<h1 id="dependency-version-conflicts-in-flutter">Dependency Version Conflicts in Flutter</h1> <p>Dependency version conflicts are common issues in Flutter development that occur when different packages require incompatible versions of shared dependencies. These conflicts can prevent your app from building or cause runtime errors.</p> <h2 id="common-dependency-conflicts">Common Dependency Conflicts</h2> <ol> <li><p><strong>Direct Version Conflict</strong></p> <pre>dependencies: flutter: sdk: flutter package_a: ^1.0.0 # Requires shared_package ^1.0.0 package_b: ^2.0.0 # Requires shared_package ^2.0.0 </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Transitive Dependency Conflict</strong></p> <pre>dependencies: flutter: sdk: flutter package_a: ^1.0.0 # Depends on shared_package ^1.0.0 package_b: ^1.0.0 # Depends on package_c which needs shared_package ^2.0.0 </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>SDK Version Conflict</strong></p> <pre>environment: sdk: ">=2.12.0 <3.0.0"
dependencies: package_a: ^1.0.0 # Requires SDK >=2.14.0 package_b: ^2.0.0 # Works with SDK >=2.12.0 </pre> </li> </ol> <h2 id="causes-of-dependency-conflicts">Causes of Dependency Conflicts</h2> <ol> <li><p><strong>Version Range Mismatches</strong></p> <ul> <li>Incompatible version constraints</li> <li>Overlapping but conflicting version ranges</li> <li>Breaking changes in dependency updates</li> </ul> </li> <li><p><strong>Transitive Dependencies</strong></p> <ul> <li>Hidden dependencies in package dependencies</li> <li>Multiple levels of dependency requirements</li> <li>Circular dependencies</li> </ul> </li> <li><p><strong>SDK Requirements</strong></p> <ul> <li>Different SDK version requirements</li> <li>Null safety compatibility issues</li> <li>Platform-specific dependencies</li> </ul> </li> </ol> <h2 id="solutions">Solutions</h2> <ol> <li><p><strong>Analyze Dependencies</strong></p> <pre># Check for outdated packages flutter pub outdated
Analyze dependency tree
flutter pub deps
Check for dependency conflicts
flutter pub get --verbose </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Update Dependencies</strong></p> <pre>dependencies: flutter: sdk: flutter package_a: ^2.0.0 # Updated to latest compatible version package_b: ^2.0.0 # Updated to latest compatible version </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Use Dependency Overrides</strong></p> <pre>dependency_overrides: shared_package: ^2.0.0 # Force specific version </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Resolve SDK Conflicts</strong></p> <pre>environment: sdk: ">=2.14.0 <3.0.0" # Update SDK version </pre> </li> </ol> <h2 id="best-practices">Best Practices</h2> <ol> <li><p><strong>Regular Dependency Updates</strong></p> <pre># Update all dependencies flutter pub upgrade
Update specific package
flutter pub upgrade package_name </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Version Constraints</strong></p> <pre>dependencies:
Use caret syntax for minor updates
package_a: ^1.2.3
Use tilde syntax for patch updates
package_b: ~1.2.3
Use exact version for critical dependencies
package_c: 1.2.3 </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Dependency Management</strong></p> <pre># Separate direct and dev dependencies dependencies: package_a: ^1.0.0
dev_dependencies: package_b: ^2.0.0 </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Version Resolution</strong></p> <pre># Use any to allow any version (not recommended) package_a: any
Use specific version range
package_b: '>=1.0.0 <2.0.0' </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Dependency Locking</strong></p> <pre># Generate pubspec.lock flutter pub get
Update lock file
flutter pub upgrade </pre> </li> </ol> <h2 id="debugging-tips">Debugging Tips</h2> <ol> <li><p><strong>Check Dependency Tree</strong></p> <pre># View dependency tree flutter pub deps
View dependency tree with versions
flutter pub deps --style=compact </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Analyze Conflicts</strong></p> <pre># Check for conflicts flutter pub get --verbose
Check outdated packages
flutter pub outdated --mode=null-safety </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Clean and Rebuild</strong></p> <pre># Clean project flutter clean
Get dependencies
flutter pub get
Rebuild
flutter build </pre> </li> </ol> <h2 id="common-issues-and-solutions">Common Issues and Solutions</h2> <ol> <li><p><strong>Null Safety Conflicts</strong></p> <pre># Update to null-safe versions dependencies: package_a: ^2.0.0-nullsafety.0 </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Platform-Specific Dependencies</strong></p> <pre># Use platform-specific dependencies dependencies: package_a: sdk: flutter platforms: android: ^1.0.0 ios: ^1.0.0 </pre> </li> <li><p><strong>Git Dependencies</strong></p> <pre># Use specific commit or branch dependencies: package_a: git: url: https://github.com/user/package_a.git ref: main </pre> </li> </ol> <p>By following these guidelines and understanding how to properly manage dependencies in Flutter, you can avoid version conflicts and maintain a stable project.</p>