This is step by step to install Flutter and start your first application.

Prerequisites and Dependencies

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

General Requirements

Operating System:

Windows: Windows 10 or later (64-bit).

macOS: macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later.

Disk Space: At least 2.8 GB of free disk space for the Flutter SDK.

RAM: Minimum 4 GB (8 GB recommended for better performance).

Dependencies

Git:

Install Git to manage Flutter projects.

Download Git.

Java Development Kit (JDK) (for Android Development):

Required for building Android apps.

Download JDK.

Visual Studio Code:

Install Visual Studio Code as the preferred code editor.

Download Visual Studio Code.

Flutter Extensions for VS Code:

Install the Flutter and Dart extensions in Visual Studio Code for Flutter development.

Command-Line Tools:

Command Prompt or PowerShell (Windows) or Terminal (macOS).

Additional Tools:

Android Studio and Xcode (specific to your OS).

1. Setting up Flutter

Step 1: Download Flutter SDK

1. Go to the official Flutter website.

2. Navigate to the “Get started” section and select your operating system (Windows or macOS).

3. Download the Flutter SDK zip file.

4. Extract the zip file to a suitable location:

Windows: C:\flutter

macOS: ~/Documents/flutter

Step 2: Update Environment Variables

On Windows:

1. Open the Start menu and search for “Environment Variables.”

2. Click on “Edit the system environment variables.”

3. Under the “System Properties” dialog, go to the “Advanced” tab and click “Environment Variables.”

4. In the “System variables” section, find the Path variable and click “Edit.”

5. Add the path to the Flutter bin folder (e.g., C:\flutter\bin).

On macOS:

1. Open the Terminal.

2. Add Flutter to your PATH by editing your shell configuration file (.zshrc, .bash_profile, or .bashrc),

3. Reload the configuration file.

export PATH=”$PATH:`pwd`/flutter/bin”

source ~/.zshrc

Step 3: Install Required Tools

Android Studio:

1. Download and install Android Studio.

2. Open Android Studio, go to “Settings,” and install the necessary SDK tools (e.g., Android SDK, Android SDK Platform-Tools, and Android Emulator).

Xcode (macOS only):

1. Install Xcode from the Mac App Store.

2. Open Xcode and agree to the license agreement.

3. Install the Xcode command-line tools:

xcode-select –install

Step 4: Set up a Simulator

On Windows:

1. In Android Studio, open the AVD Manager (Tools > Device Manager).

2. Click “Create Virtual Device” and select a hardware profile (e.g., Pixel 5).

3. Select a system image (e.g., Android 12) and click “Next.”

4. Configure the emulator settings as needed and click “Finish.”

5. Launch the emulator by clicking the green play button in the AVD Manager.

On macOS:

1. Open Xcode and go to “Preferences” > “Components.”

2. Install a simulator for the latest iOS version (e.g., iPhone 14).

3. Open the iOS simulator by running the following command and rnsure the simulator is running before proceeding.:

open -a Simulator

Step 5: Install VS Code Extensions

1. Open Visual Studio Code.

2. Go to the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar or pressing Ctrl+Shift+X(Windows) or Cmd+Shift+X (macOS).

3. Search for “Flutter” and install the Flutter extension. The Dart extension will be installed automatically

Step 6: Verify Installation

1. Open a terminal (Command Prompt or PowerShell on Windows, Terminal on macOS).

2. Run the following command, this will check your environment and provide suggestions to fix any issues.

flutter doctor

Step 7: Create and Open a Flutter Project

1. Open a terminal in Visual Studio Code.

2. Run the following command:

flutter create hello_world

3. Navigate to the project directory:

cd hello_world

4. Open the project in Visual Studio Code:

code .

Step 8: Sync Dependencies

1. Ensure all required dependencies are downloaded by running:

flutter pub get

2. On macOS, for iOS projects, navigate to the ios folder and run:

cd ios
pod install

This will install all required CocoaPods dependencies.

3. Return to the root project directory:

cd ..

Step 9: Run the App

Connect an Android device or start the Android emulator (Windows) / iOS simulator (macOS).

Press F5 in Visual Studio Code to start debugging and run the app.

