FlutterFlow and Plaid integration: Step-by-Step Guide 2024

Step-by-Step Guide on Integrating FlutterFlow with Plaid

Integrating FlutterFlow, a UI development tool, with Plaid, a financial technology platform, enables you to incorporate financial data such as bank account balances and transactions into your FlutterFlow applications. Follow this detailed guide to achieve the integration.

Step 1: Set Up Plaid Developer Account

• Go to the Plaid website.
• Click on Sign Up to create a Plaid developer account. You may need to verify your email address.
• After logging in, navigate to the Dashboard. Here you can manage your applications and view API keys.

Step 2: Create a Plaid Application

• While in your Plaid Dashboard, click on Create an Application.
• Fill in the application details. Make sure to specify the correct environment (development) for testing purposes.
• Once created, you’ll be directed to your app’s overview page where you’ll find your API keys. These include the Client ID and Secret.

Step 3: Configure Plaid API keys

For this integration to work, you'll need to pass your Client ID and Secret securely from your FlutterFlow app.

• Store the API keys in a secure place, such as environment variables or secure server functions if you are utilizing backend services.
• You can use them later when setting up API requests in FlutterFlow.

Step 4: Set Up a Backend Service

If you do not have one, set up a backend service where you will process requests between Plaid and your FlutterFlow application. Plaid services require server-side processing for operations like obtaining bank links.

• Choose a backend service like Firebase Functions, AWS Lambda, or a simple Node.js server.
• Make sure your server is capable of handling HTTPS requests and responses.

Step 5: Integrate Plaid Link

Plaid Link is the client-side component that allows users to authenticate their bank accounts. Follow these steps:

• Install Plaid SDK: Include Plaid Link in your project by adding the Plaid SDK into your backend and configuring client-side actions accordingly.

• Create a /create_link_token Endpoint:

• On your backend server, create an endpoint that uses the Plaid API to generate a link token using the /link/token/create endpoint.

  ```javascript
  const plaid = require('plaid');

  const client = new plaid.Client({
  clientID: 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID',
  secret: 'YOUR_SECRET',
  env: plaid.environments.sandbox,
  });

  app.post('/create_link_token', async (req, res) => {
  const response = await client.linkTokenCreate({
  user: {
  client_user_id: 'UNIQUE_USER_ID',
  },
  client_name: 'Your App Name',
  products: ['transactions'],
  country_codes: ['US'],
  language: 'en',
  });
  res.json(response.data);
  });
  ```

• In FlutterFlow, use the API Call feature to make requests to the /create_link_token endpoint.

Step 6: Set Up FlutterFlow Project

• Open FlutterFlow and create a new project or open an existing one.
• Navigate to the Actions section in FlutterFlow for your desired widget and create an API Call that will handle requests to your backend service.
• Map the response of your backend service to the appropriate data models in FlutterFlow.

Step 7: Handle Plaid Webhooks

Plaid sends webhooks to keep your application updated with any changes. For instance, when bank transactions are updated. Implement webhook listeners on your backend:

• Set up a /webhook endpoint on your server to listen for Plaid webhooks.

  ```javascript
  app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  const event = req.body;
  // Handle Plaid event
  console.log(Received webhook: ${event});
  res.sendStatus(200);
  });
  ```

• In Plaid Dashboard, specify the webhook URL to direct Plaid event notifications to your server endpoint.

Step 8: Test the Integration

• In Plaid Dashboard, set the environment to Sandbox for testing.
• Use test credentials provided by Plaid (such as user_good and pass_good) to simulate user interactions.
• Ensure that your FlutterFlow app successfully retrieves and displays data from Plaid through API calls, and verify that webhook events are correctly handled by your server.

Step 9: Deploy to Production

• Switch the Plaid environment to Production once testing is complete and you are ready to go live.
• Ensure your backend is fully secured, including proper encryption and authentication mechanisms for protecting user data.

Step 10: Keep Data Secure

• Always follow best practices for managing API keys.
• Ensure all communications between FlutterFlow, your backend, and Plaid are encrypted using HTTPS.
• Regularly review Plaid’s documentation for updates or changes to their API or integration procedures.

Following these steps, you will successfully integrate FlutterFlow with Plaid. This will enhance your application with real-time access to financial data, delivering a seamless user experience.