Install Flutter on Linux -Developer Guide

This is a free guide to help developers get started with flutter which is an open-source project, with contributions from Google and the community.

flutter installation step-by-step guide : Linux (64 bit)

step 1 : Download the following installation bundles and tools to get started

• Get the Flutter SDK (latest stable version) — Official flutter docs
• Get the Android Studio — Download Android Studio

Download Flutter Installation Bundles & Tools

step 2 : Create a directory named “workspace”- this folder will contain all your projects, flutter sdk and all its dependencies.

• Create a folder named “workspace” on your Desktop
• Extract the files downloaded in step 1
• In your Downloads folder, To extract files, Right click on the file => Select “Extract Here”
• Search for folders named “android-studio” & “flutter” in the above extracted folders.
• Move “android-studio” & “flutter” folders into your “workspace” folder created on your Desktop.

Note : By this stage your should have a “workspace” folder on your desktop which contains “android-studio” & “flutter” named folders.
Now proceed with step 3

Create Flutter Project Folders

step 3 : Install Android Studio Linux

Open Terminal, run command :

$ cd Desktop/workspace/android-studio/bin 
$ ./studio.sh

./studio.sh above command is used to run android studio setup wizard

• Now, create folder named “Android” inside your “workspace” directory on your Desktop
• Also create folder named “Sdk” which is inside newly created “Android” folder above.
• This folder will be used as “Android SDK Location” while setting up Android Studio.

Android SDK Path

Android Studio Setup Wizard

Install Android Studio Linux

• Once the setup wizard is loaded
• Select do not import settings
• Click Next
• Select Custom installation
• Select the Dark theme
• SDK Component Setup — Ensure you have tick mark on

1. Android SDK (component required)
2. Android Virtual Device (component required)
3. Select all other options as well to save time in future (Optional)

• Now , set the “Android SDK Location”
• Android SDK Location = /home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk
• Note : replace dev in the above sdk path with your username
• Click on Next to verify settings
• Click Next and it will download the required files
• Please check your connection. Internet Connection is required to download the files
• Click on Finish once the download and installation is successfully completed.
• Close Android Studio

step 4 : Update your PATH variable

• Go to your HOME folder => Options => Show Hidden files
• locate the .bashrc file in file explorer
• Create a backup of the .bashrc file or .bash_profile (for macOS) file
• Edit .bashrc file => Right click Open with text editor

PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/flutter/bin PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk/tools PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk/platform-tools PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/android-studio/bin

• Add the above lines at the bottom of the .bashrc file
• Click “Save” and exit the file.
• Note : “dev” in the above path is username of our machine. Please replace “dev” inside above lines with your username

Update PATH variable

Explanation of the above lines that are added to the .bashrc file

1. flutter bin environment variable

PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/flutter/bin

Note : replace “dev” inside the above command with your username

2. android sdk environment variables

PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk/tools PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/Android/Sdk/platform-tools

Note : replace “dev” inside the above command with your username

3. android studio environment variable

PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/Desktop/workspace/android-studio/bin

Note : replace “dev” inside the above command with your username

• Verify your updated PATH variable using cmd :

echo $PATH

step 5 : Install Android Studio Plugin

Open android studio using terminal command studio.sh

$ studio.sh

• Select Configure => Plugins
• Search for Flutter Plugin in the search bar and install
• This will install both flutter and dart plugins
• Restart Android Studio
• New option to create a flutter application is now available in Android Studio
• Click on “Create flutter application” option
• Enter your app name, sdk location, project location, package name and some other required information
• Click finish
• Android studio will now create a starter flutter project
• Your flutter project is now ready.

Install Android Studio Plugins

step 6 : Test your flutter environment setup

Note : Keep your linux system up-to-date (System Updates) which helps in installing common dependencies required by flutter

Accept android-licenses (Mandatory)

flutter doctor --android-licenses

Disable Flutter Analytics (Optional)

flutter config --no-analytics

Run flutter doctor to test the environment setup

$ flutter doctor

 Doctor summary (to see all details, run flutter doctor -v):
    [✓] Flutter (Channel stable, v1.9.1+hotfix.4, on Linux, locale en_US.UTF-8)
 
    [✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 29.0.2)
    [✓] Android Studio (version 3.5)
    [!] Connected device
    ! No devices available

The above command should show all check marks to ensure that flutter installation is complete.

step 7 : Common Errors/Warnings Guide while running flutter doctor command

• Error : Unable to find git in your PATH Run command to Install git 2.x

sudo apt-get install git

Keep your linux system up-to-date (System Updates) which helps in installing common dependencies required by flutter to avoid common errors/warnings while running flutter doctor command.

step 8 : Install Visual Studio Code (Optional)

Get Visual Studio Code Editor (Optional) Download Visual Studio Code

• Install VS Code
• Install VS Code Extensions
• Flutter
• Dart => this will automatically be installed with flutter extension
• Go to View Menu => Select Command Palette or Press Ctrl+Shift+P
• Type flutter in the Command Palette window
• Select Flutter:New Project option
• Provide a name to your project
• Select your desired location to store all your projects
• VS Code will now create a starter flutter project

Note : We can use Android Studio or Visual Studio Code Editor [ANY ONE] to develop flutter apps

step 9 : Launch your Android Emulator

Launch Emulator using Android Studio AVD Manager

• Open Android Studio
• Navigate to AVD Manager
• Select a device from the list
• Click on PLAY BUTTON to start the emulator

Launch Emulator using VS Code

• Check bottom-right corner of vs code
• Click on “No Device” option
• Select a emulator from the list
• Click on the device name to start the emulator

You can use the default AVD created during Android Studio Setup or create your own AVD.

Bonus Tip : Troubleshooting Android Emulator — Android Emulator not working ?

Error List

• Please ensure KVM is properly installed
• Error 1 : KVM is required to run this AVD
• Error 2 : User does not have permission to use KVM (/dev/kvm)

Error 1 : KVM is required to run this AVD

$ sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm

• Restart your machine

Error 2 : User does not have permission to use KVM (/dev/kvm)

$ sudo adduser $USER kvm

above command adds the current user

$ echo $USER

above command prints current username

• Restart your machine

Check official docs for more details — Android Developer Docs — Emulator Acceleration

To learn more about flutter — Flutter Developer Guide

Originally published at https://blog.akshatapp.com on December 7, 2019.