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Flutter Development Setup
From SDK Installation to Running Your First App
Flutter is a cross-platform UI framework by Google that lets you build iOS, Android, Web, and Desktop apps from a single codebase.
To start development, you need Flutter SDK, Dart SDK (auto-included), an IDE, and platform-specific tools (Xcode, Android Studio).
The flutter doctor command lets you check your environment setup status at a glance.
Implementation Steps
1
Download Flutter SDK and set PATH (flutter.dev)
2
Install Flutter/Dart plugin in VS Code or Android Studio
3
Run flutter doctor → resolve missing items (Xcode, Android SDK, etc.)
4
flutter create my_app → flutter run to launch first app
Pros
- ✓ Single codebase supports 6 platforms
- ✓ Instant change verification with Hot Reload
- ✓ Rich built-in widgets with Material/Cupertino design
Cons
- ✗ App size is somewhat larger than native
- ✗ Platform tools like Xcode/Android Studio additionally needed
Use Cases
Starting a new Flutter project
Standardizing environment during team onboarding