Setting Up the Dart Environment

Introduction to Setting Up the Dart Environment

Dart is an object-oriented, general-purpose programming language developed by Google, w

hich is used for web applications, server applications, and mobile applications. Before learning the powerful features of Dart, it is important to correctly set up the development environment. This tutorial will show how to install and configure Dart on different operating systems, using convenient online coding with DartPad, and setting up popular IDEs for work with Dart.

Installing Dart SDK

The Dart Software Development Kit (SDK) contains the Dart libraries, command-line tools, and a virtual machine necessary to write and execute Dart code. Installing the SDK is the first step to getting started with Dart.

Installing Dart on Windows

Download the Dart SDK:

• Visit the Dart SDK Downloads page.
• Choose the stable release for Windows.
• Download the zip file.

Extract and Install:

• Extract the zip file to a directory (e.g., C:\dart-sdk).Add the SDK’s bin directory to your system’s PATH environment variable:
• Right-click on “This PC” and select “Properties.”
  • Click on “Advanced system settings.”
  • Click “Environment Variables.”
  • In the “System variables” section, find and select the Path variable, then click “Edit.”
  • Add a new entry with the path to the bin folder (e.g., C:\dart-sdk\bin).

Verify Installation:

• Open a Command Prompt window.
• Type dart --version and press Enter.
• If correctly installed, it should display the installed Dart version.

Installing Dart on macOS

1. Using Homebrew (Recommended):
   • Open Terminal.
   • Install Homebrew if you haven’t already

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Install Dart via Homebrew:

brew tap dart-lang/dart
brew install dart

Verify Installation:

• Type dart --version in the Terminal and press Enter.
• You should see the installed Dart versio

Installing Dart on Linux

1. Using APT (Debian/Ubuntu):
   • Open Terminal.
   • Add the Dart repository:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https
sudo sh -c 'wget -qO- https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | apt-key add -'
sudo sh -c 'wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/download.dartlang.org/linux/debian/dart_stable.list > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dart_stable.list'
sudo apt-get update

Install Dart:

sudo apt-get install dart

Using Snap (For all Linux distros with Snap support):

• Install Dart using Snap:

sudo snap install dart --classic

Verify Installation:

• Type dart --version in the Terminal.
• The installed Dart version should be displayed.

Using DartPad for Online Coding

DartPad is an online tool that allows you to write, run, and share Dart code directly in your web browser, without the need for any local setup. It’s ideal for quick tests, learning, and sharing code snippets.

Getting Started with DartPad

1. Access DartPad:
   • Go to DartPad.
2. Write and Run Code:
   • You’ll see a simple code editor where you can type Dart code.
   • Click “Run” to execute the code. The output will appear in the console below the editor.
3. Features of DartPad:
   • Supports Dart and Flutter: DartPad now supports Flutter code as well, making it a great tool for trying out Flutter widgets.
   • Code Autocompletion: DartPad offers code suggestions and autocompletion to help you write code faster.
   • Sharing and Embedding: You can share your code by generating a unique link or embed the DartPad editor in web pages.

Configuring IDEs for Dart

To develop more complex Dart applications, it’s advisable to set up an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) tailored for Dart development. Popular options include Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA.

Setting Up Dart in Visual Studio Code

1. Install Visual Studio Code:
   • Download and install Visual Studio Code from here.
2. Install Dart Extension:
   • Open Visual Studio Code.
   • Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
   • Search for “Dart” and install the Dart extension by Dart Code.
3. Creating a Dart Project:
   • Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
   • Type “Dart: New Project” and select it.
   • Choose a project template (e.g., console application).
   • Specify a folder where the project will be created.
   • Visual Studio Code will set up the project with necessary files, including a pubspec.yaml file for managing dependencies.
4. Running Dart Code:
   • Open a Dart file.
   • Press F5 to start debugging and running your Dart code.

Setting Up Dart in IntelliJ IDEA

1. Install IntelliJ IDEA:
   • Download and install IntelliJ IDEA from here.
2. Install Dart Plugin:
   • Open IntelliJ IDEA.
   • Go to “File” > “Settings” (or “Preferences” on macOS) > “Plugins.”
   • Search for “Dart” and install the plugin.
3. Creating a Dart Project:
   • Go to “File” > “New” > “Project.”
   • Select “Dart” from the project templates.
   • Choose the Dart SDK path if prompted.
   • Set up the project and start coding.
4. Running Dart Code:
   • Open a Dart file.
   • Right-click on the file and select “Run.”
   • The output will be displayed in the console at the bottom of the IDE.