Getting Started with Flutter on Embedded Linux

Flutter is an open-source framework that lets you build multi-platform applications from a single Dart codebase. While Flutter officially targets mobile, desktop, and web, with flutter-elinux you can bring Flutter to resource-constrained Embedded Linux devices like the Orange Pi Zero 2W.

1. SSH into the Orange Pi Zero 2W#

bash
# Discover the board's IP on your LAN:
  hostname -I
  nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24

  # SSH in (default credentials):
  ssh orangepi@<BOARD_IP>
  # password: orangepi

2. Install Dependencies & flutter-elinux#

bash
sudo apt update
  sudo apt install libstdc++-12-dev unzip curl clang cmake pkg-config git

Clone and set up the CLI:

bash
git clone https://github.com/sony/flutter-elinux.git
  sudo mv flutter-elinux /opt/
  export PATH=$PATH:/opt/flutter-elinux/bin

Verify your device is recognized:

flutter-elinux devices
  # Should list something like “elinux-arm64”.

3. Create & Test a Sample App on X11#

Use X11 for rapid iteration:

bash
flutter-elinux create sample
  cd sample

  export XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
  export DISPLAY=:0

  flutter-elinux run -d elinux-x11

You’ll get hot-reload and desktop-like development.

4. Run on the Linux Framebuffer (DRM/GBM)#

Bypass X11 to run directly on DRM/KMS:

Stop and disable your display manager:

sudo systemctl stop lightdm
  sudo systemctl disable lightdm

Build for the GBM backend:

flutter-elinux build elinux --debug --target-backend-type=gbm

Launch on /dev/dri/card0:

bash
sudo XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/runtime-root \
      FLUTTER_DRM_DEVICE=/dev/dri/card0 \
      ./build/elinux/arm64/debug/bundle/sample \
      -b ./build/elinux/arm64/debug/bundle

Your Flutter UI should appear fullscreen via DRM/KMS.

5. Auto-Start with systemd#

Create /etc/systemd/system/flutter-sample.service:

bash
[Unit]
  Description=Flutter Sample App
  After=network.target

  [Service]
  User=orangepi
  WorkingDirectory=/home/orangepi/sample
  ExecStart=/bin/bash -c "\
    XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/runtime-root \
    FLUTTER_DRM_DEVICE=/dev/dri/card0 \
    /home/orangepi/sample/build/elinux/arm64/debug/bundle/sample \
    -b /home/orangepi/sample/build/elinux/arm64/debug/bundle"
  Restart=always

  [Install]
  WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start it:

bash
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
  sudo systemctl enable flutter-sample.service
  sudo systemctl start flutter-sample.service

On reboot, your Flutter app will launch directly on the framebuffer.

1. SSH into the Orange Pi Zero 2W#

2. Install Dependencies & flutter-elinux#

3. Create & Test a Sample App on X11#

4. Run on the Linux Framebuffer (DRM/GBM)#

5. Auto-Start with systemd#

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