In today's fast-paced software development environment, efficient creation of feature-rich applications is a top priority. Combining Flutter, a leading cross-platform UI toolkit, with Strapi, a powerful headless CMS, enables developers to quickly create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) functions for their applications. This blog will walk you through creating a CRUD application using Flutter and Strapi

1. What is Strapi and why use it for backend?

Strapi is an open-source, headless CMS that allows developers to create APIs effortlessly. It is highly customizable, supports various databases and provides a user-friendly interface for content management. It seamlessly integrates with any frontend technology, including Flutter.

The main benefits of using Strapi include:

• Intuitive content management
• Customizable API endpoints
• Built-in authentication and role-based access
• Rapid deployment

At CodeRower, we leverage Strapi's high customizability, support for various databases, and user-friendly content management interface to build scalable solutions. Its seamless integration with any frontend technology, including Flutter, makes it an ideal choice for modern applications.

2. How ​​to setup Strapi for your app?

Step 1: Install Strapi

Make sure you have Node.js and npm installed on your system. Then run the following command to create a new Strapi project:

bang  
npx create-strapi-app@latest my-strapi-backend --quickstart  

This will set up Strapi with a SQLite database by default.

Step 2: Configure Content Types

Go to the Strapi admin panel at http://localhost:1337/admin. Create a content type (eg "Task") with the following fields:

• name (string)
• Description (text)
• Done (boolean)

Step 3: Enable Permissions

Go to the "Role & Permissions" section and enable public access for the CRUD operations you want (eg find, findOne, create, update, delete).

Step 4: Test the API

Use tools like Postman or a browser (eg http://localhost:1337/api/tasks) to test API endpoints.

3. How ​​to setup Flutter for frontend?

Step 1: Create a new Flutter project

Run the following command to create a Flutter project:

bang  
flutter create crud_app  

Go to the project directory:

bang  
cd crud_app  

Step 2: Add Required Dependencies

Open the pubspec.yaml file and add these dependencies:

jaml  
dependencies:  
  http: ^0.15.0  
  flutter:  
    sdk: flutter  

Run flutter pub get and install the dependencies.

4. How ​​to retrieve data from Strapi in Flutter?

Create a new api_service.dart file to handle API interactions:

Arrow  
import 'dart:convert';  
import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;  

class ApiService {  
  final String baseUrl = "http://localhost:1337/api/tasks";  

  Future> fetchTasks() async {  
    final response = await http.get(Uri.parse(baseUrl));  
    if (response.statusCode == 200) {  
      return json.decode(response.body)['data'];  
    } else {  
      throw Exception("Failed to load tasks");  
    }  
  }  
}  

5. How ​​to display data in Flutter?

In the main.dart file, create a user interface to display the data:

Arrow  
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';  
import 'api_service.dart';  

void main() {  
  runApp(MyApp());  
}  

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {  
  @override  
  Widget build ( BuildContext context ) {  
    return MaterialApp(  
      home: TaskList(),  
    );  
  }  
}  

class TaskList extends StatelessWidget {  
  final ApiService apiService = ApiService();  

  @override  
  Widget build ( BuildContext context ) {  
    return scaffolding (  
      appBar: AppBar(title: Text('Task List')),  
      body: FutureBuilder(  
        future: apiService.fetchTasks(),  
        builder: (context, frame) {  
          if (snapshot.connectionState == ConnectionState.waiting) {  
            return Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator());  
          } else if (snapshot.hasError) {  
            return Center(child: Text('Error: ${snapshot.error}'));  
          } else {  
            final tasks = snapshot.data as List;  
            return ListView.builder(  
              itemCount: tasks.length,  
              itemBuilder: (context, index) {  
                return ListTile(  
                  title: Text(tasks[index]['attributes']['title']),  
                  subheading: Text(tasks[index]['attributes']['description']),  
                );  
              },  
            );  
          }  
        },  
      ),  
    );  
  }  
}  

6. How ​​to add, update and delete data?

Adding data

Create a form to add a new task and send a POST request to Strapi using the http package.

Data Update

Implement an edit screen and send a PUT request to a specific task endpoint (eg /api/tasks/:id).

Clear Data

Add a delete button to each task and send a DELETE request to the task endpoint.

7. How ​​to deploy and scale an application?

Once development is complete, you can deploy the Strapi backend to a platform like Heroku, AWS, or DigitalOcean. For Flutter, use app stores (iOS/Android) or web hosting services to deploy.

Conclusion

By combining Flutter and Strapi, you can quickly build robust, scalable CRUD applications. Strapi simplifies backend management, while Flutter ensures a seamless user experience across platforms. Whether you need expert guidance or custom software solutions, CodeRower specializes in providing innovative IT services tailored to your needs.