How to Create and Publish a Dart/Flutter Package to pub.dev

 

Creating and publishing a Dart/Flutter package to pub.dev allows you to share your code with the community. This guide will take you through the entire process step-by-step—from creating a package project to publishing it.

Step 1: Create a New Package

Using the Dart Command Line

Run the following command to create a new package:

dart create -t package-simple your_package_name

Replace your_package_name with the name of your package. In my case tarsier_logger is the name of my package. This command generates a new Dart package with a basic structure.

Using the Flutter Command Line (if it's a Flutter package)

For Flutter-specific packages, use:

flutter create --template=package your_package_name

Folder Structure

Your package folder will look like this:

your_package_name/
├── lib/
│   └── your_package_name.dart
├── test/
├── pubspec.yaml
├── README.md
├── CHANGELOG.md
├── LICENSE

Step 2: Implement Your Package Code

Edit the Main Library File

Open the lib/your_package_name.dart file and add your functionality. For example:

library your_package_name;

/// A simple utility to greet users.
class Greeter {
  final String name;

  Greeter(this.name);

  /// Returns a greeting message.
  String greet() => 'Hello, $name!';
}

This is where you build your package logic, classes, or widgets. In my created package tarsier_logger, this is what it looks like. 

Step 3: Add Metadata in pubspec.yaml

Edit the pubspec.yaml file to include essential metadata:

name: your_package_name
description: A Dart/Flutter package for greeting users.
version: 1.0.0
homepage: https://github.com/yourusername/your_package_name
environment:
  sdk: ">=2.18.0 <3.0.0"

dependencies:
  # Add package dependencies here.

dev_dependencies:
  test: ^1.22.0

Key fields:

• name: Unique package name.
• description: A short summary of what your package does.
• version: Start with 1.0.0 for new packages.
• environment.sdk: Defines the compatible Dart SDK versions.

Step 4: Add Documentation

Create a README.md File

Write a clear and concise README.md that describes your package. Include usage examples, like this:

   # your_package_name

A Dart/Flutter package for greeting users.

## Usage

```dart
import 'package:your_package_name/your_package_name.dart';

void main() {
  var greeter = Greeter('Alice');
  print(greeter.greet()); // Output: Hello, Alice!
}

Add a CHANGELOG File

Contains the version and its changes. Example:

   ### Add a `CHANGELOG.md` File
Document changes for each version. Example:

```markdown

# CHANGELOG

## [1.0.0] - YYYY-MM-DD
### Added

- Initial release of the package.
- Added `Greeter` class for greeting users.

Add a LICENSE File

Use a standard open-source license like MIT. Example:

   MIT License
Copyright (c) 2024 Your Name

Step 5: Test Your Package

Write unit tests in the test folder. Example:

import 'package:your_package_name/your_package_name.dart';
import 'package:test/test.dart';

void main() {
  test('Greeter should return correct greeting', () {
    var greeter = Greeter('Alice');
    expect(greeter.greet(), 'Hello, Alice!');
  });
}

Run tests using:

dart test

Step 6: Prepare for Publishing

Verify Your Package

Run this command to check your package for potential issues:

dart pub publish --dry-run

or

dart pub publish -n

Fix any errors or warnings, such as missing README.md, CHANGELOG.md, or LICENSE files.

Format Your Code (Optional)

Ensure your code is properly formatted:

dart format .

Step 7: Publish Your Package

Authenticate with pub.dev

If this is your first time publishing, authenticate with pub.dev using:

dart pub login

In my case, I used Android Studio in development and already logged-in to my account so I am not required and no need to run the above command.

Publish Your Package

When ready, publish your package:

dart pub publish

Follow the prompts to confirm the upload.

Step 8: Verify on pub.dev

Once published, visit your package page on pub.dev:

https://pub.dev/packages/your_package_name

Check that:

• The README.md renders correctly.
• The documentation is clear and includes examples.
• All metadata (description, license, version) is accurate.