Complete Guide to Learning to Use Flutter from Scratch

Flutter It has become one of the most popular tools for developing **cross-platform applications**, allowing you to create **seamless experiences** in mobile devices, web, and desktop with a single codebase. Thanks to its **innovative approach** and powerful rendering engine, it is an attractive option for both **beginner** and advanced developers.

In this article, we are going to explore What is Flutter, how it works, the steps to install it and develop an application. We will also look at its **advantages**, how it compares to native development, and some **useful tips** to get the most out of it.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is a **user interface toolkit** developed by Google for building **high-quality applications** on multiple platforms from a single code base. It uses the **language of programming Dart** and stands out for its speed and flexibility.

Allows developers to write **code that can be executed** on:

• Android
• iOS
• Windows
• MacOS
• Linux
• Web agency

One of its great advantages is that does not require using native components of each platform, since it has its own rendering engine, guaranteeing a **smooth appearance and experience** on all devices.

Advantages of Flutter

Flutter stands out for several reasons that have made it an **excellent alternative** in application development:

• Near-native performance: Thanks to the use of Dart and compilation to **machine code**, applications run very efficiently.
• Consistent user experience: Uses **Skia**, Google's graphics library, to render the user interface consistently across all platforms.
• rapid development: Its function of hot recharge allows you to see changes in real time without losing the state of the application.
• Widely usedCompanies that have adopted Flutter include **Google, Alibaba** and **BMW**.

How to install Flutter

Before you start developing with Flutter, you need to install it and **set up the appropriate development environment**.

Previous requirements

• Compatible operating system: **Windows**, **macOS** or **Linux**.
• **Updated** version of Dart installed.
• A code editor like Visual Studio Code o Android Studio.

Installation on Windows

1. Download the **Flutter SDK** from the Official Site.
2. Extract the **ZIP** file to a directory such as C:\flutter.
3. Add the **Flutter path** to your environment variables.
4. Run flutter doctor in the **terminal** to verify that everything is correctly installed.

Creating your first app in Flutter

Once Flutter is installed, we can proceed to create our **first application**. Below, we will see the basic steps:

1. Create a new project

Open **Visual Studio Code** or **Android Studio** and run the following command in the terminal:

flutter create my_app

This will create a **basic project structure**.

2. Run the application

To start the application in **debug mode**, use the following command:

flutter run

This will launch the app on a connected **emulator or device**.

3. Edit the interface

Open the file lib/main.dart and modify the code to **customize your application**.

Flutter vs Native Development?

Before deciding whether to use Flutter or native development, it is important to know their **differences**:

Native Development

• Increased performance in some specific cases.
• Full access to **system** functionalities.
• Higher cost and **development** time.

Flutter

• Unique code for multiple **platforms**.
• Less effort in **maintenance**.
• Consistent interface across all **devices**.

Best practices and tips

• Use custom widgets to keep the code **clean**.
• Organize the **file structure** for easy maintenance.
• Learn about state management for more efficient applications.

We've explored what Flutter is, how to install it and develop a basic app, its advantages, and comparisons to native development. Thanks to its ease of use and optimized performance, it's an ideal tool for developing modern and efficient apps across multiple platforms.