To run our Flutter habit tracker app locally using Visual Studio Code:
- Install Flutter SDK and Dart SDK:
Download the Flutter SDK from the official Flutter website (https://flutter.dev) and extract it to a desired location on your machine. Add the Flutter SDK's bin directory to your system's PATH variable. Install the Dart SDK by downloading it from the Dart website (https://dart.dev/get-dart) and following the installation instructions for your operating system.
- Install Visual Studio Code:
Download and install Visual Studio Code from the official website (https://code.visualstudio.com).
- Install Flutter and Dart extensions in Visual Studio Code:
Launch Visual Studio Code. Open the Extensions view by clicking on the square icon in the left sidebar or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac). Search for "Flutter" and "Dart" extensions, then click on the "Install" button for each extension provided by the Dart Code team.
- Clone or create a Git repository:
If you haven't already, create a Git repository for your Flutter habit tracker app. If you have an existing repository, clone it to your local machine using a Git client or run the command git clone in the terminal.
- Open our Flutter project in Visual Studio Code:
Launch Visual Studio Code. Click on "Open Folder" and select the root folder of your Flutter habit tracker app project.
- Set up an Android device or emulator:
Connect an Android device to your computer via USB or start an Android emulator.
- Set up an iOS simulator (Mac only):
If you're on a Mac and want to run your app on iOS, make sure you have Xcode installed. Open Xcode and go to Preferences > Locations. Make sure a simulator is selected in the "Command Line Tools" dropdown.
- Run the Flutter app:
Open the terminal in Visual Studio Code by clicking on "View" > "Terminal" or by pressing Ctrl+ backtick (Cmd+backtick on Mac). In the terminal, navigate to the root folder of your Flutter project using the cd command. Run the command flutter pub get to fetch the project's dependencies. Connect your Android device or start an Android emulator. Run the command flutter run in the terminal to build and launch your Flutter habit tracker app.
- Test and review your app:
Interact with the habit tracker app on your device or emulator to test its functionality. Review the app's features, ensure they meet the requirements, and fix any issues if necessary.