VS code not able to recognize my project as a Flutter project and instead runs as a Dart project

[yashpalzala]

Describe the bug VS code not able to recognize my project as a Flutter project and instead runs as a Dart project. There have been no changes in any config files or pubspec files.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Just try to run the project in debug mode

Expected behavior The project should run normally as a Flutter project.

Screenshots dart code startup log(Line 212 mentions that this project is not recognized as a Flutter project) -

Please complete the following information:

• Operating System and version: Windows 11
• VS Code version: 1.81.1

Flutter doctor output -

Flutter (Channel stable, 3.7.1, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621.2134], locale en-IN)
    • Flutter version 3.7.1 on channel stable at D:\fvm-flutter\3.7.1
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision 7048ed95a5 (7 months ago), 2023-02-01 09:07:31 -0800
    • Engine revision 800594f1f4
    • Dart version 2.19.1
    • DevTools version 2.20.1

[✓] Windows Version (Installed version of Windows is version 10 or higher)

[!] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 33.0.2)
    • Android SDK at C:\Users\yzala\AppData\Local\Android\sdk
    • Platform android-33, build-tools 33.0.2
    • Java binary at: C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\jre\bin\java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 17.0.6+0-b2043.56-9586694)
    ✗ Android license status unknown.
      Run `flutter doctor --android-licenses` to accept the SDK licenses.
      See https://flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install/windows#android-setup for more details.

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
    • Chrome at C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

[✓] Visual Studio - develop for Windows (Visual Studio Community 2022 17.5.5)
    • Visual Studio at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community
    • Visual Studio Community 2022 version 17.5.33627.172
    • Windows 10 SDK version 10.0.22000.0

[✓] Android Studio (version 2022.2)
    • Android Studio at C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 17.0.6+0-b2043.56-9586694)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.81.1)
    • VS Code at C:\Users\yzala\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code
    • Flutter extension version 3.72.0

[✓] Connected device (3 available)
    • Windows (desktop) • windows • windows-x64    • Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621.2134]
    • Chrome (web)      • chrome  • web-javascript • Google Chrome 116.0.5845.141
    • Edge (web)        • edge    • web-javascript • Microsoft Edge 115.0.1901.203

[✓] HTTP Host Availability
    • All required HTTP hosts are available

! Doctor found issues in 1 category.`

Pubspec.yaml file -

name: ninja_study
description: A new Flutter project.
publish_to: 'none'
version: 1.0.61+66

environment:
  sdk: ">=2.17.2 <3.0.0"

