Flutter Course: 2.3 Installing Android Studio

Flutter is a UI toolkit developed by Google that allows you to create iOS and Android apps simultaneously from a single codebase. In this article, we will explore the development environment that is absolutely necessary for Flutter development, especially how to install Android Studio.

Introduction to Android Studio

Android Studio is the official IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for Android development, built on JetBrains’ IntelliJ IDEA. It offers a variety of features such as a code editor, debugging tools, performance analysis tools, and Android Virtual Device (AVD), making it very useful.

Prerequisites for Installing Android Studio

Before installing Android Studio, you need to prepare a few things:

  • You should be using Windows, macOS, or Linux operating systems. You can download the installation files suitable for each OS.
  • A minimum of 8GB of RAM is recommended. If you plan to use virtual devices, it’s better to have more RAM available.
  • A reliable internet connection is required for Android Studio installation.

Installing Android Studio

Below are the installation methods for Android Studio for each operating system.

1. Installing Android Studio on Windows

  1. Go to the Android Studio website (developer.android.com/studio).
  2. Download the Windows installation file and run the installer.
  3. Follow the installation wizard by clicking ‘Next’ to proceed with the installation. It is common to select the ‘Standard’ installation option.
  4. Once the installation is complete, launch Android Studio.
  5. Upon first launch, an option to download the SDK and required components will be provided. This process requires an internet connection, so make sure to prepare beforehand.

2. Installing Android Studio on macOS

  1. Visit the Android Studio website and download the macOS installation file.
  2. Open the downloaded DMG file and drag the ‘Android Studio’ icon to the Applications folder to copy it.
  3. Run Android Studio from the Applications folder. If a security warning appears on the first launch, click ‘Open’.
  4. You will be guided through the process of downloading the necessary SDK and components.

3. Installing Android Studio on Linux

  1. Download the Linux version from the official Android Studio website.
  2. Extract the downloaded archive file (.zip) to your desired directory.
  3. Open a terminal, navigate to the extracted folder, and run the following command:
    4. cd android-studio/bin
./studio.sh
  4. Follow the installation wizard’s guidance to set up the required SDK and other components.

Initial Setup After Installing Android Studio

Once the installation of Android Studio is complete, you need to perform the initial setup. First, check if the Flutter SDK is installed.

Installing Flutter SDK

  1. To download Flutter SDK, visit the official website (flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install).
  2. Follow the installation instructions for your operating system.
  3. After the installation is complete, set the environment variables so that you can use the Flutter command from anywhere.

Starting a Flutter Project in Android Studio

To start a Flutter project in Android Studio:

  1. Launch Android Studio and select ‘Create New Flutter Project’.
  2. Select Flutter Application and click ‘Next’.
  3. Specify the project name and path, then click the ‘Finish’ button.
  4. Once the project is created, ensure that the Android device is ready.

Conclusion

Once the installation and initial setup of Android Studio are complete, you can start developing amazing mobile applications using Flutter. In the next session, we’ll take the time to create a real app by utilizing various features of Flutter. Always use the latest Flutter SDK and tools, and it’s important to continuously acquire information through the official documentation and community.