Windows Setup

  1. Environment Setup for Windows
  2. Install Git
  3. Install the Flutter SDK
  4. Set up Android development

Environment Setup for Windows

These instructions are for Windows 10/11 only. These instructions are distilled and customized from https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install.

Please do not hesitate to ask the instructor for help. There are a lot of steps, and they can be confusing. Reach out on Slack or by email.

Install Git

Lab computer: Git is already installed on UNCW lab machines, but let’s make sure you can access it:

  1. Hit the Windows key and search for “environment variables”. Select “Edit environment variables for your account”
  2. Select the “Path” variable then click the “Edit” button.
  3. Select a blank line, then click “Browse”
  4. Browse to the C:\Program Files\Git\cmd directory and click the “Okay” button.
  5. Hit “Okay” until the environment variable windows are closed.

Personal computer: Install the Git program if you do not already have it installed.

Install the Flutter SDK

  1. Download flutter_windows_3.27.1-stable.zip.
  2. Find the file in your Explorer. Right-click and unzip the file in its current location. This will either create a flutter/ directory or a flutter_windows_3.27.1-stable/ directory with a flutter/ directory inside it. You want the plain directory named flutter/.
  3. Move this flutter/ directory to your %HOME% folder identified in Lab: Environment Setup, e.g., c:\users\laymanl\
    • Note: If your %HOME% folder has spaces in it, create a folder called c:\dev and use it as your %HOME% folder.
  4. Update your path:
    1. From the Start search bar, enter ‘env’ and select Edit environment variables for your account
    2. In the top ‘User variables’ section, do you have a variable named Path?
      1. If Yes, select the Path variable and click Edit. Then click Browse, then navigate to and select %HOME%/flutter/bin.
      2. If No, click New and type Path as the variable name with exact capitalization. Then click the Browse Directory button and select the %HOME%/flutter/bin folder.
    3. Now, open a terminal or console window and type flutter doctor. You should see a bunch of Flutter output. If you see “Command not found” or something similar, contact the instructor for help.

Set up Android development

If you work on Windows, you must use Android even if you own an iPhone. You must have a Mac to develop for iPhone.

Follow the instructions in Lab: Android Setup