Checking Internet Connection in Flutter

In today's digital age, most apps require an internet connection to function optimally. As a Flutter developer, it's crucial to ensure your app remains functional even when the internet connection is unstable or not available. To do this, we need a reliable way to check the internet connection's status. In this guide, we'll use the internet_connection_checker package to accomplish this task.

Installing the internet_connection_checker package

To start, we need to add the internet_connection_checker package to our project. This package allows us to check the internet connection status in a very efficient way. Run the following command in your terminal to install this package:

flutter pub add internet_connection_checker

After successfully adding the package, import it in the Dart file where you want to check the internet connection:

import 'package:internet_connection_checker/internet_connection_checker.dart';

Checking Internet Connection

Now, let's use the internet_connection_checker to check our internet connection. The hasConnection method provided by this package will return a boolean value indicating whether the device is connected to the internet or not.

Here is a simple way to implement it:

Future<bool> checkInternetConnection() async {
  return await InternetConnectionChecker().hasConnection;
}

You can call this function whenever you need to check the internet connection. For example, before making an API call, you can use this function to check if the device has an internet connection. If not, you can show an error message to the user and prevent the API call which might fail due to lack of internet connection.

void someFunction() async {
  if (await checkInternetConnection()) {
    // Do something when connected to the internet
  } else {
    // Show error message when not connected to the internet
  }
}

Wrap Up

Knowing the internet connection status is critical for many applications, and having a reliable way to check it can significantly enhance user experience. The internet_connection_checker package provides a simple and efficient method to determine the internet connectivity status, making it a valuable tool for any Flutter developer.

Remember, an application that handles connectivity changes gracefully can make a significant difference in user satisfaction. So, ensure your Flutter application is robust enough to handle these scenarios efficiently. Happy coding!