Installation

System Requirements

Before installing, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

Development Machine

macOS
Windows
Linux

OS: macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later
RAM: 8 GB minimum (16 GB recommended)
Disk: 10 GB free space
Xcode: Latest version (for iOS development)
CocoaPods: Latest version

OS: Ubuntu 20.04+ or equivalent
RAM: 8 GB minimum (16 GB recommended)
Disk: 10 GB free space
Libraries: libglu1-mesa, clang, cmake, ninja-build

Required Software

Flutter SDK

Version: 3.7.2 or higherRequired for cross-platform development

Dart SDK

Version: Included with FlutterAutomatically installed with Flutter

Git

Version: 2.x or higherFor version control

Node.js

Version: 14.x or higherRequired for Firebase CLI

Step 1: Install Flutter SDK

Download Flutter

Visit the official Flutter website:

macOS

# Download Flutter SDK
curl -O https://storage.googleapis.com/flutter_infra_release/releases/stable/macos/flutter_macos_3.7.2-stable.zip

# Extract the archive
unzip flutter_macos_3.7.2-stable.zip

# Move to desired location
sudo mv flutter /usr/local/flutter

Windows (PowerShell)

# Download from:
# https://storage.googleapis.com/flutter_infra_release/releases/stable/windows/flutter_windows_3.7.2-stable.zip

# Extract to C:\src\flutter
# Add to PATH via System Environment Variables

Linux

# Download Flutter SDK
wget https://storage.googleapis.com/flutter_infra_release/releases/stable/linux/flutter_linux_3.7.2-stable.tar.xz

# Extract the archive
tar xf flutter_linux_3.7.2-stable.tar.xz

# Move to desired location
sudo mv flutter /usr/local/flutter

Add Flutter to PATH

Make Flutter accessible from your terminal:

macOS/Linux (Bash)

# Edit your shell profile
nano ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc for zsh

# Add this line:
export PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/flutter/bin"

# Apply changes
source ~/.bashrc  # or source ~/.zshrc

macOS/Linux (Fish)

# Edit Fish config
nano ~/.config/fish/config.fish

# Add this line:
set -gx PATH $PATH /usr/local/flutter/bin

# Reload config
source ~/.config/fish/config.fish

Windows (PowerShell as Admin)

# Add to System PATH
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable(
  'Path',
  [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('Path', 'Machine') + ';C:\src\flutter\bin',
  'Machine'
)

Verify Installation

Confirm Flutter is correctly installed:

flutter --version

Expected output:

Flutter 3.7.2 • channel stable
Framework • revision xxx
Engine • revision xxx
Tools • Dart 3.7.2 • DevTools 2.x.x

Run Flutter Doctor

Check for any missing dependencies:

flutter doctor -v

This command checks:

✓ Flutter SDK installation

✓ Connected devices

✓ Android toolchain (if developing for Android)

✓ Xcode (if developing for iOS on macOS)

✓ VS Code / Android Studio setup

Address any issues marked with [✗] or [!] before proceeding.

Step 2: Set Up Development Environment

Choose your preferred IDE:

VS Code
Android Studio

Install VS Code

Download from code.visualstudio.com

Install Flutter Extensions

Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
Install:
- Flutter (by Dart Code)
- Dart (automatically installed with Flutter)

Configure VS Code

settings.json

{
  "dart.flutterSdkPath": "/usr/local/flutter",
  "dart.debugExternalLibraries": true,
  "dart.debugSdkLibraries": false,
  "[dart]": {
    "editor.formatOnSave": true,
    "editor.rulers": [80]
  }
}

Install Android Studio

Download from developer.android.com/studio

Install Flutter Plugin

Open Android Studio
Go to Preferences → Plugins (or File → Settings → Plugins on Windows)
Search for “Flutter”
Click Install
Restart Android Studio

Configure SDK Path

Go to Preferences → Languages & Frameworks → Flutter
Set Flutter SDK path: /usr/local/flutter
Click Apply

Step 3: Android Setup (Optional)

If developing for Android:

Install Android Studio

Required even if using VS Code (for Android SDK).

