Your Step-by-step Guide to Build a Custom Web Application with Flutter

“Google’s Flutter framework is only available for developing Android and iOS applications.”

This statement held true until December 2019 when Google launched Flutter 1.5, capable of creating web and mobile apps. Developers can now use Flutter to develop cross-platform apps and shift existing mobile apps to web apps. Moreover, developers of the search engine giant Google keep upgrading this framework.

Flutter swiftly gained ground in the developer’s community after its launch in May 2017. According to a Google report, Flutter empowers over 400,000 apps worldwide. Besides, several developers are switching to this robust Google-developed Framework to build customized web and mobile applications with desired features.

As per the Statista survey, as many as 42 percent of software developers count on Flutter in the year 2021. We can see the consistency in the popularity of Flutter as a cross-platform app development framework in the following graph.

If you want to know more about Flutter and its scope for building web applications, then this article is for you! Here is an overview of Flutter and detailed steps to build a tailored Flutter web application.

Let’s start from scratch.

What is Flutter?

Simply put, Flutter is a portable UI toolkit. Google developed and maintained this platform based on the Dart programming language. As a robust cross-platform app development framework, Flutter has both Cupertino for iOS and Material Design for Android to build attractive and interactive Android, iOS, web, and desktop applications.

Flutter gives developers more control over their applications. It also offers helpful features like hot reloading, widget customization, etc. Flutter app development services enable corporate customers to leverage the advantage of these features in a powerful web application.

Why Choose Flutter to Build a Web Application?

Flutter has the capability of building a feature-rich web application. But why should you choose Flutter over other frameworks? Well, here are a few reasons from the perspective of a Flutter application development company that’ll help you find the answer to this question.

• Leading web applications like Google Pay, Alibaba, and Baidu are built using Flutter
• Developers can create mobile and web applications at once
• Flutter reduces the time, cost, and efforts of developers significantly
• Flutter allows users to reuse existing user interface elements, saving them from writing long codes
• This easy-to-learn framework barely takes two weeks for experienced coders and nearly a month for learners to use Flutter
• Designers and developers get several customization options in the form widgets
• Flutter web apps load faster and are highly secure for long-time

Also Read- Your Super Guide to Hire Flutter Developers in 2023

Steps to Create a Web Application using Flutter

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to get step-by-step information about web application development using Flutter. This section explains how to build your first web application using Flutter. Let’s dive in and see how Flutter makes the developer’s life easy!

What do you need?

Before coding with Flutter, ensure your system meets the basic requirements to build a Flutter web app. Refer to the list below for information on your needs:

• Flutter SDK - Visit the Flutter SDK installation page for more details
• Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari - You need it to debug the web app
• Optional - An IDE like Visual Studio Code, Android Studio, IntelliJ, and IDEA that supports Flutter. Install the Flutter framework and Dart plugins. These plugins are useful for language support and you can have tools for running, debugging, refactoring, and reloading your web app within an editor

You can read this documentation to know more about the basic requirements.

Step 1: Setting up the environment

First, install and upgrade Flutter SDK to the latest version. You can use the following commands to get the latest Flutter version:

$ flutter channel stable

$ flutter upgrade.

This command will delete and replace the older Flutter version with a new one. To verify whether the installation was successful, run the following command in your terminal:

$ flutter doctor

If the installation is successful, your Chrome or any other default web browser will open up and host the server for the web app development.

Next, install and configure the necessary tools and IDEs for programming. You must configure Dart SDK and IDEs like Visual Studio Code, IntelliJ, or IDEA. Also, install the plugins required to run the IDE and support the Flutter app development.

Step 2: Defining the UI

After setting up the environment, you must define the web app’s user interface. This interface should be simple, intuitive, and intriguing. Stick to a design that drags your user’s attraction. Do not make it complex and crowded. Focus on giving an impressive UI that’s easily understandable.

Use the Flutter Widget library to add and customize elements like buttons, text fields, and images. You can also experiment with the screen orientations and sizes.

Step 3: Create the Web App

You have two options to create the Flutter web app. Either contact a Flutter application development company or create the web app yourself.

You must have a little coding knowledge to create the web app yourself. You can use the Flutter web application development guide on the official website to code the web app.

Contrarily, contact a company offering web app development services, explain your requirements, and let the company handle the stress on your behalf! Both methods are effective, but hiring an expert is recommended to save time and avoid errors while building the web app.

Step 4: Build an MVP

Before deploying your app for the public, testing it on target platforms is mandatory. You must develop a minimum viable product (MVP) for your app. The MVP will demonstrate the performance of your apps on target platforms. Any errors or changes can be improved at this stage. You can also add or remove features to the app.

Step 5: Testing the web app

After getting satisfactory results from your MVP, it’s time to test the final product. Use different testing methodologies like the black box, regression, UI/UX testing, etc. It is better to test each functionality of the web app and measure its performance to ensure a seamless user experience.

If you find errors or bugs, use the Flutter debugging tools. These tools will help fix the bugs and improvise the web app.

Step 6: Hosting your Flutter web application

The next step is to look for a reliable hosting platform that works as a server for your Flutter web app. You cannot deploy a web app without hosting it.

Also, choose a domain name with an SSL certificate for the app. Flutter supports various hosting options, including Google Cloud, Nginx, and Apache. Select the one that suits your requirements!

Step 7: Deploy your application

Finally, done with building, testing, and debugging. Now launch the web app for the public. Go to your hosting service provider and upload your web app. Your customers can access the app using your domain name or application link.

But, this is not all! Make sure to update the web app regularly, measure its performance, track analytics, and address your customer’s requests.

Concluding Lines

Whether you are a business individual or a developer, these simple steps to build a Flutter-based web app can get your job done quickly! The platform is cost-effective and offers various helpful features, tools, and widgets.

So, take the first step to start building your web application with Flutter today. The platform has everything to give you a seamless web or mobile app.

InheritX Solution is a renowned Flutter app development company. We have an in-house team of dedicated developers who can give enterprise-level Flutter app development services. Do you want to know more about the scope of the Flutter framework for building a tailor-made web application? Feel free to drop us a line at contact@inheritx.com and we will get back to you soon.