"How I Built My First App Using Flutter and Hive – And Why You Should Start Now"

That’s what I used to tell myself — until I finally did it.

As a student, I’ve always been interested in tech, but I wasted months just watching videos and tutorials without actually building anything. I kept thinking I needed to learn everything before I could create. That was my biggest mistake.

One day, I decided to change. I gave myself a challenge:

👉 Build a simple app in 7 days, no excuses.

And that’s when I created my very first project — a Grocery List App using Flutter and Hive.

💡 What Is the Grocery List App?

It’s a simple app with three main features:

📝 Add grocery items

❌ Delete items

💾 Store data locally using Hive (offline access)

It’s not fancy. There’s no login screen or animations. But it works. It’s real. And I built it from scratch.

🛠 Tools I Used:

1. Flutter – A powerful framework by Google for cross-platform apps

2. Dart – The programming language Flutter uses

3. Hive – A lightweight, NoSQL database for local/offline storage

4. VS Code – My go-to code editor

5. Android Emulator – To test the app on a virtual phone

6. GitHub – To store and share my code (you should too!)

🚀 How I Built It (Step by Step)

1. Set up Flutter environment

Installed Flutter SDK and Dart, connected it with Android Studio + VS Code.

2. Created a new Flutter project

flutter create grocery_app

3. Designed the UI

I kept it super simple using ListView and basic Material 3 widgets:

AppBar

TextField for input

FloatingActionButton to add items

Dismissible widgets to delete items

4. Integrated Hive for local storage

I added the Hive package in pubspec.yaml, set up the model, box, and storage logic. With Hive, I could save the grocery list even after the app closed.

5. Tested and debugged

Tested the app on Android Emulator and real device. Fixed basic bugs like null input, empty fields, or crashes on delete.

6. Deployed on my phone

After debugging, I ran the command:

flutter build apk

And installed it on my device. That moment — seeing my app open and working — was unforgettable.

🤯 What I Learned from Building It

You learn more by doing than watching

Debugging teaches you better than any course

Small projects give you big confidence

Even a basic app can change how you see yourself

🎯 Why YOU Should Build Your First App Now

If you’re like me — a student, a beginner, unsure where to start — don’t wait.

You don’t need to build Instagram or TikTok. Just build your version of a calculator, todo list, notes app, or even a silly game. What matters is:

🔥 You start. You finish. You learn.

Once you build one app, you’ll realize how much is possible. The second app becomes easier. Then you can experiment, grow, and even earn.

🙌 Final Thoughts

My first app may be simple — but it changed how I see myself.

From a passive scroller to an actual creator.

You can do it too. Start small. Start today.

And when you finish your first app, email me or DM me on Instagram.

Let’s build this journey together. 💪

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📬 Want the source code?

I’ll post it soon — follow this blog so you don’t miss it. Or message me at acesziku@gmail.com