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This guide walks you through setting up the MND mobile app development environment.

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Prerequisites

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Flutter SDK

Install Flutter SDK version 3.0.0 or higher: 
# Verify Flutter installation
flutter --version

# Should show:
# Flutter 3.x.x • channel stable
# Dart 3.x.x
Download Flutter from: https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install

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Platform-Specific Requirements

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Android Development

  1. Android Studio with:
    • Android SDK (API level 21+)
    • Android SDK Platform-Tools
    • Android SDK Build-Tools
  2. Android Emulator or physical device with USB debugging enabled
  3. Verify Android setup: 
    flutter doctor -v

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iOS Development (macOS only)

  1. Xcode (latest version from App Store)
  2. CocoaPods: 
    sudo gem install cocoapods
  3. iOS Simulator or physical device
  4. Verify iOS setup: 
    flutter doctor -v

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Clone Repository

cd ~/workspace/source
git clone <repository-url>
cd mnd_flutter

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Install Dependencies

Install all Flutter packages defined in pubspec.yaml: 
flutter pub get
This installs:
  • provider - State management
  • http - HTTP client
  • google_maps_flutter - Map integration
  • flutter_dotenv - Environment variables
  • shared_preferences - Local storage
  • And more (see pubspec.yaml)

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Configuration

Create a .env file in the project root: 
touch .env
Add your Google Maps API key: 
GOOGLE_DM_API_KEY=your_google_maps_api_key_here
See the Configuration Guide for detailed environment setup.

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Configure Backend API URL

Edit lib/config/api_config.dart to point to your backend server: 
class ApiConfig {
  // For Android Emulator (connects to host machine)
  static const String baseUrl = 'http://10.0.2.2:3000/api';
  
  // For physical device on same Wi-Fi
  // static const String baseUrl = 'http://192.168.0.114:3000/api';
  
  // For iOS Simulator
  // static const String baseUrl = 'http://localhost:3000/api';
}

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Platform-Specific Setup

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Android Setup

  1. Enable Google Maps in android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml: 
    <application>
  <meta-data
    android:name="com.google.android.geo.API_KEY"
    android:value="YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY"/>
</application>
  2. Minimum SDK: Ensure android/app/build.gradle has: 
    minSdkVersion 21

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iOS Setup

  1. Install CocoaPods dependencies: 
    cd ios
pod install
cd ..
  2. Enable Google Maps in ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift: 
    import GoogleMaps

GMSServices.provideAPIKey("YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY")
  3. Minimum iOS version: Ensure ios/Podfile has: 
    platform :ios, '11.0'

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Running the App

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List Available Devices

flutter devices

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Run on Android

# Run on connected Android device/emulator
flutter run

# Or specify device
flutter run -d <device-id>

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Run on iOS

# Run on connected iOS device/simulator
flutter run

# Or specify simulator
flutter run -d "iPhone 14 Pro"

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Development with Hot Reload

While the app is running:
  • Press r to hot reload
  • Press R to hot restart
  • Press q to quit

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Building for Release

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Android APK

flutter build apk --release
Output: build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-release.apk

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Android App Bundle (for Play Store)

flutter build appbundle --release

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iOS IPA

flutter build ios --release
Then use Xcode to archive and upload to App Store.

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Troubleshooting

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Flutter Doctor Issues

Run diagnostics: 
flutter doctor -v
Fix any issues marked with ❌ or ⚠️

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Dependency Conflicts

flutter pub upgrade
flutter pub get

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Clear Build Cache

flutter clean
flutter pub get
flutter run

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Android License Issues

flutter doctor --android-licenses

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iOS CocoaPods Issues

cd ios
rm -rf Pods Podfile.lock
pod install --repo-update
cd ..

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Development Tools

  • VS Code with Flutter/Dart extensions
  • Android Studio with Flutter plugin
Both provide:
  • Code completion
  • Hot reload
  • Debugging
  • Widget inspector

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Useful Commands

# Check for outdated packages
flutter pub outdated

# Analyze code
flutter analyze

# Run tests
flutter test

# Format code
flutter format lib/

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Next Steps