Flutter Feature-First Project Structure

Feature-based architecture where each feature is a self-contained module. Scales well for team development.

#flutter #dart #mobile #ios #android #feature-first #modular

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Project Directory

myapp/

pubspec.yaml

Dependencies and app metadata

pubspec.lock

analysis_options.yaml

Linting rules

.gitignore

README.md

lib/

main.dart

App entry point

app.dart

MaterialApp configuration

core/

Shared app-wide code

constants/

app_colors.dart

app_strings.dart

app_sizes.dart

theme/

app_theme.dart

utils/

validators.dart

extensions.dart

network/

api_client.dart

api_endpoints.dart

shared/

Shared widgets and models

widgets/

loading_indicator.dart

error_widget.dart

custom_button.dart

models/

user.dart

features/

Self-contained features

auth/

Authentication feature

screens/

login_screen.dart

register_screen.dart

widgets/

auth_form.dart

providers/

auth_provider.dart

services/

auth_service.dart

home/

Home/dashboard feature

screens/

home_screen.dart

widgets/

dashboard_card.dart

providers/

home_provider.dart

settings/

Settings feature

screens/

settings_screen.dart

providers/

settings_provider.dart

routing/

App navigation

app_router.dart

routes.dart

test/

features/

auth/

auth_provider_test.dart

shared/

widgets_test.dart

android/

app/

build.gradle

ios/

Runner/

Podfile

assets/

images/

fonts/

icons/

Why This Structure?

Feature-first organizes code by what it does, not what it is. Each feature (auth/, home/, settings/) contains its own screens, widgets, providers, and services. Add new features without touching existing code.

Key Directories

lib/features/-Self-contained feature modules
lib/core/-App-wide constants, theme, network, utils
lib/shared/-Widgets and models used across features
lib/routing/-Centralized navigation configuration
feature/providers/-State management per feature

Getting Started

flutter create myapp
Set up folder structure: lib/core/, lib/shared/, lib/features/
flutter pub add provider go_router
Create first feature module in lib/features/
flutter run

When To Use This

Apps with 5+ distinct features
Team development (each dev owns features)
Features that can be added/removed independently
Medium-sized apps expecting growth
Need clear ownership boundaries

Trade-offs

More folders-Deeper nesting can feel verbose
Cross-feature sharing-Must decide what goes in shared vs feature
Initial setup-More structure to scaffold upfront

Best Practices

Keep features truly independent—avoid direct imports between features
Use shared/ for widgets used by 2+ features
Put business logic in providers/ or services/, not widgets
Feature folders mirror test folder structure

Naming Conventions

Features-Lowercase, noun-based (auth, home, profile, cart)
Screens-snake_case with _screen suffix
Widgets-snake_case describing the component
Providers-snake_case with _provider suffix