Flutter Course: Installing Visual Studio Code 2.6

Flutter is an open-source UI framework developed by Google that allows you to easily create high-performance applications for mobile apps, web apps, and desktop applications. Today, we will learn how to set up the Flutter development environment using Visual Studio Code. This tutorial provides a step-by-step explanation for those who are new to Flutter.

Essential Preparations

  • Windows, macOS, or Linux operating system
  • Internet connection
  • Visual Studio Code (VSCode)
  • Flutter SDK
  • Various plugins

1. Download and Install Visual Studio Code

First, you need to download Visual Studio Code. Visual Studio Code is free and supports various operating systems.

Step 1: Click the link below to visit the official Visual Studio Code website.

Download Visual Studio Code

Step 2: Download the installation file suitable for your operating system. Choose one of Windows, macOS, or Linux and proceed to download.

Step 3: Run the downloaded installation file and follow the instructions of the installation wizard to complete the installation. It is recommended to select the “Add to PATH” option during installation.

2. Download and Install Flutter SDK

Once Visual Studio Code is installed, you need to install the Flutter SDK.

Step 1: Click the link below to visit the official Flutter SDK website.

Download Flutter SDK

Step 2: Download the zip file suitable for your operating system and unzip it to your desired location.

Step 3: You need to add the Flutter SDK’s path to the system environment variables.

  • Windows: Add the path to the Flutter’s bin folder in the ‘Path’ variable in system environment variables.
  • macOS/Linux: Run export PATH="$PATH:/path/to/flutter/bin" in the terminal or add it to your ~/.bash_profile or ~/.bashrc file.

Once the installation is complete, open the terminal and run the flutter doctor command to check the installed Flutter environment.

3. Install Flutter and Dart Plugins in Visual Studio Code

To develop with Flutter, you need to install plugins related to the Dart language.

Step 1: Open Visual Studio Code and click the ‘Extensions’ icon in the left sidebar.

Step 2: Type ‘Flutter’ in the search box and find the plugin called ‘Flutter – Dart Team.’ Click the Install button to install it.

Step 3: It is also recommended to install the plugin named ‘Dart.’ This plugin adds support for the Dart language.

4. Create a New Flutter Project

To create a Flutter project, use the Command Palette in VSCode.

Step 1: Press (Windows: Ctrl + Shift + P, macOS: Cmd + Shift + P) to open the Command Palette.

Step 2: Type ‘Flutter: New Project’ and select it.

Step 3: Enter the name of the project and select where to save it.

Step 4: Once the project is created, VSCode will automatically navigate to that project.

5. Run the Project

Now, let’s run the project to check if the Flutter application has been created successfully.

Step 1: Open the terminal and type the flutter run command. You can run the application in a web browser or on an emulator.

Step 2: You can also connect a physical device or use an emulator in Android Studio. Select a device from the bottom bar of VSCode and type flutter run again.

6. Configure the Flutter App

Let’s learn how to configure a Flutter app. The ‘lib/main.dart’ file generated by default is the entry point of the application. You can write code in this file to add UI and functionality.

Below is the structure of a simple Flutter application:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

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

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

In the above example, MaterialApp is used to create an app based on Flutter’s Material Design. This app has a UI that displays a simple text.

7. Concluding the Flutter Tutorial

In this tutorial, we learned how to set up the Flutter development environment using Visual Studio Code. We covered how to create a basic Flutter project and run it with a simple code example. Based on this tutorial, you will be able to lay the foundation for creating more complex Flutter applications.

For more information and resources, refer to the official Flutter documentation (https://flutter.dev/docs). In future Flutter courses, we will cover more topics, so stay tuned!

Questions and Feedback

If you have any questions or feedback about this tutorial, please leave a comment below. Let’s learn and grow together with Flutter!