Have you ever heard or even developed the Flutter application? If so, then you already know that Flutter is written using the Dart language. If not, then congratulations on getting to know Dart.
Dart is a programming language that is open source and general purpose. Dart was developed by Google and is intended to create multiplatform applications such as mobile, desktop, and web.
Dart was initially introduced at the GOTO conference in 2011. The project was founded by Lars Bak and Kasper Lund from Google, until the Dart version was released on November 14, 2013. In August 2018, Dart 2.0 was released with language changes such as a change in system type. The latest stable Dart version is 2.7 with the new extension methods feature which we will discuss later.
Long before there was Flutter, Dart was originally used to create a web that was on Google. The initial purpose of making Dart is to replace JavaScript which is considered to have many weaknesses. Since then, the release of the Flutter SDK for iOS, Android and web development has been a new highlight in the Dart language.
Why do you need to learn Darts?
In the book "The Pragmatic Programmer" it is mentioned that to become a professional software developer we need to learn at least one new language each year. Then is there a good reason to start learning programming with Dart?
First, Dart is a flexible programming language. Darts can run anywhere be it Android, iOS, or the web. As a developer, of course, an advantage if you can write code and can run anywhere.
Dart is an open-source project. Dart was created by Google, then together with the developer community Dart developed technology and interesting features that can be added to Dart. If you find a bug or problem with Dart, you can report it or even fix it yourself. Apart from that you don't need to worry about licensing issues when using the Dart language. You can contribute to the Dart language in the following repositories: https://github.com/dart-lang.
Darts are used by Flutter. Since the appearance of Flutter, Dart has become a concern. Currently there are many companies that use Flutter in their applications. Flutter is arguably a revolutionary project from Google to develop multiplatform applications with an attractive UI appearance. For that, if you are interested in developing applications with Flutter, then mastering the Dart is fundamental.
Dart has complete tool support. Almost every text editor or IDE has great support for Dart. You can use IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA, Webstorm, Android Studio or simple editors such as VS Code, Sublime text, Atom, or others according to your convenience.
Darts are easy to learn and are good as a first language. You will be able to understand Dart quickly especially if you are familiar with other popular programming languages such as Java, Python, JavaScript, etc. Even if you are just starting programming, Dart is a good language. You don't need to install anything, just use the online compiler from Dart, you can already write and run the Dart application. In addition, the Dart documentation and tutorial provided by Google is quite easy to follow, coupled with a simple syntax, and a friendly community in helping us learn Dart.