Install Android SDK

Open Android Studio

Go to SDK Manager

Install:

Android SDK Platform (API 33 or higher)
Android SDK Build-Tools
Android SDK Platform-Tools
Android SDK Command-line Tools

Accept Android Licenses

flutter doctor --android-licenses

Type y to accept all licenses.

Create Android Emulator

# List available device definitions
flutter emulators

# Create new emulator
avdmanager create avd -n flutter_emulator -k "system-images;android-33;google_apis;x86_64"

# Launch emulator
flutter emulators --launch flutter_emulator

Step 4: iOS Setup (macOS Only)

Install Xcode

Download from the Mac App Store (free, requires Apple ID).

Install Command Line Tools

sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
sudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch

Install CocoaPods

sudo gem install cocoapods

Accept Xcode License

sudo xcodebuild -license accept

Create iOS Simulator

# Open simulator
open -a Simulator

# Or launch via Flutter
flutter emulators --launch apple_ios_simulator

Step 5: Firebase Setup

Install Firebase CLI

Install globally via npm:

npm install -g firebase-tools

Verify installation:

firebase --version

Install FlutterFire CLI

dart pub global activate flutterfire_cli

Add to PATH if needed:

# macOS/Linux
export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.pub-cache/bin"

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc for persistence

Authenticate with Firebase

firebase login

This opens a browser for Google authentication.

Create Firebase Project

Via Console

Go to Firebase Console
Click Add project
Enter project name (e.g., “restaurant-reservations”)
Accept terms and click Continue
Disable Google Analytics (or configure)
Click Create project
Wait for provisioning to complete

Via CLI

# Create new Firebase project
firebase projects:create restaurant-reservations

# Set default project
firebase use restaurant-reservations

Enable Firestore Database

In Firebase Console, navigate to Build → Firestore Database

Click Create database

Select location (choose closest region)

Start in Test mode for development

Click Enable

Test mode allows unrestricted access. Update security rules before production:

rules_version = '2';
service cloud.firestore {
  match /databases/{database}/documents {
    match /{document=**} {
      allow read, write: if request.auth != null;
    }
  }
}

Enable Firebase Authentication

Go to Build → Authentication

Click Get started

Enable providers:

Email/Password: Toggle on
Google: Toggle on, add support email

Click Save

Configure Firebase Hosting (Optional)

For web deployment:

# Initialize hosting
firebase init hosting

# Select options:
# - Public directory: build/web
# - Single-page app: Yes
# - GitHub auto-deploy: No (or Yes if desired)

Step 6: Clone and Configure Project

Clone Repository

git clone <repository-url>
cd app_restaurante

Install Dependencies

flutter pub get

This installs packages from pubspec.yaml:

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter
  
  # Firebase
  firebase_core: ^3.3.0
  firebase_auth: ^5.1.0
  cloud_firestore: ^5.6.12
  google_sign_in: ^6.2.1
  
  # State Management
  flutter_bloc: ^8.1.3
  
  # Dependency Injection
  get_it: ^7.6.4
  
  # Routing
  go_router: ^13.0.0
  
  # Utilities
  uuid: ^4.0.0

Configure Firebase for Flutter

Run FlutterFire configuration:

flutterfire configure

Configuration steps:

Select Firebase project: Choose your created project

Select platforms:

Android package name: Use com.example.app_restaurante or customize

iOS bundle ID: Use com.example.appRestaurante or customize

This generates lib/firebase_options.dart with platform-specific configuration.

Create Firebase Configuration File

Create .firebaserc in project root:

{
  "projects": {
    "default": "your-firebase-project-id"
  }
}

Replace your-firebase-project-id with your actual project ID from Firebase Console.

Configure Firestore Security Rules

Update firestore.rules:

rules_version = '2';
service cloud.firestore {
  match /databases/{database}/documents {
    // Business profiles - owners only
    match /negocios/{negocioId} {
      allow read: if true;
      allow write: if request.auth != null && request.auth.uid == resource.data.propietarioId;
    }
    
    // Tables - public read, owner write
    match /mesas/{mesaId} {
      allow read: if true;
      allow write: if request.auth != null;
    }
    
    // Reservations - authenticated users
    match /reservas/{reservaId} {
      allow read: if request.auth != null;
      allow create: if true; // Allow guest reservations
      allow update, delete: if request.auth != null;
    }
    
