Yes, learning Flutter in 2024 is highly worthwhile. As one of the leading frameworks for cross-platform development, Flutter continues to be widely adopted by companies and startups due to its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and growing community support. With its ability to build apps for Android, iOS, web, and desktop using a single codebase, Flutter reduces development time and resource requirements, making it attractive for both new and experienced developers. Additionally, with ongoing updates, extensive documentation, and a solid backing from Google, Flutter offers a promising future for developers looking to enhance their skills and expand their career opportunities.
Flutter Beginner's Guide: Building Your First Cross-Platform App
14 mins read
Oct 31, 2025
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Key takeaways
Flutter enables the development of high-quality native applications for Android, iOS, web, and desktop platforms using a single codebase written in Dart, ensuring a consistent and efficient development process.
Leveraging Dart's ahead-of-time (AOT) compilation and native ARM code compilation, Flutter ensures native-like performance, along with customizable and expressive UI components for rich user experiences.
Flutter provides a hot reload for instant code reflection, widget-based UI development, and easy integration of platform-specific features through plugins, simplifying application development.
Are you a beginner looking to dive into mobile app development? Flutter, proposed by Google, is a game-changer in today’s tech-driven world. As a versatile open-source framework, Flutter allows developers to build high-quality native applications for Android and iOS — all from a single codebase. But that’s not all; its ability to support web and desktop applications makes it a must-have tool for developers aiming to create visually appealing and consistent user experiences across platforms.
Why is Flutter so popular? It dramatically speeds up cross-platform development while reducing costs compared to building separate apps for different platforms. Moreover, it’s beginner-friendly! If you’re familiar with object-oriented or imperative programming concepts, you’re ready to start creating with Flutter, as its official documentation suggests.
This blog is your gateway to understanding the basics of Flutter and building your very first app with ease. Ready to begin? Let’s dive into how Flutter is used for mobile development.
Why Flutter for mobile development#
Mobile app development involves the development of software that is intended to run on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc). While mobile development is similar to traditional software development, the differentiating factor is that mobile development will utilize unique features and hardware from mobile devices like touch, Bluetooth, GPS, cameras, and more.
While web-based applications simply need to run on a web browser, mobile applications depend upon the device itself. In terms of iOS devices, developers primarily need to support the iPhone and iPad. However, for Android, there are many types of hardware and operating systems for smartphones and tablets, which makes mobile apps more difficult to develop.
Types of mobile apps: Native vs. Hybrid apps vs. Cross-platform apps#
Similar to web applications, you can use an array of technologies and frameworks to develop a mobile application. Two popular mobile app types are native apps and hybrid apps.
Native apps: These types of applications are developed to support a specific platform like Android or iOS. When developing an iOS application, you will most likely use Swift, a relatively new language created by Apple. Before, developers would use XCode and Objective-C. While for Android development, you will use Java. Developers often prefer native applications because of their ability to fully utilize mobile device functionality. Developing native applications can be a tricky task when you want to support both Android and iOS users, as the code for each platform is different.
Hybrid apps: A hybrid application combines elements from both native apps and web apps. Hybrid apps are like web applications; much of the app is written using technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which is then encapsulated into a native application. Unlike a typical web application, a hybrid app has its own embedded browser and its own native shell application. Hybrid applications are popular because they still allow developers to use web technologies.
Cross-platform apps: Cross-platform apps run on multiple operating systems, like Android and iOS, from a single codebase, saving time and resources. Frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and Xamarin streamline this process, offering native-like performance while reducing maintenance costs. This approach helps businesses and developers reach a wider audience quickly and efficiently.
Looking to read more about Android development? Our article How to develop an Android App dives into creating native Android applications.
Understanding the Dart language: Flutter’s core programming language#
In Flutter, applications are developed using Dart, an object-oriented language inspired by JavaScript and introduced by Google in 2013. Dart supports asynchronous operations and isolates, enabling concurrently running code with isolated memory heaps, avoiding conflicts common in shared-memory threads. Its ahead-of-time (AOT) compiler transforms code into fast, predictable, and native outputs, making Flutter applications efficient and high-performing. Additionally, Dart's null safety feature ensures safer code by preventing null reference errors, while its Stream API facilitates real-time data handling for responsive apps.
