Integrating Appwrite with Flutter for Full-Stack Apps

Introduction

This tutorial shows how to integrate Appwrite — an open-source backend server — with Flutter to build full-stack mobile apps. You’ll see how to set up Appwrite, add the official Dart client to a Flutter app, implement authentication, read and write structured data, and enable real-time updates and file storage. Examples are concise and practical so you can copy, run, and iterate.

Setting Up Appwrite Console

Before writing Flutter code, run Appwrite (Docker or managed) and create a Project in the console. Under your project create:

• A Web or Flutter client (copy the Project ID).

• A Database and a Collection (define indexes and attributes for your documents).

• A Storage bucket for media files (set up public/private rules as needed).

• Ensure CORS and endpoints are accessible from your device or emulator.

Record the projectId and endpoint (https://your-appwrite.example). You’ll use these values in your Flutter client initialization.

Adding Appwrite To Flutter

Add the Appwrite SDK to pubspec.yaml:

• package: appwrite

Initialize the client early (for example, in main.dart or a provider). Provide endpoint and project ID and optionally attach an SDK key for server-side operations. Keep secret keys out of mobile apps; prefer email/password or OAuth flows.

import 'package:appwrite/appwrite.dart';

final client = Client()
  ..setEndpoint('https://YOUR_APPWRITE_ENDPOINT')
  ..setProject('YOUR_PROJECT_ID');

final account = Account(client);

This client object is the gateway to Appwrite services: Account, Databases, Storage, and Realtime.

Implementing Authentication And Database

Authentication is handled by the Account service. Use email/password, OAuth providers, or anonymous sessions. After authentication you receive a session token managed by the SDK. Store minimal state in Flutter (use provider, riverpod, or bloc) and call Appwrite for user operations.

Use the Databases service to create, query, update, and delete documents. Structure your collection models according to app needs (e.g., messages, profiles). Validate and secure access with collection permissions and rules set in the Appwrite console.

Example patterns: create a user account, create a document in a collection, and fetch documents for display in a list view.

final databases = Databases(client);

// Create a user (server policies required for direct creation in some setups)
await account.create(
  userId: ID.unique(),
  email: 'alice@example.com',
  password: 'Secur3P@ss',
);

// Create a document in the 'messages' collection
await databases.createDocument(
  databaseId: 'databaseId',
  collectionId: 'messages',
  documentId: ID.unique(),
  data: {'text': 'Hello from Flutter', 'author': 'alice'},
);

Handle errors explicitly: network failures, permission denials, and validation errors should map to user-facing messages.

Real-Time Sync And File Storage

Real-time features let your Flutter UI react to changes in Appwrite collections. The Realtime service delivers events for document creates, updates, deletes, and custom events. Subscribe from the client and update local state on incoming events. Keep logic idempotent: ignore duplicates or stale events and reconcile via snapshots when needed.

Storage is used for uploading images, audio, and other binaries. In Flutter, collect a file (image_picker or similar), create a MultipartFile or platform-equivalent stream, and call Storage.createFile to upload. Store the returned fileId in a related document in your database so the UI can fetch the file URL or stream it via Appwrite’s file endpoint.

Security notes:

• Use rules and collection permissions; avoid embedding project secrets in the client.

• Use session management to expire stale tokens.

• Validate user input server-side via Appwrite functions or collection rules.

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Conclusion

Integrating Appwrite with Flutter gives you a full-stack mobile app with authentication, a managed database, file storage, and real-time capabilities without writing a custom backend. Start with a minimal structure: initialize the client, authenticate users, model collections for your app, and add realtime subscriptions and storage as needed. This approach keeps your Flutter UI focused on user experience while Appwrite handles backend concerns securely and scalably.