Dart Programming Tutorial For Absolute Beginners | Master Dart In 8 Hours | Flutter Tutorial Pt 1

Introduction

This tutorial is designed for absolute beginners who want to learn the Dart programming language, which is essential for developing applications using Flutter. This first part of an extensive 8-hour course will cover foundational concepts of Dart, making it easier for you to transition into Flutter later. Whether you're completely new to programming or familiar with another language, this guide will help you grasp the basics of Dart.

Step 1: Understand What Dart Is

• Dart is an open-source, general-purpose programming language.
• It is optimized for building mobile, desktop, server, and web applications.
• Familiarize yourself with its syntax and structure, as it shares similarities with languages like Java and JavaScript.

Step 2: Set Up Dart SDK

• Visit the official Dart website and download the Dart SDK.
• Follow installation instructions specific to your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux).
• Verify the installation by running dart --version in your terminal or command prompt.

Step 3: Learn the Print Statement

• Use the print() function to output text to the console.
• Example:

  print('Hello, Dart!');
  

Step 4: Familiarize Yourself with Operators

• Learn about different operators in Dart:
  • Arithmetic operators: +, -, *, /
  • Relational operators: ==, !=, <, >
  • Logical operators: &&, ||, !

Step 5: Comments in Dart

• Use comments to explain your code:
  • Single-line comments start with //
  • Multi-line comments are enclosed with /* */

Step 6: Work with Variables

• Understand different types of variables in Dart:
  • Basic variable declaration: var name = 'John';
  • Use const for compile-time constants:

    const pi = 3.14;
    

  • Use final for runtime constants:

    final currentDate = DateTime.now();
    

Step 7: Explore Conditional Statements

• Implement if, else if, and else statements to control the flow of your program.
• Example:

  if (score > 90) {
      print('Excellent!');
  } else {
      print('Keep trying!');
  }
  

Step 8: Use Ternary Operators

• A concise way to write simple if-else statements:

  String result = (score > 50) ? 'Pass' : 'Fail';
  

Step 9: Implement Switch Statements

• Use switch-case for multiple conditions:

  switch (day) {
      case 'Monday':
          print('Start of the week');
          break;
      default:
          print('Another day');
  }
  

Step 10: Looping Constructs

• Familiarize yourself with loops:
  • For Loop:

    for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
        print(i);
    }
    

  • While Loop:

    int i = 0;
    while (i < 5) {
        print(i);
        i++;
    }
    

  • Do While Loop:

    int i = 0;
    do {
        print(i);
        i++;
    } while (i < 5);
    

Step 11: Functions in Dart

• Define functions to encapsulate reusable blocks of code:

  void greet(String name) {
      print('Hello, $name!');
  }
  

• Learn about returning values and using positional and named arguments.

Step 12: Object-Oriented Programming Concepts

• Understand classes, objects, and constructors.
• Example of a simple class:

  class Dog {
      String name;
      Dog(this.name);
  
      void bark() {
          print('$name says Woof!');
      }
  }
  

Step 13: Advanced Dart Features

• Explore concepts like inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism.
• Get familiar with static variables and methods.

Step 14: Collections in Dart

• Learn about Lists, Sets, and Maps:
  • List example:

    List<String> fruits = ['Apple', 'Banana', 'Cherry'];
    

  • Map example:

    Map<String, int> ages = {'Alice': 30, 'Bob': 25};
    

Step 15: Exception Handling

• Understand how to manage errors gracefully using try-catch blocks:

  try {
      int result = 10 ~/ 0;
  } catch (e) {
      print('Error: $e');
  }
  

Conclusion

By following these steps, you will have a solid foundation in Dart programming. This knowledge will pave the way for your journey into Flutter development. Consider practicing the exercises mentioned in the video to strengthen your understanding. As you progress, explore more advanced topics and build projects to apply what you’ve learned. Happy coding!