Programming language · Since 2011

Dart

Dart is a client-optimized language from Google that powers Flutter apps and also runs on servers, in command-line tools and on the web.

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Dart is an open-source programming language developed by Google and first unveiled in 2011. It pairs a familiar C-style syntax with class-based object orientation, and its statically typed system with type inference and sound null safety catches null-related errors at compile time.

Today Dart is best known as the language of Flutter, which builds Android, iOS, web and desktop apps from a single codebase. During development, JIT compilation enables hot reload; for release, AOT compilation produces fast native machine code. Outside Flutter, Dart compiles command-line tools and server programs to standalone executables, and it can compile to JavaScript or WebAssembly to run on the web.

To get started, install the Dart SDK from dart.dev; if you have already installed the Flutter SDK, Dart is included. To try it without installing anything, use DartPad in your browser, learn the basics from the language introduction, read Effective Dart for idiomatic style, and browse pub.dev for packages.

Highlights

Sound null safety

Types are non-nullable by default, so the compiler catches null-reference errors before the program runs, while type inference keeps code concise.

JIT and AOT compilation

JIT compilation powers hot reload during development, and AOT compilation produces fast-starting native executables for release.

Multi-platform compilation

The same Dart code compiles to machine code for mobile and desktop, and to JavaScript or WebAssembly for the web.

Async code and isolates

async/await, Futures and Streams keep asynchronous code readable, and isolates run work in parallel without sharing memory.

Where it is used

Mobile, desktop and web apps with Flutter
Command-line (CLI) tools and scripts
Servers and backend APIs
Web apps compiled to JavaScript or WebAssembly

Install

1
Install the Dart SDK
Follow the instructions on dart.dev to install the Dart SDK for Windows, macOS or Linux. Package managers such as Chocolatey, Homebrew or apt work too, and the Flutter SDK already includes the Dart SDK.
2
Verify the installation
Open a new terminal and check that the dart command is on your PATH and reports its version.
```
dart --version
```
3
Create a project
Generate a new project from the command-line app template. It contains pubspec.yaml, which describes the package, and the entry point bin/hello.dart.
```
dart create hello
```

Your first program

Your first Dart program

Every Dart program starts at the top-level main function. print lives in the dart:core library, so no import is needed, and dart run compiles the file and runs it immediately.

bin/hello.dart

void main() {
  print('Hello, world!');
}

dart run bin/hello.dart

Everyday tools

dart CLI: A single command-line tool to create, run, compile, format, analyze and test Dart projects.
dart pub: The package manager that fetches and manages the dependencies listed in pubspec.yaml, backed by the pub.dev repository.
DartPad: An online editor for writing and running Dart and Flutter code in the browser, with nothing to install.
Dart DevTools: A suite of performance and debugging tools, including CPU and memory profiling, a debugger and network inspection.

Step-by-step guide

Six chapters that take you from installation to the core ideas of Dart.

Official docs and resources

Frameworks for this language

FlutterFlutter is Google's open-source UI framework for building mobile, web and desktop apps from a single Dart codebase.

Discussions

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