flutter
Build, test, and deploy Flutter applications
TLDR
Initialize a new Flutter project in a directory of the same name
Check if all external tools are correctly installed
List or change Flutter channel
Run Flutter on all started emulators and connected devices
Run tests in a terminal from the root of the project
Build a release APK targeting most modern smartphones
Delete the build and .dart_tool directories
Display help about a specific command
SYNOPSIS
flutter [global-options] <subcommand> [subcommand-options arguments]
PARAMETERS
-h, --help
Print usage information and subcommand help
--version
Print current Flutter version and exit
-v, --verbose
Enable verbose logging, including shell commands
-q, --quiet
Reduce output to errors only
--machine
Output in structured JSON for machine parsing
--device-id <id>
Target specific device by ID
--flavor <name>
Build with specific product flavor
--debug / --profile / --release
Build modes: debug (default), profile, or release
DESCRIPTION
The flutter command is the primary entry point for the Flutter SDK, Google's open-source framework for building natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase.
It enables developers to create, build, test, and deploy Flutter projects efficiently. Key functionalities include project scaffolding with flutter create, running apps on devices or simulators via flutter run, dependency management through flutter pub, and diagnostics with flutter doctor.
Flutter supports hot reload for rapid iteration, ensuring changes reflect instantly without full recompilation. On Linux, it targets desktop apps alongside Android, iOS, web, and more. The CLI integrates with IDEs like VS Code and Android Studio, but excels in terminal workflows.
Installation involves downloading the SDK, adding it to PATH, and running flutter doctor to verify setup. It's widely used for cross-platform development, emphasizing performance with Skia graphics engine and Dart language.
CAVEATS
Requires Flutter SDK in PATH; run flutter doctor first for setup checks. Linux desktop support needs additional config like flutter config --enable-linux-desktop. Large projects may need significant RAM/CPU.
COMMON SUBCOMMANDS
create: Scaffold new app.
run: Launch on device/emulator.
build: Compile for platforms (apk, linux, web).
doctor: Check environment.
pub get: Fetch dependencies.
upgrade: Update SDK.
INSTALLATION NOTE
Download from flutter.dev, extract, add bin to PATH, accept licenses with flutter doctor --android-licenses.
HISTORY
Announced at Google I/O 2017, Flutter 1.0 stable released Dec 2018. Evolved with Dart 2.x integration; Linux desktop support added in 2021 (Flutter 2.0). Actively maintained by Google, with frequent updates via flutter upgrade.
