Setup Flutter for Android Development (Flutter + Android SDK Cmdline + ADB + Waydroid)

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Install the android sdk packages

We will be installing android sdk without the studio, you can install studio if you like it better. You can do flutter dev with some other editor other than android studio, you don't need to install the full studio for development.

Install from aur using aur helpers like yay:

yay -Syy android-platform android-sdk-build-tools android-sdk-cmdline-tools-latest android-tools

Alternatively, you can install from chaotic aur if you have the repo enabled:

sudo pacman -Syy android-platform android-sdk-build-tools android-sdk-cmdline-tools-latest android-tools

While installing please select jdk17-openjdk when prompted. I have tested it to work fine with that. It may not work with newer jdk releases based on the version of gradle you are using. Check gradle-java-version-compatibilty

change ownership of android sdk folder to user for read write access:

sudo chown $USER /opt/android-sdk

Add SDK Manager to PATH

Add sdk manager to path in .bashrc or symlink it to /usr/bin/sdkmanager:

sudo ln -s /opt/android-sdk/cmdline-tools/latest/bin/sdkmanager /usr/bin/

Install SDK for Android platform version

sdkmanager --install "platforms;android-34" "build-tools;34.0.0"

Install Flutter

Install flutter from aur using yay:

yay -Syy flutter

Alternatively install flutter from chaotic aur if you have it enabled:

sudo pacman -Syy flutter

change ownership of flutter folder to user for read write access:

sudo chown $USER /opt/flutter

Add Flutter to PATH

Add dart to path for it to be accessible from terminal using bashrc or symlink it to /usr/bin/dart:

sudo ln -s /opt/flutter/bin/dart /usr/bin/

Configure Flutter

Run flutter doctor and check for any issues. Fix the required issues as mentioned:

flutter doctor

If you don't plan to develop for web, you don't need to install chrome. Ignore that error.

If you don't plan to develop for your system, say linux, then you don't need to install clang and other packages as they mention.

You don't need android studio for flutter, you can use Codium or some other editor as well.

If they show fix android licenses issue, run:

flutter doctor --android-licenses

For Linux Development

If you're planning to develop for linux install base-devel, clang and ninja:

sudo pacman -Syy base-devel clang ninja

Emulator : Waydroid setup

Prerequisite: Kernel Module

Waydroid requires binder_linux kernel module for it to work. You can either install binder_linux-dkms from aur or install linux-zen kernel.

To install binder_linux-dkms, first install linux-headers:

sudo pacman -Syy linux-headers

Then install binder_linux-dkms from aur using your aur helper:

yay -Syy binder_linux-dkms

Alternatively, you can install it from chaotic aur if you have the repo enabled:

sudo pacman -Syy binder_linux-dkms

Once done, we can install waydroid

Install Waydroid

Install waydroid from aur using your aur helper:

yay -Syy waydroid

Alternatively, you can install it from chaotic aur if you have the repo enabled:

sudo pacman -Syy waydroid

Install Android Image

You can install either install Android image free from gapps known as vanilla or the one with gapps.

For installing vanilla image:

sudo waydroid init

For installing gapps image:

sudo waydroid init -s GAPPS

Start Waydroid

First enable waydroid container service:

sudo systemctl enable --now waydroid-container

You can launch the waydroid ui (view it like an emulator with full ui of android) from waydroid icon in your desktop environment or from the following command:

waydroid show-full-ui

Launch full UI to start the session. This will turn your waydroid on.

Install apps:

waydroid app install $path_to_apk

Enable network access through firewall

If you run something like ufw enable ports 67, 53 and allow packet forwarding, else you cannot use the internet from waydroid. If you don't run a firewall in your linux installation, ignore this.

Enable ports and packet forwarding in ufw:

sudo ufw allow 67
sudo ufw allow 53
sudo ufw default allow FORWARD

Enable USB Debugging

Goto settings inside waydroid and first unlock developer options by repeatedly clicking build number in about screen till they notify that developer mode is unlocked. Then enable USB Debugging from developer mode settings.

Connect ADB to Waydroid

List devices

adb devices

You'll find a device with address some-ip-here:port-number. Connect to that. (port number is usually 5555)

adb connect some-ip-here:port-number

Fix rotation in waydroid

By default the Waydroid is in Landscape mode. To make the window size to that of portrait mode, run:

waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.height 1280
waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.width 720

Now stop waydroid session:

waydroid session stop

Restart waydroid container service:

sudo systemctl restart waydroid-container

Now start waydroid again:

waydroid show-full-ui

Scale Display

You can scale the display from the settings app inside the waydroid. Launch full ui and then click on the settings app inside the android. Goto display settings and goto Display size settings. Now adjust the slider till you find the scaling resolution good for you.

Undo Portrait mode

To undo the above portrait mode settings, run:

waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.height ""
waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.width ""

Now stop waydroid session:

waydroid session stop

Restart waydroid container service:

sudo systemctl restart waydroid-container

Now start waydroid again:

waydroid show-full-ui