Flutter itself is built on key features that streamline development. With a single codebase, developers write code once in Dart, which compiles to native code across platforms. Its widget-based UI system offers a reactive approach, ensuring instant updates to the user interface with state changes. Features like hot reload enable faster iterations, while expressive and customizable widgets create visually stunning interfaces. Native performance is achieved through ARM code compilation, and platform-specific functionalities can be seamlessly integrated using plugins. Together, these make Flutter an ideal framework for cross-platform development.
To learn more about Dart, give a look at our course "Learn Dart: First Step to Flutter".
Embracing Material 3: Modern UI by default#
Since Flutter 3.16, the framework now uses Material 3 (M3) as its default design system.
This means you get a more dynamic, customizable, and visually consistent UI experience out of the box — including features like dynamic color, updated typography, and adaptive layouts that follow modern Android and iOS design guidelines.
To use Material 3 in your app, you can define your theme like this:
return MaterialApp(theme: ThemeData(colorScheme: ColorScheme.fromSeed(seedColor: Colors.deepPurple),useMaterial3: true,),home: MyHomePage(),);
Material 3 also makes it easier to create apps that feel native on each platform without extra effort —
a major advantage when shipping production-ready apps in 2025.
Faster rendering with Impeller#
One of the biggest upgrades to Flutter in recent years is Impeller, the new rendering engine that significantly improves graphics performance, reduces jank, and provides smoother animations.
Impeller is now the default renderer for iOS and newer Android devices (API 29+), so you don’t need to enable anything manually — your apps simply run faster.
This upgrade is especially noticeable in apps that use custom graphics, animations, or transitions.
If you were concerned about Flutter’s performance in the past, Impeller has made a huge difference in real-world apps.
Creating a "Hello, World!" application in Flutter#
Let’s dive deep into Flutter and create our first “Hello, World!” application for the Android platform. The first step is to install the Flutter SDK on our system. We can download it from the
After the SDK is installed and our IDE is set up, we can create a new Flutter project and give it a name.
Note: All the coding examples in this blog are executed on the Educative platform for Android. The folder structure might appear different for you depending on your chosen project name and development target.
The development target is the operating system (OS) on which the application will run during development. You can choose from Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web.
We should have the following project structure after creating the project:
Sample project structure
We open the lib/main.dart file in our project directory and replace its content with the following code:
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';void main() {runApp(MyApp());}class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {@overrideWidget build(BuildContext context) {return MaterialApp(home: Scaffold(appBar: AppBar(title: Text('Hello, Flutter!'),),body: Center(child: Text('Hello, World!'),),),);}}
Let's have a look at the directory structure first:
Directory structure#
android: This directory has all the native Android code, including the AndroidManifest.xml file.
lib: This folder has all the Dart files. Basically, it has all the shared code across all the platforms like iOS, web, desktop, and embedded devices.
test: This folder has all the unit testing classes.
pubspec.yaml: This is a file that contains the dependency management and configuration data for the Flutter application.
Get step by step guidance from our answer, "How to create a new Flutter project"
Now let's discuss the code:
Code explanation#
Line 1: We import the
material.dartpackage to accessStatelessWidgetand other material widgets.Lines 3–5: We declare the main entry point of our application.
Line 7: The name of our application is
MyApp, and it extends the Flutter widget namedStatelessWidget.Line 9: We let the application build itself inside the
build(BuildContext context)method.Line 10: We return the instance of the
MaterialAppwidget. This core widget is at the root of the application and provides access to other useful Flutter elements needed to build an app.Line 11: It is a requirement of the
MaterialAppwidget that thehomeproperty is specified. This property specifies which widget will be displayed first when the application launches. We usehomeas ascaffoldwidget.Lines 12–13: We define the top application bar as
AppBar. It typically contains an application’s title, navigation icons, and other actions or widgets.Lines 15–16: We use the
Centerwidget as the body since we want to show the message in the center. Its child is theTextwidget.
When we execute the above code, we will see the following output:
Output of the “Hello, World!” program
Let’s understand the contents of the directory structure and the code we wrote above.
Building for multiple platforms#
Although this guide focuses on Android, Flutter now makes it easier than ever to build for iOS, web, desktop, and embedded devices — all from the same codebase.
