My Flutter Mobile Development Journey (Part 1)

#mobile #dart #flutter #beginners

I came across a Flutter Mobile Development Training on LinkedIn, and what really caught my attention was the statement:

“No use of AI for generating solutions, but AI can assist you.”

That sparked my interest because it meant I had to think first, code first, and then use AI as a guide - not a crutch. So, I decided to follow the steps, applied, and got in.

What I’ve Learned So Far

Here’s a snapshot of my progress:

Dart: Basics (variables, operators, functions, OOP, control flow) + problem solving.
Flutter: Project structure, hot reload, and why it’s powerful for cross-platform apps.
Widgets: Stateless vs Stateful, plus core widgets like Text, Container, Row, Column.
Layouts: Combining Column, Row, Expanded, Align, Padding for responsive designs.
Routing: Push/pop navigation, named routes, and passing/returning data.
State Management: Understanding ephemeral state (setState) vs app state (Provider).
Dialogs: Creating dialogs with headers, dropdowns, and buttons.

Challenges Along the Way

It hasn’t been smooth all the way.

Overflow issues: Especially when using layout widgets without specifying dimensions - that was a headache at first.
State management: App state (Provider) felt overwhelming until I decided to sit down, slow things down, and approach it step by step.

But those challenges have been key to my growth.

How I Handle Errors & Issues

I’ve learned that debugging is an art. Here’s my process when I hit a wall:

First, I try my own ideas.
I seek help from friends.
If it’s new or tricky, I Google extensively and Gemini (AI) really helps with suggestions and reference links.
If I’m still stuck, I turn to ChatGPT for clearer explanations.
And of course, the official Dart/Flutter documentation is my ultimate reference.

This layered approach keeps me from depending too much on AI while still leveraging its guidance when needed.

Where I Stand Now

Right now, I can confidently:

Build multi-screen apps with navigation
Manage both local and global state
Create interactive, responsive UIs with layouts and dialogs

It’s still early in my Flutter journey, but I already feel the foundation getting stronger.

App Screens Showcase

Splash Screen	OnBoard Screen	Home Screen (with Dialog)	Categories Screen

💡 “Everything in Flutter is a widget. Before you start coding, plan, sketch, and write down the necessary details. Code what you’ve already envisioned - this gives clarity, structure, and purpose to your app.”

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