Create your own custom widgets in a simple and understandable way.

Custom widgets in Flutter allow you to create unique and reusable UI components.

In Flutter, you can create clean, reusable, and well-organized custom widgets in Flutter.

It also allows you to define parameters that can be used to customize the widget. You can easily compile and preview the custom widget.

Widget –

In Flutter, everything you see on the screen is a widget. Widgets are the basic pieces you use to build your app. A widget is a small part of your app’s user interface, like a button, text, or an image.

Define properties that your widget will use. These could include things like text, styles, controllers, or any other configuration data.

Why Create Custom Widgets? –

·        Reuse Code: Use the same widget in different parts of your app.

·        Organize Code: Keep your code neat and easy to understand.

·        Customize: Create widgets that look and behave exactly how you want.

Types of Custom Widgets –

There are two main types:

1.     Stateless Widgets: These widgets don’t change. They stay the same.

2.     Stateful Widgets: These widgets can change. They can update how they look or behave.

Tips for Creating Custom Widgets in Flutter –

1.  Start Small

Begin with simple widgets that do one thing well.

·        Why? Starting small helps you focus on one functionality at a time, making it easier to test and debug.

·        Example: Create a simple custom button or a text widget before moving on to more complex widgets.

2.  Break It Down

Split complex screens into smaller parts that can be reused.

·        Why? Breaking down complex UI into smaller widgets makes your code more modular and reusable.

·        Example: If you have a user profile screen, you can create separate widgets for the profile picture, user name, and user bio.

3.  Handle Changes Right

Use stateless widgets for parts that stay the same and stateful widgets for parts that change.

·        Why? Proper state management ensures that your app performs efficiently and your code remains clean.

Example:

o    Stateless Widgets: Use for static content like labels, icons, and images.

o    Stateful Widgets: Use for interactive elements like forms, toggles, or any UI component that needs to change dynamically.

4.  Uniform Look

Use the same styles and colors throughout your app to keep it looking consistent.

·        Why? Consistent styling enhances the user experience and makes your app look professional.

·        Example: Define a theme for your app and apply it consistently. Use a central place for defining colors, fonts, and other styles.

Create a Custom Widget-

1.  Define the Widget Class

·        Purpose: Create a class for your custom widget to encapsulate the structure and behavior of a blog post.

·        Extension: Extend either StatelessWidget or StatefulWidget. Use StatelessWidget for static content and StatefulWidget for dynamic content.

2.  Add Properties

·        Properties: Define properties for the data your widget will display. For a blog post, common properties might include title, author, date, content, and an optional imageUrl.

·        Purpose: These properties allow you to pass data into the widget, making it reusable for different blog posts.

3.  Build the Widget Tree

·        Method: Implement the build method to describe how the widget should be displayed.

·        Structure: Use a combination of Flutter’s built-in widgets to create the structure of your blog post.

o    Container: Use a Card or Container to provide padding and margin.

o    Column: Use a Column to stack elements vertically.

o    Text Widgets: Use Text widgets to display the title, author, date, and content.

o    Conditional Rendering: Optionally include an Image widget if an imageUrl is provided.

4.  Use the Custom Widget

·        Usage: Instantiate your custom widget in your app, passing in the necessary data via the properties.

·        Reusability: By passing different data into the properties, you can reuse the same widget to display multiple blog posts with different content.