Google recently announced updates to its Flutter cross-platform development tool and Dart language, introducing an early preview of the Flutter GPU API. This low-level graphics API enables developers to create custom raster pipelines and submit draw calls directly to the GPU, allowing for the development of specialized renderers like 2D Canvas alternatives, 3D scene graphs, and particle systems for immersive experiences without the engine-level complexity usually required.
Flutter 3.24 and Dart 3.5 were officially released on August 6.
The Flutter GPU API is integrated into the Flutter SDK and aims to simplify graphics programming. Google acknowledges that building custom renderers has a steep learning curve and most developers prefer higher-level rendering packages. To address this, Google is also focusing on rendering packages like Flutter Scene, which utilizes the Flutter GPU API. This package allows for importing animated glTF models and constructing 3D scenes, making it easier for developers to create 3D apps and games using Flutter and Dart. While the Flutter GPU API is currently in preview, Google recommends developing against Flutter’s main channel when using Flutter GPU.
