MCPInstall

flutter-use-http-package

by flutterMobile

Use the http package to execute GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE requests. Use when you need to fetch from or send data to a REST API.

Installs
36.3K
Last 24h
+188
Trending rank
#1258
Security
Fail

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/flutter/agent-plugins --skill flutter-use-http-package
  1. 01

    Install

    Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.

  2. 02

    Describe the task

    Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads flutter-use-http-package automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

Security audits

Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.

Gen Agent Trust Hub PassSAFE ·This skill provides standard instructions and examples for implementing REST API requests in Flutter using the official `http` package. It follows development best practices for networking, permissions, and performance.
Socket PassNo alerts
Snyk FailHIGH ·Risk: HIGH · 2 issues

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Implementing Flutter Networking

Contents

Configuration & Permissions

Configure the environment and platform-specific permissions required for network access.

  1. Add the http package dependency via the terminal: 
    flutter pub add http
  2. Import the package in your Dart files: 
    import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
  3. Configure Android permissions by adding the Internet permission to android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml: 
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
  4. Configure macOS entitlements by adding the network client key to both macos/Runner/DebugProfile.entitlements and macos/Runner/Release.entitlements: 
    <key>com.apple.security.network.client</key>
<true/>

Request Execution & Response Handling

Execute HTTP operations and map responses to strongly typed Dart objects.

  • URIs: Always parse URL strings using Uri.parse('your_url').
  • Headers: Inject authorization and content-type headers via the headers parameter map. Use HttpHeaders.authorizationHeader for auth tokens.
  • Payloads: For POST and PUT requests, encode the body using jsonEncode() from dart:convert.
  • Status Validation: Evaluate response.statusCode. Treat 200 OK (GET/PUT/DELETE) and 201 CREATED (POST) as success.
  • Error Handling: Throw explicit exceptions for non-success status codes. Never return null on failure, as this prevents FutureBuilder from triggering its error state and causes infinite loading indicators.
  • Deserialization: Parse the raw string using jsonDecode(response.body) and map it to a custom Dart object using a factory constructor (e.g., fromJson).

Background Parsing

Offload expensive JSON parsing to a separate Isolate to prevent UI jank (frame drops).

  • Import package:flutter/foundation.dart.
  • Use the compute() function to run the parsing logic in a background isolate.
  • Ensure the parsing function passed to compute() is a top-level function or a static method, as closures or instance methods cannot be passed across isolates.

Workflow: Executing Network Operations

Use the following checklist to implement and validate network operations.

Task Progress:

  • 1. Define the strongly typed Dart model with a fromJson factory constructor.
  • 2. Implement the network request method returning a Future<Model>.
  • 3. Apply conditional logic based on the operation type:
    • If fetching data (GET): Append query parameters to the URI.
    • If mutating data (POST/PUT): Set 'Content-Type': 'application/json; charset=UTF-8' and attach the jsonEncode body.
    • If deleting data (DELETE): Return an empty model instance on success (200 OK).
  • 4. Validate the statusCode and throw an Exception on failure.
  • 5. Integrate the Future into the UI using FutureBuilder.
  • 6. Handle snapshot.hasData, snapshot.hasError, and default to a CircularProgressIndicator.
  • 7. Feedback Loop: Run the app -> trigger the network request -> review console for unhandled exceptions -> fix parsing or permission errors.

Examples

High-Fidelity Implementation: Fetching and Parsing in the Background

import 'dart:async';
import 'dart:convert';
import 'dart:io';
import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;

// 1. Top-level parsing function for Isolate
List<Photo> parsePhotos(String responseBody) {
  final parsed = (jsonDecode(responseBody) as List<Object?>)
      .cast<Map<String, Object?>>();
  return parsed.map<Photo>(Photo.fromJson).toList();
}

// 2. Network execution with background parsing
Future<List<Photo>> fetchPhotos() async {
  final response = await http.get(
    Uri.parse('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/photos'),
    headers: {
      HttpHeaders.authorizationHeader: 'Bearer your_token_here',
      HttpHeaders.acceptHeader: 'application/json',
    },
  );

  if (response.statusCode == 200) {
    // Offload heavy parsing to a background isolate
    return compute(parsePhotos, response.body);
  } else {
    throw Exception('Failed to load photos. Status: ${response.statusCode}');
  }
}

// 3. Strongly typed model
class Photo {
  final int id;
  final String title;
  final String thumbnailUrl;

  const Photo({
    required this.id,
    required this.title,
    required this.thumbnailUrl,
  });

  factory Photo.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
    return Photo(
      id: json['id'] as int,
      title: json['title'] as String,
      thumbnailUrl: json['thumbnailUrl'] as String,
    );
  }
}

// 4. UI Integration
class PhotoGallery extends StatefulWidget {
  const PhotoGallery({super.key});

  @override
  State<PhotoGallery> createState() => _PhotoGalleryState();
}

class _PhotoGalleryState extends State<PhotoGallery> {
  late Future<List<Photo>> _futurePhotos;

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    // Initialize Future once to prevent re-fetching on rebuilds
    _futurePhotos = fetchPhotos();
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return FutureBuilder<List<Photo>>(
      future: _futurePhotos,
      builder: (context, snapshot) {
        if (snapshot.hasData) {
          final photos = snapshot.data!;
          return ListView.builder(
            itemCount: photos.length,
            itemBuilder: (context, index) => ListTile(
              leading: Image.network(photos[index].thumbnailUrl),
              title: Text(photos[index].title),
            ),
          );
        } else if (snapshot.hasError) {
          return Center(child: Text('Error: ${snapshot.error}'));
        }
        
        // Default loading state
        return const Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator());
      },
    );
  }
}

FAQ

What does the flutter-use-http-package skill do?

Use the http package to execute GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE requests. Use when you need to fetch from or send data to a REST API.

How do I install flutter-use-http-package?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/flutter/agent-plugins --skill flutter-use-http-package in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/flutter-use-http-package/ (personal) or .claude/skills/flutter-use-http-package/ (project).

Which AI agents can use flutter-use-http-package?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is flutter-use-http-package safe to install?

Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk flagged risks. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.

Who maintains flutter-use-http-package?

It is published by flutter in flutter/agent-plugins. It has 36,282 recorded installs.

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