Adding a Flutter plugin dependency with native iOS SDK to both targets app and keyboard extension: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you tired of struggling to integrate a Flutter plugin with native iOS SDK into both your app and keyboard extension? Well, worry no more! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the process of adding a Flutter plugin dependency with native iOS SDK to both targets, ensuring seamless integration and effortless functionality.

What you’ll need

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, make sure you have the following requirements checked off your list:

• A Flutter project with a target app and keyboard extension
• A native iOS SDK (e.g., Firebase, Google Maps, etc.)
• Xcode installed on your machine
• Familiarity with Flutter, iOS, and SDK integration (basic knowledge will do)

Step 1: Create a Flutter plugin (if you haven’t already)

If you’ve already created a Flutter plugin, skip to the next step. Otherwise, follow these instructions:

1. Open your terminal and navigate to your Flutter project directory
2. Run the command flutter create --org com.example --template=plugin my_plugin (replace “com.example” and “my_plugin” with your desired values)
3. This will create a new Flutter plugin project in the my_plugin directory

Step 2: Integrate the native iOS SDK into the plugin

Now, let’s integrate the native iOS SDK into our Flutter plugin:

In the my_plugin directory, navigate to the ios folder and open the Podfile using your favorite text editor:

target 'MyPlugin' do
  use_frameworks!
  # Add the SDK podspec
  pod 'GoogleMaps', '~> 3.10.0'
end

Replace “GoogleMaps” with the name of your native iOS SDK. Save the Podfile and run the command pod install to install the SDK.

Step 3: Configure the plugin for both app and keyboard extension targets

In the my_plugin directory, open the Pubspec.yaml file and add the following configuration:

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter

target:
  app: MyPluginApp
  keyboard_extension: MyPluginKeyboardExtension

This tells Flutter to generate two separate plugins, one for the app and one for the keyboard extension.

Step 4: Register the plugin for both targets

In your Flutter project, open the pubspec.yaml file and add the following configuration:

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter
  my_plugin:
    path: ./my_plugin

This registers the plugin for use in your Flutter project.

Step 5: Initialize the plugin in both targets

In your app’s main() function, add the following code:

import 'package:my_plugin/my_plugin.dart';

void main() {
  MyPluginApp().init();
  runApp(MyApp());
}

Similarly, in your keyboard extension’s main() function, add the following code:

import 'package:my_plugin/my_plugin.dart';

void main() {
  MyPluginKeyboardExtension().init();
  runApp(MyKeyboardExtension());
}

This initializes the plugin for both targets, ensuring it’s ready for use.

Step 6: Use the plugin in both targets

Now that the plugin is initialized, you can use it in both your app and keyboard extension:

// In your app
MyPluginApp().useSDK();

// In your keyboard extension
MyPluginKeyboardExtension().useSDK();

Replace “useSDK()” with the actual method name provided by the native iOS SDK.

Troubleshooting common issues

Encountered any issues during the integration process? Check out these common solutions:

Issue	Solution
iOS SDK not found	Make sure you’ve added the SDK podspec to the Podfile and run pod install.
Plugin not registering	Verify that you’ve added the plugin dependency to your pubspec.yaml file and run flutter pub get.
Initialization failing	Check that you’ve initialized the plugin in both targets’ main() functions.

Conclusion

Adding a Flutter plugin dependency with native iOS SDK to both targets app and keyboard extension can be a daunting task, but with these step-by-step instructions, you should now be able to effortlessly integrate your SDK into your Flutter project.

Remember to troubleshoot any issues that arise and consult the official Flutter and SDK documentation for further guidance. Happy coding!

Keywords: Flutter, plugin, native iOS SDK, app, keyboard extension, integration, SDK integration, Flutter plugin, iOS SDK, app development, mobile development.

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