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What are the primary components for implementing live location tracking in Flutter apps?
What are some key features to consider when developing a location tracking app?
How can I improve the performance of my location tracking app?
Live location tracking in Flutter apps has revolutionized the way we interact with our digital environment. By harnessing the power of real-time location tracker capabilities in Flutter apps, developers can create dynamic and engaging experiences across various applications. The applications might range from phone tracking apps, navigation applications, and food delivery services, to even social networks, where location-based functionalities can add a rich, interactive layer.
Picture this - Imagine a parent who wants to keep tabs on their child's location, or a company aiming to manage its fleet more efficiently. Even a group of friends trying to coordinate and meet at a commonplace. All these scenarios leverage real-time location tracking to a large extent.
Live location tracking refers to the process of tracking the exact location of an object, person, or device, in real-time, using a location-tracking app or software. This functionality heavily relies on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for getting accurate location details, providing a real-time view of the object's movement. It's quite like having your own personal GPS location tracker in your pocket.
Location tracking once considered a luxury feature, is now a necessity in multiple scenarios. The tracking apps, in general, have made it possible for businesses to improve efficiency, security, and performance. In the personal domain, it approximates reassurance. Parents, for instance, may ensure their child's safety through phone tracking apps. Whether it's March from school or a stroll to the nearby park, location tracking comes in handy.
Tracking app awareness likewise caters to disaster management, for instance, in helping locate people stuck in calamitous situations. Indeed, location trackers like Red Panic Button and Life360 have made a recognizable difference in ensuring safety during crisis times.
The beauty lies in its adaptability in both Android and IOS devices, making location tracking a cross-platform feature. Its importance in the business domain too cannot be understated. Top location-tracking apps like Waze and Google Maps impact the day-to-day functioning of various businesses relying on location data.
Businesses, especially those in the service sector, leverage location tracking modernly. Delivery services, like food and parcel delivery, rely heavily on real-time location sharing. The salient feature here is not only tracking the live location of couriers but also enabling customers to view the exact location of their orders in real-time. This transparency improves user experience, builds customer trust, and adds a lot of value to the service provided.
For fleet management operations, it's imperative to have accurate location tracking. Logistics firms depend on these real-time location-tracking apps to monitor delivery vehicles, enhance route efficiency, manage fuel consumption, and ensure maximum productivity.
So how does a location-tracking app work? These applications primarily use GPS technology to monitor a device's location. When you use a location tracker app on an Android phone or any device, the app requests location information from GPS satellites. The satellites provide data that the app uses to calculate the device's exact location.
Note that for stable and accurate location tracking, the phone tracker products usually amalgamate GPS data with information from cell towers and Wi-Fi spots. All this information combined ensures reliable location tracking, even in suboptimal conditions.
The working of a free location tracking app is technically profound. Albeit, it can be best understood when we work from scratch, using Dart and Flutter SDK.
When selecting a location-tracking app, it is essential to be informed about the key features that make a difference. A 'best tracking app' should not only provide real-time location tracking but also have other features that enhance the user's experience.
A good location tracking app should provide not only real-time location tracking but also several additional benefits.
These might include:
In addition to the pack of advanced features, the look and feel of the app, and ease of use, are equally important.
A good location tracking app should have an intuitive, user-friendly interface that makes it easy to understand and use, even for non-tech-savvy users. The best phone tracking apps are not overly complex. They are usually optimized to provide the most crucial information on demand and enable users to perform critical tasks with minimal effort.
Additionally, proper incorporation of app settings, like controlling when the app sends location data or which contacts can view the person's location, is also the hallmark of a high-quality phone tracking app. Features like in-app messaging and sharing of location history also set some apps apart from others.
There is a multitude of location tracking tools available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. However, needs and application areas indeed vary.
Now that we know what makes a "best tracking app" and the role live location tracking can play in a wide array of applications, it's time to set up your Flutter environment to begin crafting your location tracking app.
To create a location tracking app with Flutter, you first need to install the Flutter SDK.
Once Flutter SDK is in place, the subsequent step involves setting up an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). There are several IDEs compatible with Flutter. However, Android Studio/IntelliJ and Visual Studio Code are the most popular ones. These tools not only provide syntax highlighting for your code but also have a terminal, version control, and debugging tools integrated into them.
