flutter_compile 0.5.0

A CLI that automates Flutter framework, DevTools, and engine contributor environment setup — depot_tools, gclient sync, GN flags, and ninja builds.

flutter_compile

A Dart CLI that automates setting up Flutter framework, DevTools, and Engine contributor development environments. No more following 20-step wiki guides — one command handles depot_tools, gclient sync, git remotes, GN flags, and ninja builds.

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Getting Started

Activate globally via pub:

dart pub global activate flutter_compile

Or locally from source:

dart pub global activate --source=path <path to this package>

Requirements: macOS or Linux, git, python3

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Commands

install — Set up contributor environments

# Set up Flutter framework development environment
flutter_compile install flutter

# Set up DevTools development environment
flutter_compile install devtools

# Set up Flutter engine development environment (default: host platform)
flutter_compile install engine

# Engine for a specific platform
flutter_compile install engine --platform android
flutter_compile install engine --platform ios
flutter_compile install engine --platform web

The engine install automates:

• depot_tools installation and PATH configuration
• .gclient file generation with your fork URL
• gclient sync (streams output — takes 20-40 min on first run)
• Git remote setup (upstream = flutter/engine, origin = your fork)

run — Run a Flutter app with a local engine (alias: r)

# Run app with default local engine (host_debug_unopt_arm64 on Apple Silicon)
flutter_compile run

# Run targeting a specific engine build
flutter_compile run -p android -c arm64

# Run on iOS simulator, specific device
flutter_compile run -p ios --simulator -- -d "iPhone 15"

# Short alias
flutter_compile r

Everything after -- is forwarded to flutter run (e.g. -d chrome, --release).

Run options:

Option	Values	Default
--platform, -p	android, ios, macos, linux, web, host	host
--cpu, -c	arm, arm64, x64	auto-detected
--mode, -m	debug, profile, release	debug
--unoptimized	flag	true
--simulator	flag (iOS only)	false

test — Run Flutter tests with a local engine (alias: t)

# Run tests with default local engine
flutter_compile test

# Run a specific test file
flutter_compile test -- test/my_widget_test.dart

# Run tests targeting an Android engine build
flutter_compile test -p android -c arm64

# Short alias
flutter_compile t

Everything after -- is forwarded to flutter test (e.g. test/my_test.dart).

Test options:

Option	Values	Default
--platform, -p	android, ios, macos, linux, web, host	host
--cpu, -c	arm, arm64, x64	auto-detected
--mode, -m	debug, profile, release	debug
--unoptimized	flag	true
--simulator	flag (iOS only)	false

clean — Remove engine build artifacts (alias: c)

# List available builds with sizes
flutter_compile clean

# Delete a specific build
flutter_compile clean host_debug_unopt_arm64

# Delete all builds
flutter_compile clean --all

# Short alias
flutter_compile c --all

config — View and modify settings (alias: cf)

# List all configuration values
flutter_compile config list

# Get a specific value (accepts friendly names: flutter, engine, devtools, depot_tools)
flutter_compile config get engine

# Set a value
flutter_compile config set engine /path/to/engine

# Short alias
flutter_compile cf list

status — Show engine status (alias: st)

flutter_compile status
flutter_compile st

Displays engine path, source directory status, host CPU, available build directories with sizes, and whether the current directory is a Flutter project.

build — Build the Flutter engine

# Build engine for host platform (default: debug, unoptimized)
flutter_compile build engine

# Incremental rebuild (GN auto-skipped if build.ninja exists)
flutter_compile build engine

# Force GN re-run
flutter_compile build engine --gn

# Skip GN explicitly
flutter_compile build engine --no-gn

# Build for Android
flutter_compile build engine --platform android --cpu arm64

# Build for iOS simulator on Apple Silicon
flutter_compile build engine --platform ios --simulator

# Release build
flutter_compile build engine --mode release --no-unoptimized

# Clean build
flutter_compile build engine --clean

Build options:

Option	Values	Default
--platform, -p	android, ios, macos, linux, web, host	host
--cpu, -c	arm, arm64, x64	auto-detected
--mode, -m	debug, profile, release	debug
--unoptimized	flag	true
--simulator	flag (iOS only)	false
--clean	flag	false
--gn	force GN re-run	false
--no-gn	skip GN step	false

uninstall — Remove environments

flutter_compile uninstall flutter
flutter_compile uninstall devtool
flutter_compile uninstall engine    # optionally removes depot_tools too

doctor — Check environment health

flutter_compile doctor

Reports status of:

• Required tools (git, python3, dart, flutter)
• Engine tools (depot_tools/gclient, ninja, Xcode on macOS)
• Config file (.flutter_compilerc)
• Flutter, DevTools, and Engine contributor environments (directory exists, git remotes configured)

switch — Toggle Flutter installations

# Toggle between normal and compiled Flutter
flutter_compile switch

# Switch to compiled Flutter
flutter_compile switch compiled

# Switch back to normal Flutter
flutter_compile switch normal

update — Update the CLI

flutter_compile update

Other

# Show version
flutter_compile --version

# Show help
flutter_compile --help

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Running Tests

dart test

With coverage:

dart pub global activate coverage 1.2.0
dart test --coverage=coverage
dart pub global run coverage:format_coverage --lcov --in=coverage --out=coverage/lcov.info
genhtml coverage/lcov.info -o coverage/
open coverage/index.html

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