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It is possible to build and run the standalone Dart VM for Android devices and emulators.

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Limitations

Before you begin, be aware of these limitations:
  • The host (build) machine must be an x64 Linux machine or a Mac
  • The target device must support the Android NDK
  • The Android Dart VM can only be run from the Android command line
  • The Android Dart VM only has access to dart:core APIs - it does not have access to Android C or Java APIs
  • Android-related tools and emulator images require about 2GB of disk space

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One-Time Setup

1

Get the Dart source

Download and install the Dart source tree using the standard instructions:
mkdir dart-sdk
cd dart-sdk
fetch dart
See Building from Source for detailed instructions.
2

Configure Android dependencies

Use a text editor to update your .gclient file (located in the directory that contains the main dart directory):
"custom_vars": {
  "download_android_deps": True,
},
Add this to the existing custom_vars section if you already have one, or create the section if it doesn’t exist.
3

Sync Android dependencies

Run gclient sync to download the Android NDK and SDK:
gclient sync
This may take 10 minutes or more depending on your internet connection speed. The download includes the Android NDK, SDK, and build tools.

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Building for Android

Once you’ve set up your build tree, build the Dart VM for Android using the standard build script with the --os android flag: 
./tools/build.py --arch=arm64 --os=android runtime

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Supported Architectures

The Android Dart VM supports these architectures:
  • arm - 32-bit ARM (armeabi-v7a)
  • arm64 - 64-bit ARM (arm64-v8a)
  • x64 - 64-bit x86
  • riscv64 - 64-bit RISC-V

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Build Output

The built Dart VM executables are located at: 
out/android/ReleaseAndroidARM/dart      # 32-bit ARM
out/android/ReleaseAndroidARM64/dart    # 64-bit ARM
out/android/ReleaseAndroidX64/dart      # 64-bit x86
out/android/ReleaseAndroidRISCV64/dart  # 64-bit RISC-V

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Testing on Android

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Add adb to Your PATH

For convenience, add the Android Debug Bridge (adb) tool to your PATH: 
export PATH=$PATH:path-to-dart/third_party/android_tools/sdk/platform-tools
Add this to your shell’s rc file (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.) to make it permanent.

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Testing with an Emulator

1

Start an Android emulator

Use the android_finder.py script to start an emulator:
runtime/tools/android_finder.py -a armeabi-v7a -b
Replace armeabi-v7a with your target architecture (armeabi-v7a or x86).The flags:
  • -a: Specifies the architecture to find
  • -b: Bootstrap (start) a new emulator if none exists
This script may take up to 20 seconds if a new emulator needs to be started.
2

Create a directory on the emulator

adb shell mkdir /data/local/tmp/dart
3

Push the Dart VM to the emulator

Copy the Dart executable to the device:
adb push out/android/ReleaseAndroidARM64/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/dart
Adjust the path based on your target architecture:
  • ARM: ReleaseAndroidARM
  • ARM64: ReleaseAndroidARM64
  • X64: ReleaseAndroidX64
  • RISC-V64: ReleaseAndroidRISCV64
4

Create a test script

Create a simple Dart test program:
echo 'main(){ print("Hello, world!");}' > hello.dart
5

Push the test script

Copy the test script to the device:
adb push hello.dart /data/local/tmp/dart
6

Run the Dart VM

Execute your Dart script on Android:
adb shell /data/local/tmp/dart/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/hello.dart
You should see:
Hello, world!

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Testing on a Physical Device

1

Enable USB debugging

On your Android device:
  1. Go to Settings > Developer options
  2. Enable “USB debugging”
  3. Connect your device via USB
If you don’t see “Developer options”, go to Settings > About phone and tap “Build number” 7 times.
You may need root access on some devices.
2

Verify device connection

Check that your device is connected:
adb devices
You should see output like:
List of devices attached
TA23701VKR  device
3

Transfer and run

Follow the same steps as for the emulator:
adb -d shell mkdir /data/local/tmp/dart
adb -d push out/android/ReleaseAndroidARM64/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/dart
adb -d push hello.dart /data/local/tmp/dart
adb -d shell /data/local/tmp/dart/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/hello.dart
The -d flag tells adb to use the attached device instead of an emulator.

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Multiple Devices

If you have multiple devices or emulators connected, specify which one to use with the -s flag: 
# List all devices
adb devices

# Use specific device
adb -s emulator-5554 shell /data/local/tmp/dart/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/hello.dart
adb -s TA23701VKR shell /data/local/tmp/dart/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/hello.dart

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Managing Emulators

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List Running Emulators

adb devices

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Stop an Emulator

adb emu kill

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Troubleshooting

Ensure you’ve configured and synced Android dependencies:
  1. Add to .gclient: 
    "custom_vars": {
  "download_android_deps": True,
},
  2. Run gclient sync
Add adb to your PATH:
export PATH=$PATH:$(pwd)/third_party/android_tools/sdk/platform-tools
Or use the full path:
./third_party/android_tools/sdk/platform-tools/adb devices
When connecting a device, check the device screen for an authorization prompt. Tap “Allow” to authorize the computer.If the prompt doesn’t appear:
  1. Revoke USB debugging authorizations in Developer options
  2. Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable
  3. Accept the new authorization prompt
Check that hardware acceleration is enabled:
# Linux - check KVM
lsmod | grep kvm

# Mac - check Hypervisor Framework
sysctl kern.hv_support
If KVM is not available on Linux:
sudo apt install qemu-kvm
sudo adduser $USER kvm
# Log out and back in
The /data/local/tmp/ directory should be writable without root. If you get permission errors:
  1. Ensure USB debugging is enabled
  2. Try using adb root (requires rooted device/emulator)
  3. Use a different directory that your app owns

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Advanced Usage

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Running with Arguments

Pass arguments to your Dart script: 
adb shell /data/local/tmp/dart/dart /data/local/tmp/dart/script.dart arg1 arg2

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VM Flags

Pass VM flags before the script path: 
adb shell /data/local/tmp/dart/dart --enable-asserts /data/local/tmp/dart/script.dart

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Accessing Device Files

Your Dart script can read files from the device: 
import 'dart:io';

void main() {
  var file = File('/data/local/tmp/dart/data.txt');
  print(file.readAsStringSync());
}
Push the data file: 
adb push data.txt /data/local/tmp/dart/

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Next Steps

ARM/RISC-V Builds

Cross-compile for ARM and RISC-V Linux

Testing

Learn about testing the Dart SDK

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