Getting Started with Flutter: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners.

Kelechi Divine
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Published in
4 min readJul 7, 2023

Are you interested in building beautiful, cross-platform mobile applications with ease? Look no further than Flutter! With its expressive UI framework and extensive widget library, Flutter has gained immense popularity among developers worldwide. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, this blog post will guide you through the essential steps to kickstart your Flutter journey.

In this comprehensive guide, I will cover everything you need to know to get started with Flutter development. From setting up your development environment to building your first Flutter app, understanding widgets and UI design, managing app state, testing, and even deploying your app to app stores. I have got you covered!

So, if you’re ready to dive into the exciting world of Flutter and unleash your app-building potential, let’s get started on this incredible journey together. By the end of this blog post, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to create stunning mobile apps that run seamlessly on both Android and iOS devices.

Stay tuned as we embark on this Flutter adventure, where limitless possibilities await!

Setting up the Environment: Getting Started with Android Studio and Flutter

Before I dive into the exciting world of Flutter development, it’s crucial to set up my development environment properly. In this section, I will guide you through the process of installing and configuring Android Studio, which is one of the most popular and powerful IDEs for Flutter development.

Step 1: Install Android Studio:

  1. Head over to the official Android Studio website (https://shrtco.de/PTl7Px) and download the latest version of Android Studio for your operating system.
  2. Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.

Step 2(a): Install Flutter SDK(Windows and MacOS):

  1. Open Android Studio and go to the “Preferences” (macOS) or “Settings” (Windows) menu.
  2. Navigate to the “Plugins” section and search for the “Flutter” plugin.
  3. Click on the “Install” button to install the Flutter plugin.
  4. Once the plugin is installed, click on the “Apply” or “OK” button to save the changes and restart Android Studio.
  5. After restarting Android Studio, go to the “Preferences” (macOS) or “Settings” (Windows) menu again.
  6. Select the “Languages & Frameworks” or “Appearance & Behavior” section, depending on your Android Studio version.
  7. Choose “Flutter” from the sidebar and click on the “Enable Flutter SDK” checkbox.
  8. Specify the path to your Flutter SDK installation directory.
  9. Click on the “Apply” or “OK” button to save the changes.

Step 2(b): Install Flutter SDK(Linux):

  1. Open a web browser and visit the official Flutter website at flutter.dev.
  2. Click on the “Get Started” button and then select the “Linux” tab.
  3. If you prefer to use the apt package manager to install the Flutter SDK on Linux, you can follow these steps:
sudo snap install flutter --classic

4: Immediately after the download, you can follow this next step.

flutter sdk-path

In Flutter, the sdk-path refers to the path where the Flutter SDK (Software Development Kit) is located on my system. It is a configuration setting that specifies the directory where the Flutter framework is installed.

When I install Flutter, I typically extract the Flutter SDK archive to a specific location on my machine. The sdk-path is used to point to that directory so that other tools and frameworks can locate the Flutter SDK and use its resources.

Step 3(a): Install Dart Plugin(Windows and MacOS):

  1. Go to the “Preferences” (macOS) or “Settings” (Windows) menu once more.
  2. Navigate to the “Plugins” section and search for the “Dart” plugin.
  3. Click on the “Install” button to install the Dart plugin.
  4. Restart Android Studio to apply the changes.

Step 3(b): Install Dart Plugin(Linux), Debian Package:

  1. Open a terminal window.
  2. Visit the Dart SDK download page at https://dart.dev/get-dart and identify the appropriate package for your Linux distribution. Choose either the 32-bit or 64-bit version based on your system architecture.
  3. Click on the “Debian Package” link to download the package file (.deb).
  4. Once the package file is downloaded.
  5. Navigate to the directory where the package file is located using the, extract the folder.
  6. Go to the “Settings” (Andriod studio) menu once more.
  7. Navigate to the “Language and Framework” section and click on “Dart”
  8. Set the Dart path(select the package you just extracted(Debian package)).

Congratulations to you! You have successfully set up Android Studio for Flutter development. Now let’s both embark on this exciting Flutter journey.

If you found this guide helpful, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for more Flutter tutorials and development tips. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn to stay updated with the latest Flutter news and industry trends. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to send me a personal message on WhatsApp or Facebook. Let’s build amazing Flutter apps together!

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@zipdemon

LinkedIn Profile: https://linkedin.com/in/kelechi-okoroafor

WhatsApp: 09152624528

Facebook: Kelechi Divine (zipDemon)

Thank you for joining me on this Flutter journey! Your dedication and enthusiasm are what make the Flutter community thrive. Remember, as you embark on your app development adventures, stay passionate, keep learning, and embrace the endless possibilities of Flutter. Zip it now!

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