dependencies:
  agora_rtc_engine: ^6.1.0
  android_id: ^0.1.3+1
  android_play_install_referrer: ^0.2.1
  android_sms_consent: ^1.0.1
  audio_waveforms: ^0.1.4
  audiofileplayer: ^2.1.0
  audioplayers: ^4.1.0
  auto_size_text: ^3.0.0
  cached_network_image: ^3.2.3
  carousel_slider: ^4.2.1
  clean_calendar: ^1.1.0
  cloud_firestore: ^3.5.1
  confetti: ^0.7.0
  connectivity_plus: ^2.3.6
  country_codes: ^2.2.0
  country_picker: ^2.0.15
  dart_jsonwebtoken: ^2.6.2
  device_info_plus: ^8.1.0
  dio: ^5.3.0
  disable_battery_optimization: ^1.1.0+1
  dotted_border: ^2.0.0+3
  expandable: ^5.0.1
  facebook_app_events: ^0.18.3
  firebase_analytics: ^9.1.7
  firebase_auth: ^3.3.18
  firebase_core: ^1.16.0
  firebase_crashlytics: ^2.8.0
  firebase_dynamic_links: ^4.3.3
  firebase_messaging: ^11.4.4
  flutter_azure_tts:
    git:
      url: https://github.com/yashpalzala/flutter_azure_tts.git
      ref: 4c6436fb0bdef514a6d6c9071f059926bc2b4adf
  flutter_background: ^1.2.0
  flutter_chat_bubble: ^2.0.0
  flutter_glow: ^0.2.0
  flutter_holo_date_picker: ^1.0.6
  flutter_local_notifications: ^15.1.0+1
  flutter_rating_bar: ^4.0.1
  flutter_sound_lite: ^8.5.0
  flutter_stripe: ^9.2.2
  flutter_svg: ^1.1.6
  flutter_tts: ^3.6.3
  flutter_web_browser: ^0.17.1
  fluttertoast: ^8.1.2
  font_awesome_flutter: ^10.3.0
  get: ^4.6.1
  google_sign_in: ^5.3.1
  google_speech: ^2.1.2
  hive: ^2.2.3
  http: ^0.13.5
  in_app_purchase: ^3.1.8
  in_app_review: ^2.0.6
  info_popup: ^2.4.6
  internet_connection_checker: ^1.0.0+1
  intl: ^0.17.0
  jiffy: ^5.0.0
  json_annotation: ^4.7.0
  just_audio: ^0.9.31
  lottie: ^2.2.0
  mixpanel_flutter: ^2.1.1
  overlay_support: ^2.1.0
  package_info: ^2.0.2
  path_provider: ^2.0.11
  percent_indicator: ^4.2.2
  permission_handler: ^10.2.0
  pin_code_fields: ^7.4.0
  purchases_flutter: ^5.6.4
  rxdart: ^0.27.7
  scrollview_observer: ^1.15.0
  share: ^2.0.4
  shared_preferences: ^2.0.16
  shimmer: ^2.0.0
  sign_in_with_apple: ^4.1.0
  smooth_page_indicator: ^1.0.0+2
  speech_to_text: ^6.1.1
  store_redirect: ^2.0.1
  styled_text: ^7.0.0
  super_tooltip: ^2.0.4
  swipeable_button_view: ^0.0.2
  syncfusion_flutter_charts: ^21.2.3
  timelines: ^0.1.0
  translator: ^0.1.7
  tutorial_coach_mark: ^1.2.4
  url_launcher: ^6.1.7
  video_player: ^2.4.10
  visibility_detector: ^0.3.3
  wakelock: ^0.6.2
  wave: ^0.2.2
  web_socket_channel: ^2.3.0
  youtube_player_flutter: ^8.1.2

dependency_overrides:
  firebase_core_platform_interface: 4.5.1
  json_annotation: 4.8.1

dev_dependencies:
  build_runner: ^2.1.2
  device_preview: ^1.1.0
  flutter_inappwebview: ^5.7.2+3
  flutter_launcher_icons: ^0.11.0
  flutter_lints: ^2.0.2
  flutter_test:
    sdk: flutter
  hive_generator: ^1.1.1
  json_serializable: ^6.2.0

flutter:

  uses-material-design: true

  # To add assets to your application, add an assets section, like this:
  assets:
    - assets/images/
    - assets/animations/
    - assets/audio/
    - assets/icons/
    - assets/avatar/
    - assets/

  # example:
  fonts:
    - family: Poppins
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/Poppins-Regular.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-Black.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-Bold.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-ExtraBold.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-ExtraLight.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-Light.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-Medium.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-Regular.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-SemiBold.ttf

    - family: Inter
      fonts:
        - asset: assets/font/inter/Inter-Thin.ttf

[DanTup]

@yashpalzala it looks like you don't have flutter listed as a dependency in your pubspec.yaml. You should have something like:

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter

You should list all packages your project requires in dependencies, including Flutter. This is what Dart-Code uses to determine whether your project is a Flutter project or not.

[yashpalzala]

@yashpalzala it looks like you don't have flutter listed as a dependency in your pubspec.yaml. You should have something like:

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter

You should list all packages your project requires in dependencies, including Flutter. This is what Dart-Code uses to determine whether your project is a Flutter project or not.

Yep, figured it just now. Thanks for your swift reply and solution.

[DanTup]

np, glad it was something simple! :)

[yashpalzala]

Hi @DanTup , I did some digging and saw that my previous branches/ releases don't have dependencies: flutter: sdk: flutter and we were able to continue our work till now. So how come this issue popped up suddenly?

[DanTup]

So how come this issue popped up suddenly?

It's because in the latest update the check for flutter was made more strict. It used to be a simple string check which had false positives (such as when the flutter reference was commented out). It's now working as it really always should have.

If you have the depend_on_referenced_packages lint enabled I would expect that it should have alerted you to this issue. If you don't, I would recommend enabling it (it's in the core, recommended and flutter lint sets).

Hope this makes sense!