How to use FlutterFlow to create a mobile app that is cross-platform, meaning it can be used on both iOS and Android devices?

Step 1: Creating a New FlutterFlow Project

To begin creating a mobile app with FlutterFlow, navigate to the official FlutterFlow website and sign in with your Google account. Once signed in, click on the Create a New Project option on your dashboard.

Step 2: Naming and Choosing the Project Platform

After clicking on Create a New Project, a new pop-up window appears. Here, you should enter the project name and select the project type as Mobile.

Step 3: Selecting the Project Template

Once you have entered your project preferences, you will be directed to the Templates page. Here, you have the option to start your project from scratch or select from FlutterFlow’s pre-defined templates. For ease and convenience, you can select a template closest to the type of app you wish to create. After making a selection, click on Create Project at the bottom of the screen.

Step 4: Understanding the FlutterFlow Workspace

Following the project creation, you will be directed to the FlutterFlow workspace. This workspace is split into several sections:

• Left-side Panel: Here, you will find the Design and Backend options. The Design option is where you will design the app’s interface and the Backend option is where you will implement the app’s functionality.
• Main Canvas: This is where you will design your app’s UI by dragging and dropping widgets onto the screen.
• Right-side Panel: This panel consists of various options to customise the properties of the selected widget.

Step 5: Designing Your App’s UI

Click on the UI Builder option under the Design tab on the left-side panel. Now, you can drag and drop the desired widgets onto the canvas to create the app’s first page. To add a widget, first click to select it. Then, either double-click or drag and drop the widget onto the canvas. Customise the properties of the widget on the right-side panel as per your requirements.

Step 6: Creating Additional Pages

To create more pages for your app, click on the + symbol next to Pages section on the left-hand panel. Then repeat the widget addition process as in step 5.

Step 7: Adding Action to the Widgets

Adding actions to the widgets enables them to perform chosen tasks when an event occurs. Select a widget and click on the Add an Action button that appears in the right panel under the On Tap section.

Step 8: Connecting the Backend

Once you have completed designing the UI, you can move on to developing the backend of your app. Click on the Backend tab on the left-side panel, and select Firestore, the backend provided by FlutterFlow. Here, you can define your app’s data structure using Firestore’s cloud-based NoSQL database.

Step 9: Integrating the Backend with the App

To integrate the backend with the app, navigate back to the Design tab. Here, access the Backend functions by clicking on the ellipsis icon (…) in the right-side panel beside a widget. Then select the appropriate action, and link it to the relevant Firestore function.

Step 10: Configuring Firebase with FlutterFlow

Before publishing your app, you must connect Firebase to FlutterFlow. Navigate to the Settings tab in the left-side panel. Scroll down to find the Firebase Configuration option and input your Firebase project credentials.

Step 11: Publishing the App

Once the Firebase configuration is complete, click on Publish at the top-right corner of the FlutterFlow workspace. You have the option to build either iOS or Android apps, or both. After selecting, click on Start Build. FlutterFlow will then compile your project and create an APK for Android or an IPA for iOS.

Step 12: Installing the App

Your app is now ready to be installed on Android or iOS devices. To install the app, download the APK or IPA file and follow the standard app installation procedures for each platform. You have now successfully created a mobile app using FlutterFlow that is cross-platform, functional on both iOS and Android.