You can generate a multi-platform project like this:
flutter create --platforms=android,ios,web,macos,windows,linux my_app
To run on iOS, simply connect an iPhone or open the iOS Simulator, then run:
flutter run -d ios
Even if you only plan to support mobile initially, designing your app with multi-platform support in mind gives you future flexibility without rewriting your code.
Creating a list-view-based application#
Now, let’s create a more interesting application. In all mobile applications, when we need to display data that can’t be shown on a single screen, we need to create a scrollable list for it. For example, let’s say we are developing a school management app and want to display all the campuses in a country; we need to use a list view for that. Another use case might be that we want to display a list of all the students in a particular campus; we need to use a list view for that, too. In Flutter, we have a widget named ListView that can be used to display a scrollable list of items. Basically, it serves as a fundamental building block for creating scrollable lists of content, such as text, images, or other widgets.
We will be creating a list-view-based short resume. The application will have four rows. In the first row, we will have the name. In the second row, we will display the email. In the third row, we will have the contact number. Finally, in the last row, we will have a description, as shown below.
Sample output of the list-view-based application
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';void main() {runApp(MyApp());}class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {@overrideWidget build(BuildContext context) {return MaterialApp(home: Scaffold(appBar: AppBar(title: Text('My Short Intro'),),body: ListView(children: <Widget>[ListTile(title: Text('Name: '),subtitle: Text('Awais'),leading: Image.network('https://www.educative.io/static/imgs/logos/LinkImageV3.png'),),ListTile(title: Text('Email:'),subtitle: Text('awais.qasim@educative.io'),),ListTile(title: Text('Cell:'),subtitle: Text('0320xxxxxx'),),ListTile(title: Text('Description:'),subtitle: Text('Hello, My name is Awais and I work at Educative. It is a leading online learning platform made by developers, created for developers.'),),// Add more ListTiles as needed],),),);}}
Code explanation#
Line 12–13: We set the title of our application in AppBar as My Short Intro.
Line 15: We set the body as ListView.
Lines 17–22: We create the first cell of ListView. We set the title, subtitle, and logo of Educative. The leading attribute specifies that the logo should be displayed on the leftmost side of the cell.
Lines 23–26: We set the heading as Email:, and then in subtitle, we set the actual email.
Lines 23–26: We set the heading as Cell:, and then in subtitle, we set the actual contact number.
Lines 31–35: We set the heading as Description:, and then in subtitle, we add the text of the description.
This wraps up our blog about building mobile apps for iOS and Android using Flutter. We started by describing what Flutter is and its relation to the Dart language. We then discussed the benefits of developing applications in Flutter. After that, we discussed how to develop a basic “Hello, World!” application for Android and explained the code. Finally, we created a list-view-based application displaying a user profile.
Testing your Flutter apps#
In 2025, testing isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a must-have for production apps.
Flutter provides built-in tools for three main types of testing:
Unit tests: Verify individual functions or classes.
Widget tests: Test the UI and interactions.
Integration tests: Run end-to-end scenarios across real devices or emulators.
Here’s a quick example of a simple widget test:
testWidgets('Counter increments', (WidgetTester tester) async {await tester.pumpWidget(MyApp());await tester.tap(find.byIcon(Icons.add));await tester.pump();expect(find.text('1'), findsOneWidget);});
For larger projects, tools like Firebase Test Lab can help you run automated tests across multiple devices before releasing your app.
Setting up CI/CD pipelines#
Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) make it easier to build, test, and deploy your Flutter app automatically.
Tools like Codemagic, GitHub Actions, or Bitrise integrate with your codebase to run tests, build release binaries, and even publish directly to the Play Store or App Store.
A basic CI/CD pipeline might:
Run tests on every commit.
Build debug or release APKs automatically.
Deploy builds to internal testers or production.
Even small teams benefit from CI/CD — it reduces manual errors and speeds up release cycles.
Before you publish: 2026 production checklist#
Shipping a mobile app in 2025 comes with a few new considerations. Make sure you:
Update for platform policies:
Android 15 introduces stricter background process limits and permission changes.
iOS in the EU may require notarization or distribution through alternative app marketplaces.Set up privacy and security:
Add a privacy policy, request permissions clearly, and follow data safety guidelines.Optimize for store listings:
Test your app’s performance and screenshots on both platforms before publishing.
