Did you know that 5 lacs developers use Flutter on an everyday basis? Yes, you read it right, Flutter is that popular! As per a survey conducted between 2019 to 2021, 42% of 31,000+ developers use Flutter to build applications, and to look at the big picture, Flutter has over 2 million users worldwide to date.
Its quickly and consistently increasing market share makes Flutter one of the best mobile app development frameworks to learn in 2023 and for good reasons. The community and third-party resources are multiplying in good numbers leading to a high demand for Flutter developers as well.
That’s the reason why Flutter can be a valuable asset to your software development skills as a developer. Hence mastering Flutter will never go in vain for you.
This blog will serve as a roadmap to start learning Flutter app development. And if you’re still not convinced about why you should learn Flutter then it’s a must-read article for you!
So, let’s get going!
Why should you learn Flutter?
Flutter app development technology has recently gained popularity, with many companies that maintain native applications opting to port their applications to Flutter to save time managing two platforms at once.
There is also a large Flutter development community that is constantly creating new libraries, as well as an increasing number of startups that are choosing to write their solutions in Flutter.
- There are no cross-platform issues because Flutter is compiled ahead of time, providing native code experience.
- No need to rebuild: "Hot reload" enables developers to see code changes immediately after they are saved.
- Excellent community and support: The Flutter team is extremely helpful, and the community offers plenty of assistance to new users.
- Using 2-dimensional Flares, you can create an infinite number of animations.
- Many IDEs are supported, including VS Code, Android Studio, and others.
- Single code for both frontend and backend using Dart language (Dart, built by Google is a general-purpose programming language).
- Flutter Developers are in high demand and well-paid!
- Easy-To-Learn
- Projects are delivered timely so it automatically maximizes productivity
Prerequisites for Learning Flutter
To begin learning Flutter, you must be familiar with the following. If you don’t know any of the following concepts, it is best to learn them first before continuing on your Flutter journey:
- If you want to create specific and sophisticated applications, you should be familiar with native Android app development.
- Concepts for OOPS: Because languages like Java and C++ are based on OOPS concepts, it is critical to understand them thoroughly.
- Before you can learn Flutter, you must first learn Dart programming, which is also simple.
- Knowing C++/Java is advantageous but not required!
How to start learning Flutter?
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Install Flutter SDK
You must install the Flutter software development kit on your PC before you start studying Flutter. This SDK has a collection of tools in one place.
Flutter now supports two IDEs aka integrated development environments. It is a software application that lets the provider of Flutter app development services create software code hassle-free.
- Android Studio
Having Android Studio or IntelliJ IDE already installed on your PC can be a plus. Now, you can directly install the Dart as well as Flutter plugins and SDK. Thus you’re ready to begin.
- VS Code
VS Code, also known as Visual Studio Code, is a lightweight and fast editor that is ideal for developing Flutter and web applications. To create Flutter apps with Visual Studio Code, first install the Dart and Flutter SDK extensions from the VS Code market, and then configure your SDK.
Start Self-learning
Watch Videos
On YouTube and in fact, the official website of Flutter has a vast pool of videos and tutorials to get started. These videos teach step-by-step processes so that you can learn without any difficulty.
Several channels that are worth recommending for learning purposes are:
- Flutter Course for Beginners
An excellently comprehensive video tutorial for beginners & newbies in mobile app development. The instructor provides an in-depth explanation of everything which creates the flow very naturally. The video is divided into subsections so you don’t get lost in the content and pause & track whenever you want.
- Flutter in Focus
This series is best if you want to learn in less time as they shoot clips in 10 minutes or even less. Not just that but they explain really minute details that make it the right code. If you’ve ever had an interest in learning videos about how Dart really works, then this channel is for you!
- Flutter Widget of the Week
A series of brief & brisk animated videos, where every video covers a specific widget from the Flutter software development kit. If you need to know which widget you should choose or how to place a child within a stack, but don’t have time to research, then you directly head on to this series.
- The Boring Flutter Development Show
It is a biweekly, long-format show wherein a few engineers from the Flutter developers team get along to give you the scoop on knowledge and hacks. They teach in a fun manner like debating different practices, talking with their guests inside and outside Google, making and fixing mistakes, and much more. The best part about the team is to make the Flutter app live on their videos so you can track results in real time and check the progress at every step.
Learn by examples
Flutter's examples are the most important documentation it currently has. A very concise and clear example of Flutter can be found at:
Online courses
Online course platforms can be a huge time saver. Such platforms provide a variety of educational videos ranging from complete beginners to professional programmers of top-notch Flutter app development companies. They typically last a couple of weeks, are designed by the best professors in that field, and are customized to your individual learning pace.
These online courses are generally free, but some do charge a fee. Those that are paid usually include a compilation certification. The following online educational platforms offer the best Flutter online courses:
Books
If you’re a bibliophile (bookworm), what would be a better way apart from the books to get in-depth knowledge about almost any subject? A few of the books to learn about Flutter are:
Reading Documentation
Begin with documentation if you want things at your pace and like reading over watching & listening to tutorials. It is advised to study the official documentation and not the ones that aren’t verified.
Some of them are:
Tips to Learn Flutter Like a Pro
- Flutter is just one of many skills you would require if you wish to start your career in mobile or cross-platform app development. Therefore, learning is done most effectively as a "multiplayer game", not a "single-player campaign" to get the best results.
- If you look for the best Flutter architecture, the best code organization pattern, or the best XYZ, it is just a waste of your precious time.
- Stop focusing on what the best "State Management" package is. Especially if you are just a beginner to Flutter, you won’t really need any state management package.
- Focus on practical and necessary skills or widgets at first. Try Dartpad at Flutter’s official website which is great if you want to get familiar with Text, Navigator, ListView, Image, Column, etc.
- You can use various installation guides to help get your mobile app development environment ready. Moreover, visit the samples gallery, check out the Flutter tag in Stackoverflow, and subscribe to Flutter & Dart blogs to learn better.
Master Flutter with practice, practice, and practice!
That’s enough for you to begin, we believe! After reading this article, you have learned the most important concepts needed to become a Flutter Developer (beginner level). The best idea after learning them all is to create a massive project that incorporates everything you've learned. Bonus points if the project is relevant to your interests and useful, as such projects are always a big surplus.
Do keep in mind that learning to program is a lengthy process and that consistency is essential. You should prepare for a long marathon of knowledge and make a small contribution to your future success in the IT world on a daily basis. Even more, you can apply for a position as a trainee or a beginner in a leading Flutter app development company to showcase your skills.
Article Source: https://medium.com/@marketing_96275/how-to-start-learning-flutter-app-development-in-2023-d11525f5ae0b
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