Here are the steps to set up the editor for Flutter development:
Regardless of which IDE you choose, you will need to install the Flutter and Dart plugins to get started with Flutter development.
For Android Studio/IntelliJ:
For Visual Studio Code:
With a well-set Flutter environment, let's start implementing live location tracking in your Flutter app. Just as an architect begins with a blueprint before they start building, let's plan out the application structure.
To implement live location tracking, you require a few crucial components in your app:
Given the components, let's categorize them into two main Flutter blocs: location bloc for managing location data and permissions, and Google map bloc for managing map state based on current location.
Now that we've planned out our application structure, let's start coding.
Flutter uses Dart programming language , which might be new for some readers. However, it is pretty similar to JavaScript and should be easy to pick up for anyone familiar with Java, JavaScript, or C#.
Dart primarily uses packages to expand its functionalities. As we build up our live location tracking app, we'll leverage two main packages: location and google_maps_flutter .
Before you start, make sure to set up the Flutter project using the command flutter create location_tracking_app where "location_tracking_app" will be the name of your app. Navigate to the project folder using cd location_tracking_app.
Firstly, the location bloc will handle all location-related state and events. This includes whether we have permission to access the user's location, the user's current location, and whether location services are running.
Our Bloc accepts events like AppStarted, which initiates the location services, and LocationChanged, which updates the user's location state.
1 class LocationBloc extends Bloc<LocationEvent, LocationState> { 2 final Location location; 3 4 LocationBloc({@required this.location}) 5 : assert(location != null); 6 7 @override 8 LocationState get initialState => LocationState.initial(); 9 10 @override 11 Stream<LocationState> mapEventToState(LocationEvent event) async* { 12 if (event is AppStarted) { 13 // Handle AppStarted event 14 15 } else if (event is LocationChanged) { 16 // Handle LocationChanged event 17 } 18 } 19 } 20
Let's continue detailing the location bloc. The AppStarted event initializes location data, and there should check if location services are enabled and if location permissions are granted. If not, permissions should be requested.
1 if (event is AppStarted) { 2 if (!(await location.serviceEnabled())) { 3 final serviceEnabled = await location.requestService(); 4 5 if (!serviceEnabled) { 6 yield const LocationState.failure(); 7 return; 8 } 9 } 10 11 final permission = await location.hasPermission(); 12 if (permission == PermissionStatus.denied) { 13 final permission = await location.requestPermission(); 14 15 if (permission != PermissionStatus.granted) { 16 yield const LocationState.failure(); 17 return; 18 } 19 } 20 21 yield LocationState.success(); 22 } 23
The LocationChanged event updates the state's current location. This event will be triggered from outside of the bloc.
1 else if (event is LocationChanged) { 2 yield LocationState.success(location: event.location); 3 } 4
The Google Maps Bloc handles all things related to the map, primarily maintaining the GoogleMapController and the current position displayed on the map. This bloc listens to the LocationBloc for any location changes and updates its state accordingly.
1 class GoogleMapsBloc extends Bloc<GoogleMapsEvent, GoogleMapsState> { 2 final LocationBloc locationBloc; 3 4 GoogleMapsBloc({@required this.locationBloc}) 5 : assert(locationBloc != null); 6 7 @override 8 GoogleMapsState get initialState => GoogleMapsState.initial(); 9 10 @override 11 Stream<GoogleMapsState> mapEventToState(GoogleMapsEvent event) async* { 12 if (event is LocationUpdated) { 13 // Handle LocationUpdated event 14 15 } else if (event is MapCreated) { 16 // Handle MapCreated event 17 } 18 } 19 20 @override 21 Future<void> close() { 22 return super.close(); 23 } 24 } 25
The LocationUpdated event is pushed into the bloc whenever the LocationBloc's state changes. It updates the state's current LatLng using the new location.
1 if (event is LocationUpdated) { 2 yield state.update(location: event.location); 3 } 4
The MapCreated event is emitted when the GoogleMapController is initialized. It updates the state to contain the current GoogleMapController.
1 else if (event is MapCreated) { 2 yield state.update(controller: event.controller); 3 } 4
One common issue developers encounter while implementing live location tracking in Flutter is handling location permissions. Always check if necessary permissions are granted before trying to access the location.