These extra steps help ensure your app is ready for real-world use — and approved on the first submission.
Advantages and limitations of Flutter#
Advantages#
Faster development: Flutter offers quick compilation, which allows you to see the results of your code changes in real-time. This is a feature called Hot-Reload, which only takes a few milliseconds. Developers love this benefit because it allows for quick UI changes, making mobile app development more productive and dynamic.
Cross-platform functionality: Developers only need to write one codebase for multiple apps (Android, iOS, and web). For the most part, Flutter depends on widgets and UI designs and simply needs to compile and convert into platform-supported code.
Startups and MVPs: Developing a mobile application with Flutter is cheaper than creating and maintaining separate Android and iOS apps. Flutter also allows rapid prototyping of MVPs with beautiful UIs using widgets.
Documentation and community: Google has developed extensive documentation for Flutter covering tutorials and samples for beginners, development, testing & debugging, performance, and more. A large Flutter community means constantly updated documentation and support from experienced developers.
Are you a beginner in developing mobile applications? Here, in this blog, we will focus on Flutter, and how it can be helpful in mobile applications, you'll learn to create your first cross-platform app step-by-step. For that, let’s have an overview of Mobile app development.
Become a Flutter developer
Beginning Flutter: Android Mobile App Development
Flutter is Google’s mobile UI framework used for crafting high-quality native interfaces on iOS and Android. This course focuses on building applications for the Android platform. You’ll start by exploring the intricacies of Flutter and work your way up to implementing a contact profile page for an Android address book. In the latter half of the course, you’ll learn to work with Flutter themes to spruce up the contact profile app you created. To round out your Flutter experience, you’ll also practice fetching data from a remote Application Programming Interface (API). You’ll put into practice what you learn using live coding environments embedded within the course. By the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to create your own Android app and publish it to the Google Play Store.
Testing and debugging#
Testing is a crucial step in Flutter development, ensuring that apps run smoothly across devices. Flutter supports comprehensive testing strategies like unit testing, widget testing, and integration testing, all of which can be executed using tools like Flutter Test and Mocktail. For debugging, Flutter DevTools offers advanced profiling, memory inspection, and layout debugging features that help diagnose and resolve performance issues effectively.
Third-Party package usage#
Flutter’s ecosystem includes a variety of third-party packages that enhance development speed and capabilities. For example, GetX is a popular package for efficient state management, while Dio simplifies HTTP request handling with powerful features like interceptors and error handling. Additionally, Flutter Secure Storage helps manage secure local storage for sensitive data. Familiarity with these packages expands Flutter's functionality, making app development more versatile and feature-rich.
Why Flutter is still a great choice post-2025#
While frameworks like React Native and Kotlin Multiplatform have matured significantly, Flutter remains one of the best choices for building cross-platform apps because of:
A single, highly-productive codebase for six platforms.
Near-native performance thanks to Impeller and Dart optimizations.
A thriving ecosystem and active community support.
Built-in support for testing, accessibility, and localization.
Flutter continues to evolve rapidly — and for most teams, it still offers the best balance of speed, flexibility, and performance.
Conclusion and next steps #
Great job! You have created your first Flutter application. Now you should have a good idea of what Flutter is and why it’s so popular.
This is just the beginning of your Flutter journey. From different kinds of widgets to Flutter themes and much more, there’s a lot to cover before you can use Flutter like a pro, such as refreshing AlertDialog to create confirmation when users make changes in data.
If you’re looking for a streamlined approach to learning Flutter, check out our Become a Flutter Developer path. In this path, you will dive into complete Flutter concepts, starting from beginner level and eventually making you expert of Flutter.
Continue Reading about Android app development#
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Flutter worth learning in 2024?
Is Flutter worth learning in 2024?
How to integrate backend services with Flutter
How to integrate backend services with Flutter
Can Flutter be used to develop web and desktop applications, and what are the key benefits?
Can Flutter be used to develop web and desktop applications, and what are the key benefits?
How does Flutter support Android development?
How does Flutter support Android development?
Written By:
Awais Qasim