2. The “Hello World” Code

Once your project is set up, you can customize the default Flutter app to display “Hello, World!” by editing the lib/main.dart file:

import ‘package:flutter/material.dart’;

void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});

@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text(‘Hello World App’),
),
body: const Center(
child: Text(
‘Hello, World!’,
style: TextStyle(fontSize: 24),
),
),
),
);
}
}

Save the file and press F5 in Visual Studio Code to run the app. You should see “Hello, World!” displayed on the screen.

Closing

These are step by step to install Flutter for the first time. For learning from official website about how the step to install Flutter, you can go here https://flutter.dev

For understanding about the basic of state management in Flutter, follow this https://programmermumet.fly.dev/2024/12/28/learning-flutter-you-must-understand-these/

An application is a common thing to be used in this digital era. It written of line by line of codes, larger and larger, and be a whole working application. But how exactly it works? This is the simple explanation.

Overview

The journey of a single line of code to a fully functional system is a fascinating process that showcases the synergy of technology, logic, and creativity. At its core, programming starts with a simple instruction or algorithm, written in a specific programming language. This code acts as a blueprint for a computer to perform a specific task. When combined with other lines of code, it becomes part of a larger structure that can solve complex problems. Each line contributes to a small piece of the puzzle, working collaboratively to achieve a unified purpose.

Explanation with code

Once written, the code undergoes a transformation process to be understood by machines. This begins with compilation or interpretation, depending on the programming language used. Compilers translate the high-level human-readable code into machine code or binary, which the computer can execute. Interpreted languages, on the other hand, convert and execute code line-by-line in real time.

For instance, consider this Flutter example:

import ‘package:flutter/material.dart’;

void main() {
runApp(MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: Text(‘Hello Flutter!’),
),
body: Center(
child: Text(‘Hello, World!’),
),
),
);
}
}

Here, the MyApp widget provides the blueprint for the UI. The runApp function interprets this blueprint and renders it on the screen.

Integrate with services

The compiled or interpreted code is then integrated into larger systems through frameworks, libraries, and APIs. Frameworks provide predefined structures and functionalities, enabling developers to focus on building unique features without reinventing the wheel. Libraries offer reusable pieces of code to perform specific tasks, while APIs facilitate communication between different components or systems. For example, a single line of code might utilize an API call to retrieve data from a remote server:

import ‘package:flutter/material.dart’;
import ‘package:http/http.dart’ as http;
import ‘dart:convert’;

void main() {
runApp(MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: Text(‘API Example’),
),
body: Center(
child: FutureBuilder(
future: fetchData(),
builder: (context, snapshot) {
if (snapshot.connectionState == ConnectionState.waiting) {
return CircularProgressIndicator();
} else if (snapshot.hasData) {
return Text(snapshot.data.toString());
} else {
return Text(‘Error fetching data’);
}
},
),
),
),
);
}
}

Future fetchData() async {
final response = await http.get(Uri.parse(‘https://api.example.com/data’));
if (response.statusCode == 200) {
return json.decode(response.body)[‘message’];
} else {
throw Exception(‘Failed to load data’);
}
}

This snippet demonstrates how a Flutter application fetches and displays data from a server, becoming part of a larger interactive system.

Unit Testing

Testing and deployment mark the transition from code to a working system. During testing, developers ensure that the code performs as expected under various conditions and integrates seamlessly with other components. Automated testing tools and unit tests often check individual lines of code for correctness. For example:

import ‘package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart’;

int add(int a, int b) {
return a + b;
}

void main() {
test(‘Addition test’, () {
expect(add(2, 3), 5);
});
}

Here, a simple test ensures that the add function works correctly. After passing such tests, the system is deployed to real-world environments where it serves its intended purpose, whether as a mobile app, a web application, or an embedded system.

Finally, the lifecycle of a working system involves continuous monitoring, updates, and scaling. Developers often revisit the code to improve performance, fix bugs, or add new features. Through version control systems like Git, they can track changes and collaborate efficiently. Over time, what started as a simple line of code evolves into a robust, scalable system that drives innovation and serves users worldwide. This process highlights the incredible transformation that begins with a single instruction and culminates in a system capable of transforming industries and lives.

For learning more about flutter concept, follow official documentation here https://flutter.dev

Or you can follow this simple tutorial here https://programmermumet.fly.dev/2024/12/29/start-your-journey-with-flutter-here-step-by-step-to-install-flutter

New in Flutter? These are fundamental knowledge of flutter widget that you must understand to start developing an application using Flutter.