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How to Install Flutter on Windows

Jamiu Olanrewaju's photo
Jamiu Olanrewaju
·

3 min read

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit (SDK) by Google that enables developers to build natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. If you’re a Windows user looking to get started with Flutter, follow this step-by-step guide to set up your development environment.

System Requirements

Before installing Flutter, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

  • Operating System: Windows 10 or later (64-bit)

  • Disk Space: 1.64 GB (excluding space for IDEs and other tools)

  • RAM: Minimum 4GB (8GB recommended)

  • Git for Windows: Required to download Flutter SDK

  • PowerShell 5.0+ (pre-installed on Windows 10+)

Step 1: Download and Install Flutter SDK

  1. Download Flutter

    • Visit the official Flutter website: Flutter SDK Download

    • Click on "Windows" and download the latest stable version of the Flutter SDK (ZIP file).

  2. Extract the Flutter SDK

    • Extract the ZIP file to a suitable location on your system (e.g., C:\src\flutter).

    • Avoid using system-protected folders like C:\Program Files to prevent permission issues.

Step 2: Update System Path

To run Flutter commands globally, you must add it to the system environment variables.

  1. Open Environment Variables:

    • Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and hit Enter.

    • Go to the Advanced tab and click on Environment Variables.

  2. Edit PATH Variable:

    • Under System Variables, select Path, then click Edit.

    • Click New, then add the full path to the bin directory inside the Flutter SDK folder, e.g., C:\src\flutter\bin.

    • Click OK to save and close all windows.

Step 3: Install Required Dependencies

  1. Install Git for Windows

    • Download and install Git from gitforwindows.org.

    • Ensure you can run Git commands by opening Command Prompt (cmd) and running:

        git --version

  2. Install Android Studio (for Android development)

    • Download and install Android Studio.

    • During installation, check the boxes for Android SDK, Android Virtual Device (AVD), and Android Command Line Tools.

    • Open Android Studio and go to SDK Manager → Install the latest Android SDK and platform tools.

  3. Enable Developer Mode (Optional)

    • Go to Settings → Update & Security → For developers and enable Developer Mode.

Step 4: Verify Installation

  1. Open Command Prompt (cmd) or PowerShell, then run:

     flutter doctor

    • This command checks if all dependencies are installed.

    • If any dependencies are missing, follow the displayed instructions to install them.

  2. If everything is correctly set up, you should see output similar to:

     Doctor summary (to see all details, run flutter doctor -v):
 [✓] Flutter (Channel stable, X.X.X, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.X.X], locale en-US)
 [✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices
 [✓] Chrome - develop for the web
 [✓] Visual Studio - develop for Windows
 [✓] Connected device (1 available)

Step 5: Install VS Code or Android Studio (Optional)

To streamline development, install an IDE such as:

  • VS Code (Download)

    • Install the Flutter and Dart extensions from the Extensions Marketplace.

  • Android Studio (Download)

    • Offers built-in debugging tools and an Android emulator.

Step 6: Create and Run Your First Flutter App

  1. Open a terminal and run:

     flutter create my_app

  2. Navigate into the project folder:

     cd my_app

  3. Run the app on an emulator or connected device:

     flutter run

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Flutter on Windows! You can now start building cross-platform apps efficiently. To learn more, explore the Flutter documentation. Happy coding! 🚀

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