Connecting flutter with firebase

In this article, I will explain how to connect a Flutter application to Firebase. In the article “How to Create a Firebase Project and Realtime Database,” we already created a project in the Firebase Console. Now, we will move on to creating a Flutter app and connecting it to the Firebase project we created. This process is relatively simple, but you will need a few prerequisites, including Node.js, Flutter, Dart, and VS Code as your code editor.

By the end of this tutorial, you will have your Flutter app connected to Firebase and be able to leverage Firebase services such as Firestore, Firebase Authentication, or Firebase Realtime Database for your app.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the steps, ensure you have the following tools installed on your machine:

  1. Flutter SDK: Make sure you have the latest version of Flutter installed. You can check this by running flutter doctor in your terminal to ensure everything is set up correctly.
  2. Node.js and npm: The Firebase CLI relies on Node.js. Install it from nodejs.org.
  3. Visual Studio Code (VS Code): This will be used as your development environment.
  4. Firebase Account: You need a Firebase account. If you don’t have one, sign up at firebase.google.com.

Step-by-Step Guide to Connecting Flutter with Firebase

1. Create a Flutter Project

To start, you will need to create a new Flutter project using VS Code. Follow these steps:

  • Open VS Code, and then open a new terminal window.

  • Navigate to the directory where you want to store your Flutter project. For instance, you can create a project in D:/flutter directory.

  • Use the following command to create a new Flutter project:

    flutter create firebase_app
  • Once you execute the command, Flutter will set up a new project with the default template. It may take a few moments depending on your internet connection and system performance.

  • After the project has been created, navigate to the firebase_app folder using the terminal, and open the project in VS Code: cd firebase_app code .

Now your Flutter project is set up and ready to go!

 

2. Install Firebase CLI

In order to interact with Firebase from your local machine, you need to install the Firebase CLI (Command Line Interface) using npm (Node Package Manager).

  • First, make sure you are logged into your Firebase Console. You can access it by visiting Firebase Console.

  • Open a new terminal window in your project directory, and type the following command to install Firebase CLI globally: npm install -g firebase-tools

  • After installation is complete, you can verify that it has been installed correctly by running: firebase --version
  • To log into Firebase, run the following command in the terminal:firebase login

This will open a browser window prompting you to sign in with your Google account. After logging in successfully, your Firebase account details should appear in the terminal.

3. Enable and Configure Firebase CLI

Next, you will need to enable Firebase and configure your Firebase project using the Firebase CLI. You will do this by running a series of commands in the terminal:

  • First, activate the FlutterFire CLI (a tool used to configure Firebase services in Flutter apps). Run this command: dart pub global activate flutterfire_cli

  • Once the CLI is activated, run the following command to configure your Firebase project with Flutter: flutterfire configure --project=your-project-id
  • Replace your-project-id with the actual Firebase project ID that you created earlier in the Firebase Console.

  • During the configuration, you may be asked to choose which platforms (Android or iOS) your Firebase project will support. Use the arrow keys and spacebar to select Android and iOS, and deselect any other platforms (such as web).

  • After that, you will be prompted to provide the Android application ID (package name). This is the identifier for your Android app in the Firebase project. You can use a custom name, for example: com.example.firebaseapp

  • Once you’ve completed the configuration, Firebase will generate a file named firebase_options.dart, which contains the configuration details for your Firebase project. This file will be used to initialize Firebase in your Flutter application.

     

    4. Initialize Firebase in Flutter

    Now that you have completed the configuration, it’s time to initialize Firebase in your Flutter app. You need to add Firebase dependencies and initialize Firebase in the main entry point of your Flutter application.

    • First, run the following command to add the Firebase Core package to your Flutter project: flutter pub add firebase_core

    • Next, open the main.dart file in your Flutter project, and import the necessary Firebase packages: import 'package:firebase_core/firebase_core.dart'; import 'firebase_options.dart';
import 'package:firebase_core/firebase_core.dart';
import 'firebase_options.dart';

Inside the main function, initialize Firebase with the configuration options generated earlier:

void main() async {
  // Initialize Firebase
  await Firebase.initializeApp(
    options: DefaultFirebaseOptions.currentPlatform,
  );
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

This ensures that Firebase is initialized before your app runs. The firebase_options.dart file provides the necessary configuration details for the Firebase project for the platform your app is running on (Android or iOS).

 

5. Run the Application

At this point, Firebase has been successfully initialized in your Flutter project. To verify everything is set up correctly, run your Flutter application either on an emulator or a physical device.

  • Open an Android emulator or connect your physical device.

  • Run the following command to launch the app: flutter run

If everything is set up correctly, your Flutter app should run, and you should be able to interact with Firebase services (such as Firestore, Firebase Authentication, etc.) as you develop your app further.

Troubleshooting Tips

While following these steps, you may run into some common issues. Here are a few things to check:

  • Ensure Firebase SDK versions are compatible: Sometimes, the FlutterFire plugins (e.g., firebase_core) may have version mismatches. Always refer to the official FlutterFire documentation for the correct versions compatible with your Flutter version.
  • Check the Firebase configuration file: Make sure that the firebase_options.dart file is properly generated and is correctly imported into your main.dart.
  • Verify Firebase project settings: Ensure your Firebase project is properly set up in the Firebase Console, and that you’ve enabled the necessary Firebase services (e.g., Firestore, Firebase Authentication).

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you should now have successfully connected your Flutter application to Firebase. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities, such as using Firebase’s powerful backend services for real-time data synchronization, user authentication, cloud storage, and more.

Firebase is a great backend solution for Flutter applications, offering easy-to-use APIs and robust features that integrate seamlessly with the Flutter framework. In future tutorials, we can dive deeper into using Firebase services such as Firestore, Firebase Authentication, or Firebase Realtime Database.

Happy coding, and enjoy building your Flutter applications with Firebase!

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