How to create your first simple mobile application with Flutter
Learn how to create your first simple mobile application using Flutter, a powerful and versatile framework for building cross-platform apps. In this tutorial, you will discover step-by-step instructions to quickly build a basic mobile app in under 15 minutes. Start your app development journey with Flutter today!
Flutter is a popular open-source mobile application development framework developed by Google. It allows you to create high-performance and visually appealing mobile applications for both Android and iOS platforms with a single codebase. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating your first simple mobile application with Flutter in under 15 minutes.
If despite these explanations you have difficulty creating your first application, register on Univext and book a lesson. Our teachers will be able to help you!
Step 1: Install Flutter and its dependencies
Installing Flutter and its dependencies is the first step in creating your first Flutter application. Flutter requires the latest version of the Flutter SDK and the Dart SDK to be installed on your computer. The following steps will guide you through the installation process.
Install Android Studio or Xcode
Flutter requires either Android Studio or Xcode to be installed on your computer. You can download Android Studio from the official website, and Xcode from the App Store.
Download the Flutter SDK
Go to the Flutter website and download the latest version of the Flutter SDK. Extract the zip file to a location of your choice, and add the Flutter bin directory to your PATH environment variable.
Install the Dart SDK
The Dart SDK is included with the Flutter SDK, and you do not need to install it separately.
Verify the installation
Open the terminal and run the following command to verify the installation:
flutter doctor
This command will check for any missing dependencies and give you instructions on how to install them.
Now you are ready to create your first Flutter application!
Step 2: Create a new Flutter project
Creating a new Flutter project is the first step in developing a mobile application with Flutter. The following steps will guide you through the process of creating a new Flutter project.
Open the terminal
Open the terminal on your computer.
Create a new Flutter project
Run the following command in the terminal to create a new Flutter project:
flutter create myapp
Replace "myapp" with the name of your project. This will create a new Flutter project in a folder with the same name.
Navigate to the project directory
To navigate to the project directory, run the following command:
cd myapp
Congratulations! You have successfully created a new Flutter project. You can now start modifying the code and building your mobile application.
Step 3: Run the project on an emulator or a physical device
After creating your Flutter project, you can run it on an emulator or a physical device. The following steps will guide you through the process.
Connect the physical device or start an emulator
If you want to run the application on a physical device, connect the device to your computer and make sure it is recognized by your computer. If you want to run the application on an emulator, start the emulator from your IDE.
Open the terminal
Open the terminal on your computer.
Navigate to the project directory
To navigate to the project directory, run the following command:
cd myapp
Run the Flutter project
Run the following command in the terminal to run the Flutter project:
flutter run
Verify the device
Verify that the device you want to run the application on is selected in the terminal. If not, use the following command to select the device:
flutter run -d <device-id>
Replace <device-id> with the ID of the device you want to run the application on.
You have successfully run your Flutter project on an emulator or a physical device. You can now start making changes to the code and see the changes reflected on the device.
Step 4: Modify the main.dart file
The main.dart file is the starting point of your Flutter application. By default, it contains a simple "Hello, World!" text displayed on the screen. In this file, you can modify the look and behavior of your application. The following steps will guide you through the process of modifying the main.dart file.
Open the main.dart file
Open the main.dart file in your IDE.
Modify the code
In the main.dart file, you will see the default code generated by Flutter. You can modify this code to change the look and behavior of your application.
For example, you can change the text that is displayed on the screen by modifying the following line:
Text('Hello, World!'),
Save the changes
Save the changes you made to the main.dart file.
Now you can continue making changes to the code and experimenting with different design elements to create the perfect mobile application.
Step 5: Test the application
After making changes to the main.dart file, you can test the Flutter application to ensure that the changes have been made correctly. Run the application again using the command "flutter run". Observe the changes you made to the main.dart file on the device. You should see all the changes you made to the text, design, or behavior of the application.
Testing is an important part of the development process and helps you ensure that your Flutter application works as expected. It also helps you catch issues early and makes the development process smoother and more efficient.
Congratulations! You have successfully created your first simple mobile application with Flutter in under 15 minutes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Flutter is a powerful framework that allows you to create visually appealing and high-performance mobile applications with ease. The process of creating your first simple mobile application with Flutter is straightforward and can be completed in under 15 minutes. With the knowledge you have gained in this article, you can continue to explore and experiment with Flutter to build more complex and sophisticated applications.
If you have difficulties and you do not understand certain concepts or procedures, our teachers are waiting for you on Univext. They are there to help and support you! Register on Univext and book your first Flutter lesson!
