We can answer this question in one sentence.
The Dart Programming Language is a great fit for both – Mobile Apps and Web Apps. It is free and open source.
Moreover, the Dart repository is available at https://github.com/dart-lang. And at the same time, you may get the feel of the language at the official website: https://www.dartlang.org/.
Although we can use the Dart for both mobile and web development, yet it is more popular for building Mobile Application.
For the same reason, the Dart became popular along with the Flutter framework for developing cross-platform mobile apps.
What is Dart and flutter?
Flutter is an Open-Source UI SDK developed by Google.
The framework Flutter allows the development of iOS and Android applications.
Since the Flutter uses Dart as the programming language, learning Dart helps us to learn the Flutter also.
Dart is an Open-Source, programming language. It is easy to learn.
Therefore we can learn Dart to build stable, and creates high-performance applications.
This book serves as a good introduction to the Dart Programming Language.
Why?
Because we have designed it to give you a complete idea about how Dart works.
Let us have a quick look at the core features of Dart programming language first.
For small operations, you can use the online code editor: https://dartpad.dartlang.org.
However, for package building and creating projects, we need the Code editors like Visual Studio Code, Android Studio, or IntelliJ Community.
The Visual Studio Code also has Dart language testing support.
It is easy to install required Plugins. Furthermore, if we want to build Mobile Applications, using Dart and Flutter, they are more useful.
Let us examine why we should learn the Dart?
What is Dart best for?
Firstly, it is extremely productive.
Secondly, if you already know any object-oriented programming language such as C++, C# or Java, it is easy to learn the Dart language.
Thirdly, if you are an absolute beginner, then it is good that you start with the Dart which has clear and concise syntax.
Finally, you will also have great support of rich and powerful core libraries and thousands of packages.
As an absolute beginner, you don’t have to worry about the libraries now. We will learn together to use them later when the time comes.
The performance of the Dart is high across mobile devices and the web because it optimizes the compilation power.
Besides, its portability rate is extremely good.
It compiles to ARM and x86 code so that Dart mobile apps can run on iOS and Android and beyond.
Now here is a complimentary note for the absolute beginners.
There is a difference between ARM and X86 processors.
The ARM processors follow a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture, while x86 processors are CISC (Complex Instruction set Architecture).
All together, because of these features, x86 processors are considered to be faster than ARM. And at the same time it is fast for web apps also.
Let us see our first Dart code.
main() {
print("Hello World!");
}
//output
Hello World!Let us write some more console based code to get the feel of Dart.
At the same time, we will know what are the most basic syntax of the Dart and how they work together.
main() {
print("Hello World!");
//calling a function
doSomething();
}
//define a function
doSomething(){
print("Do something!")
//calling a function inside another function
lifeIsShort();
}
//defining another function
lifeIsShort(){
print("Life is too short to do so many things.");
}In the above code, we have defined two functions first.
Next, we have nested another function inside one function.
finally, we have called them together through a single function.
However, there is a mistake in our code. It is an intended mistake so that you understand how debugging takes place in Dart.
Let us watch the output:
bin/main.dart:12:24: Error: Expected ';' after this.
print("Do something!")We have not place a semicolon after displaying an output.
Let us correct it and run the program again. In Android Studio you may use “Shift+F10” to run the code.
Now it is OK.
Hello World!
Do something!
Life is too short to do so many things.We have learned many things in our first code.
The very first lesson teaches us the most basic thing of all knowledge. You learn from your mistake.
Is Dart easy?
Yes, the Dart programming language is very yes.
However, we should always be careful about the syntactical errors. Missing a semicolon or a dollar sign before a variable could be a big game changer.
Especially, when you are going to build a large scale mobile application on iOS or Android, be very careful about these small mistakes.
Syntax-wise Dart has similarities with C, C#, Python, Java and JavaScript.
You have seen how we have used the “comments” in our code.
Try to contribute as much comment as possible to clear your standpoint as a developer.
It is necessary because when another person reads your code, she will understand it. Moreover she will visualize it as you have visualized your code while writing.
We will discuss comments at the right time.
We have started our code with the top level function “main()”.
It is required and special in nature because here the application executes.
So inside the main() function we have called a function “doSomething()” which has a nested-function inside it “lifeIsShort()”.
Each function gives a display output with the function “print()”. It is a handy way to display any output. Consequently, we have covered many things in our first program.
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