Edit Source File Issue

Get Started: Configure Editor

You can build apps with Flutter using any text editor combined with our command-line tools. However, we recommend using one of our editor plugins for an even better experience. With our editor plugins, you get code completion, syntax highlighting, widget editing assists, run & debug support, and more.

Follow the steps below to add an editor plugin for Android Studio, IntelliJ, or VS Code. If you want to use a different editor, that’s OK, simply skip ahead to Next step: Create and run your first app.

  • Android Studio
  • VS Code

Android Studio setup

Android Studio: A complete, integrated IDE experience for Flutter.

Install Android Studio

Alternatively, you can also use IntelliJ:

Install the Flutter and Dart plugins

Flutter is supported by two plugins:

  • The Flutter plugin powers Flutter developer workflows (running, debugging, hot reload, etc.).
  • The Dart plugin offers code analysis (code validation as you type, code completions, etc.).

To install these:

  1. Start Android Studio.
  2. Open plugin preferences (Preferences>Plugins on macOS, File>Settings>Plugins on Windows & Linux).
  3. Select Browse repositories…, select the Flutter plug-in and click install.
  4. Click Yes when prompted to install the Dart plugin.
  5. Click Restart when prompted.

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) setup

VS Code: A light-weight editor with Flutter run and debug support.

Install VS Code

  • VS Code, version 1.20.1 or later.

Install the Flutter plugin

  1. Start VS Code
  2. Invoke View>Command Palette…
  3. Type ‘install’, and select the ‘Extensions: Install Extension’ action
  4. Enter flutter in the search field, select ‘Flutter’ in the list, and click Install
  5. Select ‘OK’ to reload VS Code

Validate your setup with the Flutter Doctor

  1. Invoke View>Command Palette…
  2. Type ‘doctor’, and select the ‘Flutter: Run Flutter Doctor’ action
  3. Review the output in the ‘OUTPUT’ pane for any issues

Next step

Let’s take Flutter for a test drive: create a first project, run it, and experience ‘hot reload’.

Next step: Test drive Flutter