If you’re a Flutter developer looking to integrate Crashlytics for effective error reporting, you’re in the right place! In this guide, we’ll walk you through the setup process for both Android and iOS platforms, along with some troubleshooting tips. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Firebase Crashlytics Setup

Before you start integrating Crashlytics, you’ll need to set up your app to use Firebase. Follow this tutorial for guidance. Note that you won’t need an API key when using Firebase, which simplifies your setup!

Step 2: Android Configuration

To set up Crashlytics on the Android side, follow these steps:

• In your AndroidManifest.xml, add the following meta-data (ensure this is only for Fabric, not Firebase):

<meta-data
        android:name="io.fabric.ApiKey"
        android:value="YOUR_ID_HERE">
    </meta-data>

• Modify your build.gradle file to include the Fabric plugin:

buildscript {
        repositories {
            ...
            maven { url 'https://maven.fabric.io/public' }
        }
        dependencies {
            classpath 'io.fabric.tools:gradle:1.+'
            ...
        }
    }

    apply plugin: 'io.fabric'

Step 3: Symbolicating Native Android Crashes

To effectively catch native crashes, follow these instructions:

• Add the following in your build.gradle:

apply plugin: 'io.fabric:crashlytics'
    enableNdk true
    androidNdkOut ....debugSymbols
    androidNdkLibsOut ....buildappintermediatestransformsstripDebugSymbolrelease0lib

• Make sure the NDK bundle is installed to ensure the stripDebugSymbol directory is created.
• To build your app, use the command: flutter -v build apk --release

Step 4: iOS Configuration

On the iOS side, set your Fabric ID in the Info.plist as follows:

<key>Fabric</key>
<dict>
    <key>APIKey</key>
    <string>YOUR_ID_HERE</string>
    <key>Kits</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>KitInfo</key>
            <dict>
                <key>KitName</key>
                <string>Crashlytics</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>

Don’t forget to add a run script step in Xcode as part of your build phases.

Step 5: Flutter Integration

Your Flutter main method should look like this:

void main() async {
    bool isInDebugMode = false;
    FlutterError.onError = (FlutterErrorDetails details) {
        if (isInDebugMode) {
            FlutterError.dumpErrorToConsole(details);
        } else {
            Zone.current.handleUncaughtError(details.exception, details.stack);
        }
    };

    await FlutterCrashlytics().initialize();
    runZonedFutureNull(() async {
        runApp(MyApp());
    }, onError: (error, stackTrace) async {
        await FlutterCrashlytics().reportCrash(error, stackTrace, forceCrash: false);
    });
}

This setup allows you to log errors effectively, directing them to Crashlytics depending on your environment.

Understanding the Workflow Through an Analogy

Think of integrating Crashlytics like setting up a fire alarm system in a building. The alarm itself (Crashlytics) needs to be installed properly (correct configuration in Android and iOS) and needs to be connected to a main control panel (Firebase). You wouldn’t be able to hear the alarm (get error reports) if the wiring is faulty (missed configurations) or the alarm isn’t integrated into your building structure (not using the Flutter error handling). Just as every room in a building should have an alarm, all your major functions in an app should have this error reporting ready.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during setup, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

• Ensure the NDK is correctly installed for native crash logging.
• Double-check your API keys and build configurations.
• Look at the Xcode build phases for missing scripts if you’re working on iOS.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

This guide covered all the essential steps to seamlessly setup Crashlytics in your Flutter app. Remember, error logging is critical for ensuring your app runs smoothly in production. At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.