A comprehensive guide for Flutter engineers looking to build backend REST APIs using Dart and the Shelf framework. Covers the full stack: project setup, PostgreSQL integration via Docker, clean architecture with models/repositories/handlers, JWT authentication, error handling middleware, and deployment to Fly.io. The tutorial builds a User and Profile Management API from scratch, showing how Flutter concepts like clean architecture, repositories, and services map directly to backend patterns.
Table of contents
Table of ContentsPrerequisitesHow Dart Works on the ServerWhat is Shelf?Project SetupShelf Core ConceptsConnecting to PostgreSQLBuilding the APIAuthenticationError HandlingWiring Everything TogetherDeploymentTesting the APIConclusion418 Impressions