There are plenty of the big players when it comes to the Marketplace for chat applications. Yet, there has been an advancement of the technologies, and user needs doors for the new messages.
There has been a query regarding how to develop the exceptionally functional Firebase Flutter chat app. The 2020 updates suggest that React Native has 9.1k contributors, while the number for Flutter reaches 13k.
Developing a Flutter chat app without Firebase isn’t that easy. Though you can hire professionals or contact app development companies for Flutter app services, yet you can try developing one. In this article, you will discover and come to know the points that you will have to note while building a chat app with Flutter and Firebase.
Table of Contents
Firebase in chat app start with sign in and sign up
This is the fundamental part of any Flutter Firebase chat application. The combination will keep the information secure by rapidly signing in to the application just with your username. From that point, you will have to straight leap off every comment in the main dart and then dispose of my homepage gadget.
Be ready to structure the Flutter Firebase chat folder inside the library. At times there may be a widget requirement that is referred to as sign-in inside the Sign-in Dart. You will have to utilize the Framework body and the floating buttons.
Installation of the widgets for the addition of the functionality
Whenever it comes to creating the Flutter chat application, it is vital to coordinate the right arrangement of the plugins to make it run smoothly. You can also integrate the proper arrangement of the plugin. With that, you will get the option of constructing and assembling the main Firebase chat application.
For installing the plugin module, make sure that you are sticking to the guideline of adding “Firebaseauth, google sign in, cloud Firestore, Firebasestorage” right to the chat app with Firebase. If you face difficulty in addition to the plugin, you will have to look out for the Flutter app developers who will be assisting you with the entire procedure.
Some of the ideal plugins that you can find for the chat app development include the Firebase auth for Flutter, cloud Firestore plugin for Flutter, Google signs in, image picker for choosing the images from the gallery, Firebase cloud storage for Flutter. Hire a mobile app developer if you find the steps are too tedious to follow.
Noting the Programming Steps.
For advancing with the procedure to build Flutter android and iOS chat application with Firebase, you will have to follow the programming steps. Here are the essential steps that you need to follow:
Step 1
The basic step is the creation of the new application in Flutter. In case you are a beginner, then you can check out certain blogs. With that, you can get a better idea.
Step 2
Open the pubspec.YAML file that you can find in the project. Start adding the dependencies in it.
Step 3
You will have to set up the Flutter Firebase project to provide the storage feature and user authentication.
Step 4
Go ahead with creating the services for the application that will allow easy communication with the database. It will also assist with creating or saving the data into the database.
Step 5
There is a need for understanding the chat app data structure in the Firebase Firestore. It will help you learn how to structure the data of chat applications inside the Firebase. With that, you can also go ahead with the creation of the cloud Firebase functions.
Step 6
Go ahead with the creation of the first Firebase cloud function for the project. But before that, you will have to also consider the addition of certain dependencies.
Step 7
Now there is a need to implement the profile page search page and a recent conversations page.
Designing the Precise Layout of the Chat Application Screens
Firebase usage statistics and trends suggest that 268,067 live websites are using Firebase and additional 592,525 sites used Firebase historically. So, it’s understandable how popular Firebase is. In this regard, it’s worth taking advantage of Firebase and carving out the layout of the chat app screens.
The chat app always involves multiple screens, including the main screen, setting screen, login screen, and chat screens. There is every other screen that is developed with a different set of Flutter chat app source code. There is a need to understand the instructions that you will have to follow to develop those screens. Let us discuss them one by one.
. Login screen:
Once the user has successfully signed in to the app, then the return variable Firebase user will be holding some essential information regarding the display name, photo URL, and more than that.
When a user enters the login screen, there is a need to verify whether the new user or already existing one is simply put in the query to the server layout. Flutter development company uses an advanced set of tools and technologies to develop the apps.
. Main screen:
This is the main page that not just has the list of users but also showcases the complete information, including the avatar, nickname, and the user.
You can also get the idea in-depth and design more fields for the user info when developing the Flutter chat app with Firebase. Just go ahead with the creation of the detailed screen for seeing the particular user info.
. Setting Screen:
This is a page that with helping the user for editing the info, likes Changing the profile picture, nickname, and addition of the about me. You can also provide editing access to the additional field if the user wants to change the profile picture.
Go ahead with uploading that particular file to the Firebase storage and then getting the URL. After that, there is a need to add the new photo URL to the cloud firestore. In this particular process, there is a need to understand that it is essential to note the name of the file that you have set.
. Chat Screen:
This is where the user can just send the text and image message to the friend and vice-versa. It means a chat screen will be handling multiple things in one go. A proper design plan is a necessity for layout with the help of certain codes. Then there is a need for incorporating the sending stickers in the chat app.
There is a need for loading the previous messages and also listening to the new incoming messages. Flutter companies have an understanding of how to handle the message load whenever a user sends an image is necessary as well. Then there is a need for uploading the image and getting the URL in return. Also, coding is needed for adding the content of the message along with the URL.
Finally, there is a necessity for linking the Flutter chat app with Firebase right after the successful layout of the various screens. You can get the final structure using the Google Firebase Firestore.
Key Takeaways
In this article, we have given you the highlight of connecting Flutter with Firebase. By following these simple and straightforward steps, it will be easier to develop an app.
Sometimes it happens so that navigating the steps turn out to be very tedious. If you are a beginner or learner, you would be facing many issues and challenges in the process. At that time, it will be worth opting for a Flutter app development company who can build you the proper app to cater your business needs.