    // Operating hours - public read, owner write
    match /horarios/{horarioId} {
      allow read: if true;
      allow write: if request.auth != null;
    }
  }
}

Deploy rules:

firebase deploy --only firestore:rules

Download Google Services Files

Android

In Firebase Console, go to Project Settings
Select your Android app
Download google-services.json
Place in: android/app/google-services.json

iOS

In Firebase Console, go to Project Settings
Select your iOS app
Download GoogleService-Info.plist
Place in: ios/Runner/GoogleService-Info.plist

Update Xcode:

Open ios/Runner.xcworkspace in Xcode
Drag GoogleService-Info.plist into Runner folder
Ensure “Copy items if needed” is checked

Step 7: Initialize Database

Set up initial data in Firestore:

Via Firebase Console
Via Import Script

Create Business Collection

Go to Firestore Database
Click Start collection
Collection ID: negocios
Add first document:

{
  "nombre": "Demo Restaurant",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "telefono": "+1234567890",
  "direccion": "123 Main Street",
  "propietarioId": "<your-auth-uid>",
  "maxDiasAnticipacionReserva": 14,
  "duracionPromedioMinutos": 60,
  "imagenUrl": null
}

Create Tables Collection

Collection ID: mesas

// Mesa 1
{
  "nombre": "Mesa 1",
  "capacidad": 2,
  "negocioId": "<negocio-document-id>",
  "activa": true
}

// Mesa 2
{
  "nombre": "Mesa 2",
  "capacidad": 4,
  "negocioId": "<negocio-document-id>",
  "activa": true
}

Create Operating Hours

Collection ID: horarios

{
  "negocioId": "<negocio-document-id>",
  "diaSemana": 1,  // Monday = 1, Sunday = 7
  "horaApertura": "11:00",
  "horaCierre": "22:00",
  "cerrado": false
}

Repeat for all 7 days of the week.

Create a seed data file:

seed_data.json

{
  "negocios": [
    {
      "nombre": "Demo Restaurant",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "telefono": "+1234567890",
      "direccion": "123 Main Street",
      "maxDiasAnticipacionReserva": 14,
      "duracionPromedioMinutos": 60
    }
  ],
  "mesas": [
    { "nombre": "Mesa 1", "capacidad": 2 },
    { "nombre": "Mesa 2", "capacidad": 4 },
    { "nombre": "Mesa 3", "capacidad": 6 }
  ]
}

Import using Firebase CLI or a custom Dart script.

Step 8: Build and Run

Verify Configuration

Run Flutter doctor to ensure everything is set up:

flutter doctor -v

All checks should show [✓].

Check Connected Devices

flutter devices

Expected output:

2 connected devices:

Pixel 5 (mobile) • emulator-5554 • android • Android 13 (API 33)
Chrome (web)     • chrome        • web     • Google Chrome 110.0

Run in Debug Mode

flutter run

Or specify a device:

# Run on specific device
flutter run -d <device-id>

# Run on Android emulator
flutter run -d emulator-5554

# Run on iOS simulator
flutter run -d "iPhone 14 Pro"

# Run on Chrome
flutter run -d chrome

Build Release Version

Android APK

# Build APK
flutter build apk --release

# Output: build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-release.apk

# Build App Bundle (for Play Store)
flutter build appbundle --release

iOS

# Build iOS (requires macOS and Xcode)
flutter build ios --release

# Create IPA archive
cd ios
xcodebuild -workspace Runner.xcworkspace \
  -scheme Runner \
  -configuration Release \
  -archivePath build/Runner.xcarchive \
  archive

Web

# Build web application
flutter build web --release

# Deploy to Firebase Hosting
firebase deploy --only hosting

Verification Checklist

Flutter SDK

Flutter 3.7.2+ installed
flutter --version works
flutter doctor shows no errors
PATH configured correctly

Firebase Configuration

Project Setup

Repository cloned
Dependencies installed (flutter pub get)
Google services files in place
Build succeeds without errors

Database Initialization

Business document created
Tables added to Firestore
Operating hours configured
Test data populated

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Flutter doctor shows errors

Android toolchain issues:

flutter doctor --android-licenses

Xcode issues (macOS):

sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
sudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch

