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it’s additionally responsible for compiling |
the Dart source code into machine code during runtime.A single Dart runtime exists per application session on |
Android and iOS.A one-time Dart VM start is done when constructing the |
FlutterEngine for the first time on |
Android and when running a Dart entrypoint |
for the first time on iOS.At this point, your Dart code’s snapshot |
is also loaded into memory from your application’s files.This is a generic process that also occurs if you used the |
Dart SDK directly, without the Flutter engine.The Dart VM never shuts down after it’s started.<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Creating and running a Dart Isolate |
After the Dart runtime is initialized, |
the Flutter engine’s usage of the Dart |
runtime is the next step.This is done by starting a Dart Isolate in the Dart runtime. |
The isolate is Dart’s container for memory and threads. |
A number of auxiliary threads on the host platform are |
also created at this point to support the isolate, such |
as a thread for offloading GPU handling and another for image decoding.One isolate exists per FlutterEngine instance, and multiple isolates |
can be hosted by the same Dart VM.On Android, this happens when you call |
DartExecutor.executeDartEntrypoint() |
on a FlutterEngine instance.On iOS, this happens when you call runWithEntrypoint: |
on a FlutterEngine.At this point, your Dart code’s selected entrypoint |
(the main() function of your Dart library’s main.dart file, |
by default) is executed. If you called the |
Flutter function runApp() in your main() function, |
then your Flutter app or your library’s widget tree is also created |
and built. If you need to prevent certain functionalities from executing |
in your Flutter code, then the AppLifecycleState.detached |
enum value indicates that the FlutterEngine isn’t attached |
to any UI components such as a FlutterViewController |
on iOS or a FlutterActivity on Android.<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Attaching a UI to the Flutter engine |
A standard, full Flutter app moves to reach this state as |
soon as the app is launched.In an add-to-app scenario, |
this happens when you attach a FlutterEngine |
to a UI component such as by calling startActivity() |
with an Intent built using FlutterActivity.withCachedEngine() |
on Android. Or, by presenting a FlutterViewController |
initialized by using initWithEngine: nibName: bundle: |
on iOS.This is also the case if a Flutter UI component was launched without |
pre-warming a FlutterEngine such as with |
FlutterActivity.createDefaultIntent() on Android, |
or with FlutterViewController initWithProject: nibName: bundle: |
on iOS. An implicit FlutterEngine is created in these cases.Behind the scene, both platform’s UI components provide the |
FlutterEngine with a rendering surface such as a |
Surface on Android or a CAEAGLLayer or CAMetalLayer |
on iOS.At this point, the Layer tree generated by your Flutter |
program, per frame, is converted into |
OpenGL (or Vulkan or Metal) GPU instructions.<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Memory and latency |
Showing a Flutter UI has a non-trivial latency cost. |
This cost can be lessened by starting the Flutter engine |
ahead of time.The most relevant choice for add-to-app scenarios is for you |
to decide when to pre-load a FlutterEngine |
(that is, to load the Flutter library, start the Dart VM, |
and run entrypoint in an isolate), and what the memory and latency |
cost is of that pre-warm. You also need to know how the pre-warm |
affects the memory and latency cost of rendering a first Flutter |
frame when the UI component is subsequently attached |
to that FlutterEngine.As of Flutter v1.10.3, and testing on a low-end 2015 class device |
in release-AOT mode, pre-warming the FlutterEngine costs:A Flutter UI can be attached during the pre-warm. |
The remaining time is joined to the time-to-first-frame latency.Memory-wise, a cost sample (variable, |
depending on the use case) could be:Latency-wise, |
a cost sample (variable, depending on the use case) could be:The FlutterEngine should be pre-warmed late enough to delay the |
memory consumption needed but early enough to avoid combining the |
Flutter engine start-up time with the first frame latency of |
showing Flutter.The exact timing depends on the app’s structure and heuristics. |
An example would be to load the Flutter engine in the screen |
before the screen is drawn by Flutter.Given an engine pre-warm, the first frame cost on UI attach is:Memory-wise, the cost is primarily the graphical memory buffer used for |
rendering and is dependent on the screen size.Latency-wise, the cost is primarily waiting for the OS callback to provide |
Flutter with a rendering surface and compiling the remaining shader programs |
that are not pre-emptively predictable. This is a one-time cost.When the Flutter UI component is released, the UI-related memory is freed. |
This doesn’t affect the Flutter state, which lives in the FlutterEngine |
(unless the FlutterEngine is also released).For performance details on creating more than one FlutterEngine, |
see multiple Flutters. |
<topic_end> |
<topic_start>Android Studio and IntelliJ |
<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Installation and setup |
Follow the Set up an editor |
instructions to install the Dart and Flutter plugins.<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Updating the plugins |
Updates to the plugins are shipped on a regular basis. |
You should be prompted in the IDE when an update is available.To check for updates manually:<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Creating projects |
You can create a new project in one of several ways.<topic_end> |
<topic_start> |
Creating a new project |
Creating a new Flutter project from the Flutter starter app template |
differs between Android Studio and IntelliJ.In Android Studio:In IntelliJ:<topic_end> |
<topic_start>Setting the company domain |
When creating a new app, some Flutter IDE plugins ask for an |
organization name in reverse domain order, |
something like com.example. Along with the name of the app, |
this is used as the package name for Android, and the Bundle ID for iOS |
when the app is released. If you think you might ever release this app, |
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