How To Add Push Notifications to a Flutter App

Displaying notifications

Notifications in a Flutter app are shown by adding a notification plugin that interacts with the device's native notification system. flutter_local_notifications is one common package for this purpose. Here are a few various approaches you may take to begin sending notification-based messages to your devices.

1. Via Firebase Console

The Firebase Console offers a simple user interface for devices to display a notice. You may use the console to:

• Send a simple notice using your text and photos.
• Applications that have been added to your project should be targeted.
• Notifications can be scheduled to appear at a later time.
• Recurring alerts should be sent.
• Conversion events should be assigned for analytical tracking.
• A/B testing of user interaction (sometimes known as "experiments").
• Use your development devices to test alerts.

The Firebase Console delivers a message to your devices that includes a notification property handled by the Firebase Cloud Messaging package.

2. Via Admin SDKs

You may deliver customized data payloads to your devices from your servers by using one of the Firebase Admin SDKs. For example, when sending messages from a server using the firebase-admin package in a Node.js environment, a notification attribute can be added to the message payload:

3. Via REST

If you cannot utilize the Firebase Admin SDK, Firebase also supports delivering messages to devices using HTTP POST requests:

Some more methods for sending alerts are:

• Scheduled Notifications: Flutter push notifications may be set to appear at certain times, either as one-time occurrences or as periodic reminders.
• Push alerts: Use systems such as Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) or OneSignal to deliver remote alerts from a server to your app.
• Local alerts: Show alerts on the device without requiring a server. This may be used to set up reminders or alerts within the app.
• Location-depending alerts: Use geofencing to trigger alerts depending on the user's location. This may be used to send out location-based notifications or promotions.
• Notifications: Use Flutter push notifications to offer consumers in-app feedback or updates while they are actively using the app.

Each of these notification ways may necessitate unique setups and setup, so make sure to adhere to the instructions and recommendations for the individual notification type you wish to implement. Always keep the user experience in mind and avoid bombarding them with too many alerts. Notifications may be a useful tool for engaging users and giving relevant information, but they must be handled with caution so that they do not become a nuisance.

Handling Interaction

Because alerts are a visual indication, consumers frequently interact with them (by tapping them). The program is opened by default on both Android and iOS. If the program is closed, it is restarted; if it is running in the background, it is brought to the foreground. You may want to manage the user’s interaction when the program opens, depending on the content of the notice. For example, if a new chat message is given through notification and the user hits it, you might want to start the specified discussion when the app launches. This interaction may be handled in two ways by the firebase-messaging package:

• getInitialMessage(): It returns a Future holding a RemoteMessage if the program is opened from a terminated state. The RemoteMessage will be deleted after it has been consumed.
• onMessageOpenedApp: A Stream that sends a RemoteMessage when an application is launched from the background.

Both cases should be handled to guarantee a seamless UX for the users.

Advanced Usage

Flutter distinguishes between foreground and background notifications depending on their display and behavior while the app is in different states.

1. Foreground Notifications

Foreground Flutter push notifications are those that are shown to the user while the app is in the foreground, which means it is active and visible on the screen. These notifications are widely used to give in-app messages, real-time updates, and alarms. When a foreground notification is received, it may be presented in the app’s user interface as a banner, dialogue, or any other custom UI element. Foreground alerts (also known as heads up) are those that appear over current apps for a limited period and should be utilized for major occurrences. Flutter includes ways for managing foreground notifications via plugins such as flutter_local_notifications, as well as platform-specific plugins for handling push notifications (for example, Firebase Cloud Messaging for Android and iOS). When handling alerts when programs are in the foreground, Android and iOS behave differently, thus we must keep this in mind while building:

1. iOS Configuration: Enabling foreground Flutter push notifications is usually a simple task. With named inputs, call the setForegroundNotificationPresentationOptions method:

To return to the default functionality, set all values back to false.

2. Android configuration: Android handles incoming alerts differently depending on a few factors:

• If the program is running in the background or has been closed, the designated Notification Channel determines how the notice is presented.
• A visible notice is not displayed if the program is currently at the forefront.

Notification messages are transmitted to Notification Channels on Android, which regulates how a notification is delivered. Although the default FCM channel is hidden from users, it does give a default relevance level. Heads-up alerts necessitate a max priority level. This implies that we must first construct a new channel with the highest priority level and then allocate incoming FCM alerts to it.

2. Background notifications

Background notifications, on the other hand, are notifications provided to the device and shown outside the context of the app, even when the program is not actively operating or visible on the screen. These alerts can be generated by external events, such as a server, and are meant to notify the user of events that occurred while the app was not in use. To enable background notifications, the app often requires a background process to listen for incoming alerts and show them as needed. This procedure is frequently controlled by platform plugins and libraries, such as Firebase Cloud Messaging for processing push notifications in the background. Use the FirebaseMessaging.onBackgroundMessage callback to handle background notifications. When the app is in the background or stopped and a notice is received, this method is triggered:

Notifications with different priorities or importance levels.

In Flutter, handling alerts with varying priority or relevance levels entails specifying the notification information with the flutter_local_notifications package. This allows you to customize the behavior and look of alerts on the Android and iOS platforms based on their relevance. Customize the notification information based on the amount of priority or importance you wish to assign. On Android, the following significance levels are assigned to notification priorities:

• Priority.high: High priority, shows as a heads-up notice, and can override the Do Not Disturb setting.
• Priority.max: Maximum significance, identical to Priority.high, but may also display on the lock screen even while the device is in silent mode.
• Priority.default: Displays as a notice in the notification shade by default.
• Priority.low: Low priority, shown in the notification shade but not in the status bar.
• Priority.min: Lowest priority, only visible in the notification shade.

The _showNotificationWithPriority method sets the notification information based on the priority level supplied in.

Example App

Let's have a look at an example application that demonstrates how to integrate push notifications in Flutter.

Output: Our Application will look like this.

Best Practices and Tips

To guarantee a seamless and engaging user experience, handling push notifications in Flutter takes careful attention and adherence to best practices. Here are some recommended practices and pointers to remember while dealing with push notifications:

• Request User Permission: Before showing push notifications, always obtain user permission. Respect the user's privacy and offer explicit explanations for why notifications are required.
• Handle Notifications Correctly: Make sure that push notifications are appropriate, helpful, and unobtrusive. Avoid annoying users with superfluous alerts, since this may cause them to disable notifications for your app.
• Use FCM or a Trustworthy Push Provider: Use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) or a reputable push notification provider to implement push notifications. These services handle message delivery and guarantee that notifications reach devices as quickly as possible.
• Handle Background and Foreground Messages: Create handlers for both background and foreground messages to display alerts while the program is in the background or has been terminated.
• Customise Notification Look: Change the look of alerts to reflect the design and branding of your app. To customize notifications, use flutter_local_notifications or platform-specific settings.
• Provide Actionable Notifications: In notifications, employ action buttons to let users do certain activities right from the notification shade.
• Handle Notification Taps: Create handlers to respond to user taps on alerts. This can direct users to appropriate app panels or activities.
• Localization: If your app is intended for foreign users, localize notification messages so that material is shown in the user's preferred language.
• Test on Real Devices: Push notifications should always be tested on actual devices to ensure they perform properly on both the Android and iOS platforms.
• Analyse and monitor: Analyse user engagement and change your notification strategy in accordance with user behavior and preferences.