Moreover, when integrating Google Maps, make sure to supply a valid API key. Improper or disabled API Keys often become potential hurdles while running Google Maps on Android or IOS devices.
With your application all set, it's time you verify it's working.
The Unit testing in Flutter involves testing a single "unit" of an app without its dependencies—primarily functions, methods, or classes.
Consider an instance where we want to ensure that the LocationBloc correctly handles LocationUpdated events. Flutter's test package has a blocTest function (part of the bloc_test package) that we use here.
Apart from unit tests, it's recommended to write widget tests that test the UI, and integration tests that test the app as a whole.
Integration tests examine whether different parts work together, from UI rendering to database management. It can run on actual devices or OS emulators, observing the performance and feedback of your app.
Flutter offers an integration_test package to run these tests.
With all the nuts and bolts tightly fitted, your live location tracking app is ready to roll out.
Remember the best tracking app doesn't only limit itself to providing accurate location tracking. It also extends its features to ensure user convenience, safety, and efficiency. In this regard, our Flutter tracking app ensures to stand true to all these attributes.
As you forge ahead developing apps, it would be indispensable and valuable to mindfully consider certain best practices. These practices greatly enhance your location-tracking app's performance and create a better experience for your users.
Flutter is an all-inclusive environment facilitating diverse solutions for both Android and IOS devices. It makes it easy to tap into native features using a rich set of pre-designed widgets. This includes everything from the Scaffold Widget for simple app designs to more complex ones, such as AnimatedList or Hero widgets that help you build more complex UI with less effort.
Leverage these capabilities in your app development process. For instance, Flutter’s 'Hot Reload' feature enables you to experiment, build UIs, add features, and debug, all with ease and efficiency.
It's a good practice to keep your code clean and optimized. A well-structured and organized code not only boosts your app's performance but also makes it easier to maintain.
Hydrated bloc is an excellent choice for application state management in the Flutter environment. It automatically persists your Bloc's (Business Logic Components) state across sessions, making it a go-to choice for many Flutter developers.
Keeping the user interface intuitive and accessible is crucial for any mobile app even more so when it comes to location tracking! Whether your app is focused on tracking lost or stolen devices, sharing real-time locations among family members, or offering accessible location tracking for a delivery business, it's critical to make the app user-friendly.
Consider incorporating features like Dark Mode, Location Permission Handling, and Interactive notifications for enhancing user experience significantly.
Beyond the basics of a functional live location tracker, there are many ways to elevate your app and make it stand out in the sea of best tracking apps available in the market.
Additional functionalities depend on what your app's main use case is. Here are a couple of features your users might find useful:
Remember, however, that each additional feature you introduce to your app for Android and ios devices should be balanced with performance and battery usage considerations.
Innovation does not stand still and neither does the advances in location tracking technology. Let's look at some upcoming trends in the field of location tracking that can help to elevate your Flutter app.
As technology central to cross-platform development, Flutter's modular architecture makes integrating new technologies a breeze. With its robust set of features, growing community, and the backing of Google, Flutter is well-positioned to adapt to future trends in live location tracking. Whatever new location-based experiences the future holds, with Flutter, be sure that you'll be ready to meet them head-on.
We've taken an expedition through the realms of real-time live location tracking in Flutter apps. Starting with understanding the basic premise of live location tracking, we explored how to set up the Flutter environment for live location tracking, dived into the code for a basic live location tracking app, and looked at how best to test this app.
We also explored best practices to follow when building location tracker apps and how to enhance an app. We culminated with a peep into the future trends of location tracking as we stand on the brink of continual innovation within this space.
Whether you're considering implementing live location sharing in a family app, tracing lost phones, or wanting to incorporate any form of real-time tracking in your app, having the knowledge and expertise in live location tracking can make your app that much more valuable and engaging. And it establishes the authenticity and usability of tracking apps, making them rank among the best location tracking apps.
With Flutter under the hood, you add the benefit of cross-platform sharing. Thanks to Flutter's robust set of widgets, libraries, and the backing from Google; you can build visually engaging and high-performing apps for both Android and iOS. So, developers here's to building some of the best location tracker apps that not only aid users in tracking their current location but also enrich the overall app interaction experience!
Remember, you never know when an app you build will become the best phone tracking app on the App and Play Store! Happy Coding!
