docs: add Flutter Driver example to MCP server page by Ortes · Pull Request #13220 · flutter/website

Ortes · 2026-03-25T18:22:52Z

Summary

Adds a third usage example to the MCP server docs page
Shows how to connect to a running Flutter app and interact with its UI using Flutter Driver via the MCP server
Links to the full setup guide in dart-lang/ai for details

Test plan

Verify page builds and renders correctly
Verify the :::note directive renders as expected
Verify the link to the dart-lang/ai README section works

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

google-cla · 2026-03-25T18:23:09Z

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sfshaza2

Thanks for doing this, @Ortes! Let us know when you're ready to land.

sfshaza2 · 2026-04-15T14:55:10Z

/gcbrun

flutter-website-bot · 2026-04-15T15:02:49Z

Visit the preview URL for this PR (updated for commit 1a33d89):

https://flutter-docs-prod--pr13220-doc-mcp-flutter-driver-exam-sg841r6i.web.app

sfshaza2

lgtm

Any reason we can't move this out of draft and land it?

Ortes · 2026-05-07T21:00:24Z

It's not up-to-date anymore. I will update.

gemini-code-assist

Code Review

This pull request adds a new section to the documentation detailing how to use the Dart and Flutter MCP server to interact with a running Flutter app. The reviewer provided a suggestion to improve formatting consistency by removing spaces around an em dash.

Add a third usage example showing how to connect to a running Flutter app and interact with its UI using Flutter Driver via the MCP server.

- Remove --print-dtd from the launch command (auto-discovered via DDS in Flutter ≥3.27; flag no longer needed) - Add explicit web note: flutter_driver doesn't compile under dart2js, pair with a browser-driving MCP for UI actions - Trim wording to keep this section setup-oriented; full reference lives in dart-lang/ai

With `-d chrome`, only the Chrome window Flutter spawns receives hot reload patches; a second browser at the same URL renders the bundle but is invisible to dwds. Spell out the recommendation in the note block so readers don't hit the trap.

Co-authored-by: gemini-code-assist[bot] <176961590+gemini-code-assist[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

Reorder the section so readers see the flag's origin before they hit it on the command line: gate enableFlutterDriverExtension() in main() first, launch with --dart-define second, then prompt the assistant. ENABLE_FLUTTER_DRIVER is a user-defined flag, not a Flutter built-in, so explaining it after the run command read backwards.

parlough

Thanks for this! Some small suggestions and questions:

parlough · 2026-05-18T17:43:43Z

+```bash
+flutter run -d <device-id> --dart-define=ENABLE_FLUTTER_DRIVER=true
+```


To match the setup we use across the site:

Suggested change

```bash

flutter run -d <device-id> --dart-define=ENABLE_FLUTTER_DRIVER=true

```

```console

$ flutter run -d <device-id> --dart-define=ENABLE_FLUTTER_DRIVER=true

```

parlough · 2026-05-18T17:53:40Z

+production builds:
+
+```dart
+import 'package:flutter_driver/driver_extension.dart';


Since users might not have flutter_driver added as a dependency, should we suggest adding it first?

```console $ flutter pub add "flutter_driver:{sdk: flutter}" ```

parlough · 2026-05-18T17:56:27Z

+The agent uses the `dtd` tool to discover the app and `flutter_driver_command`
+to drive its UI—no integration test setup required.


Seems we can maybe simplify this?

Suggested change

The agent uses the `dtd` tool to discover the app and `flutter_driver_command`

to drive its UI—no integration test setup required.

The agent uses the `dtd` tool to discover the app and

`flutter_driver_command` to drive its UI.

parlough · 2026-05-18T17:57:47Z

+and common pitfalls.
+:::
+
+[flutter-driver-guide]: https://github.com/dart-lang/ai/blob/main/pkgs/dart_mcp_server/README.md#connect-to-a-running-flutter-app


I guess this PR should wait to land until the one to dart-lang/ai does for this link?

parlough · 2026-05-18T17:57:53Z

+agent drives is the one DTD is connected to—with -d chrome, only the
+window Flutter spawned receives hot reload patches.
+
+See the [setup guide][flutter-driver-guide] for the snippet, web modes,


What snippet?

parlough · 2026-05-18T17:58:02Z

+the Dart MCP server with a browser-driving MCP for clicks and screenshots;
+the Dart MCP server still handles widget tree, runtime errors, and hot
+reload through DTD. Prefer `flutter run -d web-server` so the browser the
+agent drives is the one DTD is connected to—with -d chrome, only the


Suggested change

agent drives is the one DTD is connected to—with -d chrome, only the

agent drives is the one DTD is connected to—with `-d chrome`, only the

parlough · 2026-05-18T18:00:26Z

+**Web**: the `flutter_driver` package doesn't compile under dart2js. Pair
+the Dart MCP server with a browser-driving MCP for clicks and screenshots;
+the Dart MCP server still handles widget tree, runtime errors, and hot
+reload through DTD. Prefer `flutter run -d web-server` so the browser the


I'm a bit confused here. So does this strategy not work with dart2js (release mode) or web as a whole? Since it at first mentions dart2js but here mentioned hot reload, which is not available with dart2js anyway.

Ortes mentioned this pull request Mar 25, 2026

docs: add guide for connecting to a running Flutter app dart-lang/ai#414

Open

2 tasks

Ortes force-pushed the doc/mcp-flutter-driver-example branch from 5f8fdbc to 1a33d89 Compare March 25, 2026 18:54

sfshaza2 reviewed Apr 15, 2026

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Comment thread src/content/ai/mcp-server.md Outdated

sfshaza2 approved these changes May 7, 2026

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Ortes marked this pull request as ready for review May 8, 2026 00:22

Ortes requested a review from a team as a code owner May 8, 2026 00:22

gemini-code-assist Bot reviewed May 8, 2026

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Comment thread src/content/ai/mcp-server.md Outdated

Ortes force-pushed the doc/mcp-flutter-driver-example branch from 591e49e to ed51f41 Compare May 8, 2026 00:36

Ortes and others added 6 commits May 7, 2026 20:54

docs: add Flutter Driver example to MCP server page

8f9b9c6

Add a third usage example showing how to connect to a running Flutter app and interact with its UI using Flutter Driver via the MCP server.

Update src/content/ai/mcp-server.md

51aad89

Update src/content/ai/mcp-server.md

4480de7

Co-authored-by: gemini-code-assist[bot] <176961590+gemini-code-assist[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

Ortes force-pushed the doc/mcp-flutter-driver-example branch from 7c7144b to fd3acb7 Compare May 8, 2026 00:55

parlough reviewed May 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

-```bash
-flutter run -d <device-id> --dart-define=ENABLE_FLUTTER_DRIVER=true
-```
+```console
+$ flutter run -d <device-id> --dart-define=ENABLE_FLUTTER_DRIVER=true
+```

		The agent uses the `dtd` tool to discover the app and `flutter_driver_command`
		to drive its UI—no integration test setup required.

	agent drives is the one DTD is connected to—with -d chrome, only the
	agent drives is the one DTD is connected to—with `-d chrome`, only the

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Ortes commented Mar 25, 2026 •

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