A Comprehensive Guide to Installing Flutter on Windows
Tags: webdev, flutter, dart, tutorial
Published: 2023-07-17 00:17:56

Flutter, developed by Google, is an open-source UI framework that allows developers to create beautiful and high-performance applications for various platforms, including Android, iOS, web, and desktop. If you're a Windows user eager to dive into Flutter development, you've come to the right place. In this blog, we'll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to install Flutter on Windows and set up your development environment.

Step 1: System Requirements: Before proceeding with the installation process, ensure that your Windows system meets the following requirements:

- Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 or later (64-bit)

- Disk Space: 400 MB (excluding any IDEs or additional tools)

- RAM: 4 GB or higher

- Processor: Intel Core i3 or higher

Step 2: Downloading Flutter: To begin, follow these steps to download the Flutter SDK:

1. Visit the official Flutter website: https://flutter.dev/.

2. Click on the "Get Started" button, and then select the "Windows" tab.

3. Click on the "Download Flutter SDK" button to download the latest stable release.

Step 3: Extracting Flutter: After the download is complete, follow these steps to extract the Flutter SDK:

1. Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the Flutter SDK.

2. Right-click on the downloaded file and select "Extract All."

3. Choose a location to extract the files, such as "C:\flutter," and click on "Extract."

Step 4: Adding Flutter to the Path: To use Flutter from the command line, you need to add it to the system's Path variable:

1. Open the Start menu and search for "Environment Variables" and select "Edit the system environment variables."

2. Click on the "Environment Variables" button at the bottom right of the "System Properties" window.

3. In the "System Variables" section, locate the "Path" variable and click on "Edit."

4. Click on "New" and enter the path to the "flutter\bin" folder (e.g., "C:\flutter\bin").

5. Click on "OK" to save the changes.

Step 5: Installing Flutter Dependencies: To ensure a smooth Flutter experience, you need to install additional dependencies:

1. Open a command prompt or terminal window.

2. Run the following command to check if your system is ready for Flutter:

```
flutter doctor
```

3. The command will check for the required dependencies and display a report.

4. If any dependencies are missing, follow the instructions provided by the command to install them.

Step 6: Setting up an IDE: Flutter supports various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), but for this guide, we'll focus on setting up Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as it provides excellent Flutter support.

1. Download and install Visual Studio Code from the official website: https://code.visualstudio.com/.

2. Launch VS Code and open the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X).

3. Search for the "Flutter" extension and click on "Install" to add Flutter support to VS Code.

4. Additionally, you can install the "Dart" extension for improved Dart language support.

Step 7: Downloading Android Studio and SDK Tools: To develop Flutter apps for Android, you need to download Android Studio and configure the required SDK tools:

1. Visit the official Android Studio website: https://developer.android.com/studio.

2. Click on the "Download Android Studio" button and follow the instructions to download and install it.

3. Launch Android Studio and open the SDK Manager by clicking on the "SDK Manager" icon in the toolbar or navigating to "File" > "Settings" > "Appearance & Behavior" > "System Settings" > "Android SDK."

4. In the SDK Manager, ensure that the following SDK tools are installed:

- Android SDK Platform (latest version)

- Android SDK Command-line Tools

- Android SDK Build-Tools (latest version)

- Android Emulator (optional but recommended)

5. Click on "Apply" or "OK" to install the selected SDK tools.

Step 8: Configuring Flutter with Android Studio: To integrate Flutter with Android Studio, follow these steps:

1. Open Android Studio and go to "File" > "Settings" > "Plugins."

2. Click on the "Browse repositories" button and search for the "Flutter" plugin.

3. Click on "Install" and then "OK" to restart Android Studio.

4. After restarting, open the Flutter project you created in Step 7.

5. When prompted, click on "Set up Flutter" and provide the path to your Flutter SDK directory (e.g., "C:\flutter").

6. Click on "Next" and then "Finish" to complete the Flutter setup process.

Conclusion: Congratulations! You have successfully installed Flutter on your Windows system and set up your development environment. With Flutter, you can now start building cross-platform applications with ease. Remember to explore the vast Flutter documentation and community resources to enhance your development skills and create stunning apps. Happy coding!

Video link: https://youtu.be/CdJBWHkqv6o (in Hindi)