Permission Handler In Flutter

Why Are Permissions Important?

Imagine if any app could read your location or use your camera without your consent. An egregious invasion of privacy would result! You, the user, have complete control over what an app may access on your device thanks to permissions, which serve as a safety net. You can select whether to trust an app with particular features and data in this manner.

Handling Permissions in Flutter

Let's look at how to use it step-by-step:
 

Step 1: Requesting Permissions

You must ask the user for their permission to use some features of your app that do. For instance, you would request the Camera permission if your app required access to the camera to take pictures. The Permission Handler plugin offers a simple way to ask for permissions:

import 'package:permission_handler/permission_handler.dart';

void requestCameraPermission() async {
	var status = await Permission.camera.request();
	// Handle the permission status here
}

Step 2: Checking Permission Status

It's crucial to confirm whether the user has already granted or denied permission before requesting one. Checking the status of permissions is simple and quick with the Permission Handler plugin:

bool isCameraPermissionGranted = await Permission.camera.isGranted;

Step 3: Handling Permission Responses

The user has the option of granting or rejecting your authorisation request. You must treat the answer appropriately to guarantee that your app behaves as expected. The plugin offers a simple method for doing this:

var status = await Permission.camera.request();

if (status.isGranted) {

	// Permission is granted, proceed with the camera feature

} else if (status.isDenied) {

	// Permission is denied, show a message or prompt the user to grant it manually

} else if (status.isPermanentlyDenied) {

	// Permission is permanently denied, navigate the user to app settings to enable it

}

Step 4: Permission Rationale

Users occasionally only accept permissions after fully understanding why your programme requires them. You can give an explanation outlining the reason for the permission request to enhance user experience:

var status = await Permission.camera.request();

if (status.isDenied) {

	// Show a dialogue explaining the rationale behind the camera permission request

	if (await Permission.camera.shouldShowRequestRationale) {

		// Display a user-friendly message explaining why the camera permission is necessary

	}

}

Step 5: Handling Multiple Permissions

Your app can need several permissions at once. Using the Permission Handler plugin, you can request them all at once rather than individually:

Map < Permission, PermissionStatus > statuses = await [
	Permission.camera,
	Permission.microphone,
].request();

Common Types of Permissions

Now that we know how to use Flutter's Permission Handler let's examine some typical categories of permissions that apps frequently demand.

• Camera: Apps can use your device's camera to capture pictures or record movies with the Camera's permission. Video conferencing, photo-sharing websites, and social media apps all frequently use it.
   
• Storage: Storage permission enables file management and data storage features by allowing programmes to read, write, and erase data on your device's internal or external storage.
   
• Location: Apps with location permission can access your device's GPS coordinates and use that information to deliver location-based services like maps, navigation, and weather updates.
   
• Microphone: Apps can capture audio or enable voice commands with microphone permission, which gives them access to your device's microphone.

Example

This is a simple example which asks for permission to access the phone's camera. To install the package, just write the package name in the yaml file.

Package need: permission_handler 

Code

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:permission_handler/permission_handler.dart';
void main() => runApp(MyApp());
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
	@override
	Widget build(BuildContext context) {
		return MaterialApp(
			title: 'Camera Permission Example',
			home: HomePage(),
			debugShowCheckedModeBanner: false,
		);
	}
}
class HomePage extends StatelessWidget {
	final permissionCamera = Permission.camera;
	final permissionLocation = Permission.location;
	@override
	Widget build(BuildContext context) {
		return Scaffold(
			appBar: AppBar(
				centerTitle: true,
				title: Row(
					mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
					children: [
						const SizedBox(
								width: 10,
							),
							const Text(
								'Flutter Camera Permission',
								style: TextStyle(color: Colors.white),
							),
					],
				),
				backgroundColor: Colors.deepPurpleAccent,
			),
			body: Center(
				child: Column(
					mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
					children: < Widget > [
						ElevatedButton(
							style: ElevatedButton.styleFrom(
								primary: Colors.black, // Background color
							),
							onPressed: () async {
								// Request camera permission
								final status = await permissionCamera.request();
								if (status.isGranted) {
									// Open the camera
									print('Opening camera...');
								} else {
									// Permission denied
									print('Camera permission denied.');
								}
							},
							child: Text('Open Camera'),
						),
					],
				),
			),
		);
	}
}

Output

If you are running the above code on an emulator, it won’t show the popup for permission as it is an emulator. It will show it on a physical device, though.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Permission Handler plugin with other permission-related packages in Flutter?

You can use the permission handler plugin with other permission-related packages in Flutter. However, their way might differ as packages try to access the system’s resources. It is important to ensure that there is no conflict among the packages.

What is the Permission Handler in Flutter?

A permission handler in Flutter is used to access the resources or any other personally sensitive information. Access like camera access, location access, and microphone access. These features are not provided by default to the application.

What if the user denies the requested permission?

If the user denies the requested permission or has permanently disabled access to the resources, these cases must be handled accordingly. 

Conclusion

How to manage Permission Handler In Flutter is essential for app development. You can effectively request and manage permissions with the Permission Handler plugin. Remember to safeguard their privacy and make any permission requests transparent to provide your users with the greatest app experience possible. 

Recommended Readings:

• Flutter Packages
   
• Flutter App Development
   
• Flutter Widgets

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Happy Learning, Ninja!