A full-stack, cross-platform, cloud-based, iOS/Android chat application leveraging Firebase's real-time database, cloud storage, and authentication services, built with Flutter.
Chaty is a powerful cross-platform messaging application designed with scalability and real-time performance in mind. This project showcases the integration of Firebase's comprehensive BaaS (Backend as a Service) solution with Flutter’s versatile UI framework, adhering to modern mobile development best practices.
- Real-Time Communication: Leverages Firebase Firestore to provide real-time messaging capabilities, with optimized data syncing across devices.
- Reactions and Message Interactions: Users can like/unlike messages, with instant updates across all connected clients.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Developed using Flutter to ensure smooth and consistent experiences on both iOS and Android devices.
- Firebase Authentication: Secure authentication with email/password login, as well as social login options (Google, Facebook, etc.).
- Cloud Firestore: Highly scalable, NoSQL database to manage conversations and store message data in real-time.
- Push Notifications: Integrated with Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for real-time alerts and notifications, even when the app is running in the background.
This app follows the MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) architecture pattern to ensure a clear separation of concerns, making the app more maintainable and scalable over time.
- State Management: Uses Provider package for efficient state management and data flow.
- Responsive UI: Ensures adaptive layouts for various screen sizes using Flutter’s
MediaQueryandLayoutBuilderfor a seamless experience on different devices. - Error Handling: Implements robust error handling techniques, with appropriate feedback provided to users during network failures or authentication issues.
- Security: Follows Firebase's security rules and uses HTTPS for secure communication.
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Frontend:
- Flutter: Dart-based UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications for mobile from a single codebase.
- Dart: Chosen for its fast performance and seamless integration with Flutter's widget system.
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Backend:
- Firebase Authentication: Provides secure, out-of-the-box user authentication via email, Google, and Facebook.
- Cloud Firestore: NoSQL cloud database used for storing chat data in real-time.
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM): Integrated to send real-time push notifications across all devices.
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State Management:
- Provider: A Flutter package used for managing app-wide state in an efficient and scalable manner.
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Continuous Integration/Deployment (CI/CD):
- Configured using GitHub Actions to automatically build and test the app with every pull request.
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Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/wasiqnauman/chaty.git
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Install dependencies:
flutter pub get
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Firebase Configuration:
- Create a Firebase project at Firebase Console.
- Enable Firestore, Authentication, and Cloud Messaging.
- Download the
google-services.jsonfor Android andGoogleService-Info.plistfor iOS, and place them in the respective directories.
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Run the app:
flutter run
- End-to-End Encryption: Implement end-to-end encryption for secure messaging between users.
- Media Sharing: Extend functionality to allow sharing of images, videos, and files within chats.
- Group Chats: Add support for group conversations with additional admin functionalities.
- Voice and Video Calls: Integrate WebRTC for real-time voice and video calling features.