Command-line tools not found:

Open Android Studio → SDK Manager → SDK Tools
Install “Android SDK Command-line Tools”

Firebase initialization fails

Error: “FirebaseException: [core/no-app]”Solution:

Verify firebase_options.dart exists
Check main.dart initializes Firebase:

await Firebase.initializeApp(
  options: DefaultFirebaseOptions.currentPlatform,
);

Run flutterfire configure again

Google services files not found

Android: Place google-services.json in android/app/iOS:

Open ios/Runner.xcworkspace in Xcode
Right-click Runner folder
Add Files to “Runner”
Select GoogleService-Info.plist
Check “Copy items if needed”

Gradle build errors (Android)

Error: “Could not resolve firebase-bom”Solution: Update android/build.gradle.kts:

dependencies {
  classpath("com.google.gms:google-services:4.4.0")
}

Then run:

cd android
./gradlew clean
cd ..
flutter clean
flutter pub get
flutter run

Pod install fails (iOS)

Solution:

cd ios
pod repo update
pod install --repo-update
cd ..
flutter clean
flutter run

If still failing:

sudo gem install cocoapods
pod setup

Environment Variables

For production deployment, configure:

.env.example

# Firebase Configuration
FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID=your-project-id
FIREBASE_API_KEY=your-api-key

# Email Service
EMAIL_SERVICE_URL=https://your-function-url

# SMS Service (optional)
SMS_API_KEY=your-sms-api-key

Never commit .env files to version control. Add to .gitignore.

Next Steps

Now that your environment is set up:

Quickstart Guide

Create your first reservation in under 10 minutes

Architecture Overview

Understand the system design and code structure

API Reference

Explore use cases and repository interfaces

Deployment Guide

Deploy to production environments

Additional Resources

For questions or issues, check the project repository’s Issues section or consult the team documentation.

Get Started

For Customers

For Business Owners

Architecture

Guides

System Requirements

Development Machine

Required Software

Flutter SDK

Dart SDK

Git

Node.js

Step 1: Install Flutter SDK

Step 2: Set Up Development Environment

Install VS Code

Install Flutter Extensions

Configure VS Code

Install Android Studio

Install Flutter Plugin

Configure SDK Path

Step 3: Android Setup (Optional)

Step 4: iOS Setup (macOS Only)

Step 5: Firebase Setup

Step 6: Clone and Configure Project

Step 7: Initialize Database

Create Business Collection

Create Tables Collection

Create Operating Hours

Step 8: Build and Run

Verification Checklist

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Environment Variables

Next Steps

Quickstart Guide

Architecture Overview

API Reference

Deployment Guide

Additional Resources

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

For Customers

For Business Owners

Architecture

Guides

​System Requirements

​Development Machine

​Required Software

Flutter SDK

Dart SDK

Git

Node.js

​Step 1: Install Flutter SDK

​Step 2: Set Up Development Environment

​Install VS Code

​Install Flutter Extensions

​Configure VS Code

​Install Android Studio

​Install Flutter Plugin

​Configure SDK Path

​Step 3: Android Setup (Optional)

​Step 4: iOS Setup (macOS Only)

​Step 5: Firebase Setup

​Step 6: Clone and Configure Project

​Step 7: Initialize Database

​Create Business Collection

​Create Tables Collection

​Create Operating Hours

​Step 8: Build and Run

​Verification Checklist

​Troubleshooting Common Issues

​Environment Variables

​Next Steps

Quickstart Guide

Architecture Overview

API Reference

Deployment Guide

​Additional Resources

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

System Requirements

Development Machine

Required Software

Step 1: Install Flutter SDK

Step 2: Set Up Development Environment

Install VS Code

Install Flutter Extensions

Configure VS Code

Install Android Studio

Install Flutter Plugin

Configure SDK Path

Step 3: Android Setup (Optional)

Step 4: iOS Setup (macOS Only)

Step 5: Firebase Setup

Step 6: Clone and Configure Project

Step 7: Initialize Database

Create Business Collection

Create Tables Collection

Create Operating Hours

Step 8: Build and Run

Verification Checklist

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Environment Variables

Next Steps

Additional Resources