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Step into the world of Bitrise integration to develop impressive Flutter applications. In this post, I'll walk you through all you need to know and understand the basics of Flutter Bitrise, as well as provide a hands-on guide on how to smoothly integrate your Flutter app with Bitrise.
The Flutter ecosystem is filled with tools and libraries that make app development a cinch while also allowing for efficient code reusability. Hence, a Flutter app is a preferable choice for developers due to its dynamic nature.
Bitrise harbors tremendous potential as an integration tool for your Flutter applications. Bitrise is not just a Continuous Integration and Delivery (CI/CD) Platform; it's a comprehensive tool that streamlines and automates the development process of your mobile app projects.
Let's dive into the main part of the blog, focusing on integrating your Flutter project into Bitrise, for which we'll be considering the essential aspects of Flutter in Bitrise.
To begin with, you need to create a Bitrise account if you haven't already. Accessing the Bitrise dashboard will provide you with various options and insights about your projects.
They provide two ways to register your account:
When it comes to adding your Flutter project to Bitrise, it's a structured process with a few essential steps. Begin by clicking on the Add New App button from the Dashboard. Next, select the Workspace for your app under Project access, and set your app's privacy(this can't be changed later).
Next is to set a repository URL, for which we can use a Remote URL or Manually add an URL.
Security plays a pivotal role in app development; hence it becomes crucial to make the correct SSH key setup. Here are the steps for an SSH key addition process suitable for adapting to your private apps' requirements as public apps won't require any authentication. Choose one from the options provided.
A structured code management is vital for the longevity and success of your project. For this, compartmentalizing your workflow becomes a necessity. Selecting the default branch will help you segregate the stages of your Flutter app development.
Auto-detect configuration is a significant benefit while dealing with Bitrise. It allows the system to scan your repository and set up the stack and default workflows accordingly. This feature almost always ensures a seamless setup process.
Once the setup is complete, Bitrise validates your project configuration. This procedure involves scanning for your project's configuration files, such as 'pubspec.yaml' for Flutter apps, and establishing your app accordingly. Then add the name for the branch that fits your project’s configuration - master, and then hit Next.
Once you complete the validation process, if you have an iOS project embedded in your Flutter app, you'll need to select an .ipa export method.
When you enable webhooks in Bitrise, the platform will automatically start a build when code is submitted to your repository or a pull request is created. This automation boosts your productivity while also keeping your project up to date.
Testing plays a paramount role in software development. By running tests, we ensure that everything works as expected. Let's see how you can write and conduct tests in a Flutter app.
Flutter supports a variety of test types- unit, widget, and integration tests.
Bitrise's primary Workflow helps run the Flutter tests and generate code coverage reports. For more details visit Bitrise Testing Flutter app section.
Deployment is the step where your project finally sees the light of day after undergoing rigorous stages of development and testing. To deploy your Flutter app successfully, a Bitrise workflow should contain certain steps, as we'll detail below.
For building and deploying a Flutter app to the App Store or Google Play Store, a typical Bitrise workflow must contain "Flutter Install" and "Flutter Build" steps:
Building both iOS and Android versions of your app in parallel can save you immensely on time. Bitrise Pipelines enable you to conduct these operations simultaneously.
Besides apps, Bitrise supports the building of Flutter packages and libraries. Unlike apps, packages, and libraries do not require a 'Flutter Build' step in the workflow.
Deploying your cross-platform application to bitrise.io involves uploading all the artifacts related to your build. This is achieved through the 'Deploy to bitrise.io ' Step.
Building an iOS application with Flutter and deploying it to the App Store requires building the app, exporting an IPA file and submitting it to the App Store, and code signing files.
Unlike testing, this requires code signing files:
For Flutter applications, code signing requires setting a Team ID in the project settings in Xcode.
To achieve a successful build on Bitrise, you must set up a valid Team ID in your Xcode project settings.
To accomplish this, review the project options in Xcode as you create your iOS app locally. You must also specify a valid Team ID; else, your Bitrise build will fail.
The process of deploying your app to the App Store involves uploading the required code signing files and configuring your Bitrise workflow appropriately.
Similar to iOS, deploying an app built with Flutter to the Google Play Store also requires proper configuration and code signing.
You can either set up code signing within the app's build.gradle file, or sign your AAB/APK file on Bitrise using the Android Sign Step.
The final step involves configuring the 'Deploy to Google Play' Step within your Bitrise workflow to ensure your app is successfully rolled out to the Google Play Store.
As a Flutter developer, leveraging Bitrise greatly simplifies many aspects of building, testing, and deployment. From configuring the SSH keys and managing the environment to conducting unit tests and deploying applications, Bitrise proves to be a comprehensive tool in your arsenal.
Explore deeper into the Bitrise and Flutter ecosystem with the help of these additional resources:
At the end of the ride, you'll find the perfect blend of Flutter for Bitrise leads to a smooth, efficient, and enjoyable development experience. The pairing opens up a world of possibilities for your mobile app development process and speeds up your road to success.
Good luck with your ventures in Flutter app development with Bitrise!
