Flutter Download
Flutter!! It is a powerful and versatile UI framework developed by Google that allows software developers to build natively complied mobile desktop applications from a single codebase. You can also use Flutter for web applications development. Whether you are an experienced developer or just starting out, this all-inclusive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to install flutter and setup for your development needs.
What is Flutter?
Flutter has reshaped how applications are developed by offering an all-inclusive toolkit that simplifies the process. With its rich collection of pre-built widgets and seamless cross-platform functionality, Flutter has become a preferred choice for developers worldwide.
Key Benefits of Flutter
- Fast Development: With the ‘Hot Reload’ feature, developers can see the changes instantly without restarting the application.
- Beautiful UI: Flutter provides customizable widgets that align with Material Design and Cupertino (iOS style) guidelines.
- Cross-Platform Support: Using Flutter for multiplatform mobile development can help you reduce development costs and effort.
- Strong Community and Support: Backed by Google, Flutter has a strong community and extensive documentation to help developers at every step.
Understanding the Flutter SDK
The Flutter Software Development Kit (SDK) is the backbone of Flutter Development. This includes:
- Dart SDK: The Dart programming language is optimized for UI Development, offering features like sound null safety and asynchronous programming.
- Flutter Framework Libraries: Pre-built widgets, tools, and utilities simplify app development.
- Command-Line Tools: Commands like flutter create, flutter build, and flutter run streamline the development process.
The SDK is an essential toolkit for building, testing, and deploying Flutter applications. By mastering it, you get the full potential of the capabilities of Flutter.
Preparing Your Development Environment
Before installing Flutter, it is important to set up your development environment to ensure smooth operation. Below is what you need:
System Requirements
Make sure your system meets the below requirements:
1.) Windows:
- Operating System: Windows 10 or later (64-bit).
- Disk Space: 1.64 GB (additional space may be required for IDEs and emulators).
- Tools: Git for Windows for version control.
2.) macOS:
- Operating System: macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later.
- Disk Space: 2.8 GB
- Tools: XCode for iOS Development
3.) Linux
- Operating System: Any modern 64-bit Linux distribution
- Disk Space: 1.64 GB
- Tools: Git and libGLU library
Development Tools
To build a Flutter app, you will need an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) and additional tools:
- Android Studio: Recommended for Android Development.
- XCode: Necessary for iOS Development on macOS.
- Visual Studio Code: A lightweight alternative with excellent Flutter support.
Installing Flutter SDK
For Windows Users
-
- Download the Flutter SDK: Visit the Official Flutter Website and download the latest SDK for Windows.
-
- Extract the Files: Unzip the downloaded file to a directory (for example,
C:\tools\flutter
). Avoid the directories that require admin permission. - Update the Path: Now that you have unzipped the FlutterSDK into a local directory, you need to tell your Windows device, where to find the SDK. For this, you can use the Control Panel on Windows to update the path variable.
- Extract the Files: Unzip the downloaded file to a directory (for example,
Open Control Panel
Start with opening the control panel by using the search box near the start menu at the bottom of the Windows screen.

System and Security
When the control panel opens, find and click on System and Security.

System
Next, click on System.

Advanced Settings
Next, select advanced system settings.

Environmental Variables
Update your path to include a new entry to the Flutter SDK’s bin folder. For example, the path could be c:\tools\flutter\bin
. After entering this information, press OK and close the control panel.

Check Installation
You have your system path set up now and you can verify your installation. Now open a new terminal and enter the below command to check if the Flutter SDK installation is done.
flutter -- version
The output should look as below.
Flutter 3.3.10 • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git Framework • revision 135454af32 (6 weeks ago) • 2022-12-15 07:36:55 -0800 Engine • revision 3316dd8728 Tools • Dart 2.18.6 • DevTools 2.15.0 |
If you see such output, Yipee! Your installation is done.
For macOS Users
Determine the Mac Chipset
The Chipset of your Mac will either be Apple (arm64) or Intel (x64). You must check and note the chipset before you begin the installation process. For that, open the Apple menu at the top left corner of your screen and click on “About this Mac”. This will open a dialog box where you can find your chipset information.

Note: Just remember the chipset in order to download the correct version of SDK.

