Kishan's Blog

Dart for Absolute Beginners: A Gentle Introduction to Coding in Dart

Kishan Sindhi's photo
Kishan Sindhi
·

6 min read

Table of contents

Introduction

Dart is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language created by Google. It is designed to be compiled to native code, but it can also be interpreted. Dart is a relatively new language, but it has quickly gained popularity due to its performance, safety, and flexibility.

Dart is a good choice for a variety of projects, including web development, mobile development, and server-side development. It is also a good language for learning, as it is relatively easy to learn and use.

Features

  • Static typing: Dart is a statically typed language, which means that the types of variables and expressions are known at compile time. This can help to prevent errors and make code more reliable.

  • Strong typing: Dart is a strongly typed language, which means that the types of variables and expressions must match. This can help to prevent errors and make code more secure.

  • Null safety: Dart supports null safety, which means that you can't accidentally use a null value. This can help to prevent errors and make code more robust.

  • Flutter: Dart is the language used to build Flutter apps, which are high-performance, cross-platform apps that can run on mobile, web, and desktop.

Configuring the Dart environment

DartPad is a great way to learn Dart without having to set up any extra configuration. It's a free, online tool that lets you write, run, and share Dart code in your browser. You can use DartPad to experiment with Dart syntax, learn about Dart's features, and build simple Dart applications.

Here are some of the benefits of using DartPad:

  • No setup required: You can start using DartPad right away, without having to install any software or configure any development environments.

  • Easy to use: DartPad is a simple and intuitive tool that makes it easy to write, run, and share Dart code.

  • Interactive: DartPad provides live feedback as you type, so you can see the results of your code changes immediately.

  • Community: DartPad has a large and active community of users who are always willing to help answer questions and provide support.

If you're interested in learning Dart, I highly recommend giving DartPad a try. It's a great way to get started with Dart without any hassle.

Data Types

Dart has a variety of data types, which are used to represent different kinds of values. The following are some of the most common data types in Dart:

  • Numbers: Dart supports two types of numbers: integers and doubles. Integers represent whole numbers, while doubles represent decimal numbers.

    • Integers: The int data type is used to represent whole numbers. Integer literals are represented using the int keyword. For example, the value 10 is an integer.

    • Doubles: The double data type is used to represent decimal numbers. Double literals are represented using the double keyword. For example, the value 10.10 is a double.

  • Strings: Strings represent sequences of characters. Strings can be enclosed in single quotes or double quotes. For example, the string "hello" is a string.

  • Booleans: Booleans represent true or false values. The bool data type is used to represent boolean values. The values true and false are the only two values that can be assigned to a bool variable.

  • Lists: Lists represent ordered collections of values. Lists can be created using the List class. For example, the list [1, 2, 3] is a list of integers.

  • Maps: Maps represent unordered collections of key-value pairs. Maps can be created using the Map class. For example, the map {"a": 1, "b": 2} is a map of strings to integers.

  • Runes: Runes represent individual characters in a string. Runes can be used to represent text in different languages. The Rune data type is used to represent runes.

  • Symbols: Symbols represent unique values. Symbols can be used to identify objects in a program. The Symbol data type is used to represent symbols.

  • Null: The null value represents the absence of a value. The null keyword can be used to assign the null value to a variable.

In addition to these built-in data types, Dart also supports user-defined data types. User-defined data types are created using classes. Classes allow you to create your own custom data types that can be used to represent different kinds of data.

The data type of variable is determined by the value that is assigned to it. For example, if you assign the value 10 to a variable, the data type of the variable will be int. If you assign the value "hello" to a variable, the data type of the variable will be String.

The data type of variable is important because it determines how the variable can be used in a program. For example, you cannot add an int value to a String value. The compiler will generate an error if you try to do this.

Use Cases

Dart is a general-purpose programming language that can be used for a variety of purposes. Here are some of the most common use cases for Dart:

  • Web development: Dart is a popular language for building web applications. It can be used to create both server-side and client-side applications.

  • Mobile development: Dart is also a popular language for building mobile applications. It can be used to create applications for Android, iOS, and other platforms.

  • Server-side development: Dart can also be used for server-side development. It can be used to create web servers, REST APIs, and other server-side applications.

  • Desktop development: Dart can also be used for desktop development. It can be used to create desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

  • IoT development: Dart can also be used for IoT development. It can be used to create applications that run on IoT devices, such as sensors and actuators.

Dart is a versatile language that can be used for a variety of purposes. It is a good choice for developers who are looking for a language that is powerful, flexible, and easy to learn.

Here are some specific examples of Dart being used in real-world applications:

  • The Google Ads web and mobile app is written in Dart.

  • The Flutter framework, which is used to build cross-platform mobile apps, is written in Dart.

  • The AngularDart framework, which is a web framework based on Angular, is written in Dart.

  • The Serverless Framework, which is a framework for building serverless applications, is written in Dart.

These are just a few examples of the many ways that Dart is being used in real-world applications. As Dart continues to grow in popularity, we can expect to see it used in even more applications in the future.

Conclusion

Dart is a versatile programming language that can be used for a variety of purposes. It is a good choice for developers who are looking for a language that is powerful, flexible, and easy to learn.

In this blog, we discussed the features of Dart, how to configure Dart, the data types supported by Dart, and the use cases of Dart. We also provided some examples of real-world applications that are written in Dart.

We hope that this blog has given you a good overview of Dart and its capabilities. If you are interested in learning more about Dart, we encourage you to check out the following resources:

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog!

Did you find this article valuable?

Support Kishan's Blog by becoming a sponsor. Any amount is appreciated!

DartFlutter#dart-for-beginners#dart language