Downloading and Unzipping
Download the Flutter SDK for your device’s correct chipset and extract the zip into a new Flutter folder on your hard drive. For example, you can put your Flutter SDK in your user directory:
/Users/<Mac_Username>/flutter
Determining the Mac Shell Version
Now, you need to tell your Mac about the Flutter SDK. This required a terminal to update your shell configuration. On a Mac, the shell is responsible for launching other programs.
Open your terminal by typing ⌘/Command + Space
and typing Terminal.
Once your terminal is open, type the below command to determine the shell on your Mac.
Echo $SHELL
This command will give the output of the active shell in use.
If you see /bin/bash
, modify .bashrc, and if you see /bin/zsh
, modify .zshrc.
Both the above files, .bashrc and .zshrc, reside in the home folder. Edit them and add the path to the Flutter SDK.
Editing Your Mac Path
Now, you know the shell script that you have to use. You can edit the path to include the additional entry for the bin folder inside your Flutter folder.
Use the nano editor or any other editor like vi for this step.
In your terminal, first, open the script file:
Nano /Users/<Mac_Username>/ .zshrc
Now, add a line to the end of this script file:
export PATH=”$PATH:/Users/<Mac_Username>/flutter/bin”
Next, press ⌃/Control + o
to save the file. Press enter to confirm the file name.
You can now exit by pressing ⌃/Control + x
.
Now, close the terminal program and reopen it for the change to take effect.
Open a new terminal and check the Flutter SDK installation with the below command:
flutter -- version
Your output should look as the below:
Flutter 3.3.10 • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git Framework • revision 135454af32 (6 weeks ago) • 2022-12-15 07:36:55 -0800 Engine • revision 3316dd8728 Tools • Dart 2.18.6 • DevTools 2.15.0 |
If you see this output, your Flutter SDK installation for macOS is successful.
Setting Up an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
For flutter-based mobile application development, you will need an IDE. This environment is where you can:
-
- Edit Code
- Organize files
IDE 1 - Installing Android Studio
Android Studio is Google’s Integrated Development Environment that you can use to build apps for Android devices. Android Studio includes:
- An IDE with a robust code editor.
- Android SDK to build and package Android applications.
- Emulators of different virtual Android devices.
- The ability to connect to physical Android devices.
Follow the below installation instructions for your system.
Installing Android Studio on Windows
To install Android Studio, you need to download the Android Studio Installation Program. Once downloaded, launch the installer and follow the below steps:

Once finished, the setup program will close and Android Studio will open. It will launch a wizard to set up your development environment and download any necessary components.
Install Android Studio Command Line Tools
Next, install Android SDK command Line Tools. Follow the steps below:
- Launch Android Studio
- Go to More Options and choose SDK Manager

In the SDK Manager, under System Setup, click the checkbox for Android SDK Command-Line Tools (latest).

Install the Android Studio Plugin
When you launch Android Studio, you will see an option to install plugins to extend Android Studio. Install plugins for Flutter development.
Launch Android Studio and select the ‘plugins’ item in the navigation list on the left side.

After you select the Plugin, enter Flutter as a search term in the Marketplace. Install the Flutter plugin. Along with that, it will also install the Dart plugin as it is required.
Once the Plugin is installed, Android Studio will restart. Now you can create your First Flutter app. If you are looking for professional app development using Flutter, hire Flutter app developers and save your development time and effort.

Install Android Studio for macOS
Follow the steps below to install Android Studio for macOS:
- Go to the Android Studio homepage and click on the ‘Download Android Studio’ button.
- Go to the downloads folder and double-click on the downloaded file.
- When the installer opens, drag and drop the Android Studio icon to the Applications folder. This will copy Android Studio to the applications folder on your Mac.

You can now launch Android Studio from the downloads folder! Do that so Android Studio can download updates or necessary files.
Install the Flutter Plugin
When you launch Android Studio, you will see an option to install plugins to extend Android Studio. Install plugins for Flutter development.
Launch Android Studio and select the ‘plugins’ item in the navigation list on the left side.

After you select the Plugin, enter Flutter as a search term in the Marketplace. Install the Flutter plugin. Along with that, it will also install the Dart plugin as it is required.
Once the Plugin is installed, Android Studio will restart. Now you can create your First Flutter app.

IDE 2: XCode (Mac Only)
To develop applications for Mac, you will need XCode. XCode is Apple’s Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and only runs on macOS. It will allow us to develop Flutter-based applications for iOS devices.
Similar to Android Studio, XCode includes:
- An IDE for writing apps
- Device simulators for different iOS versions.
- Tools such as compilers and debuggers.
You cannot run XCode on a PC. However, you can create Flutter apps on PCs and then later build them on a Mac with XCode.
Installing XCode on MacOS
Go to the XCode on the Mac App Store Page and click on Open App Store.

This will open the Apple App Store. It will display details about the XCode application.

Click on the install icon and download XCode.
Another component that you need for iOS Development is Cocoapods.
Installing Brew and Cocoapods
Cocoapods is an open-source package management tool for the XCode build environment. Installing this tool is crucial as Flutter synchronizes necessary packages with the Dart environment.
You can get cocoapods using the tool called Brew. It is an open-source freely available tool for Mac. You will have to install Brew first. Open the terminal and write the below code to install Brew:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Once this process is finished and Brew is installed, you can use it to install Cocoapods.
Open terminal and type:
brew install cocoapods
Your Mac is now ready for Flutter Development and running applications on iOS and macOS devices. Your next step is to now verify the Flutter environment.
Verifying Flutter Environment
Now that your setup is done, verify the flutter environment by:
Opening the Terminal or Command Prompt:
- On Windows, use Command Prompt or PowerShell
- On macOS, use the Terminal
- On Linux, use any Terminal emulator
Type the below command and press enter:
flutter doctor
Conclusion
Setting up Flutter Environment is the very first step towards creating stunning Flutter applications. With this guide, you’re ready to learn the rich features Flutter offers and start building your first app. Remember, the journey doesn’t end here-Flutter’s documentation and community provide endless learning opportunities, get in touch with the Flutter App Development Company to know more and get your Flutter application developed for your business.