Introduction
Hey everyone! I recently completed a project that I’m really excited to share: a simple Pomodoro timer app called Focus Forge, built for Windows with Flutter. And the best part? It’s open-source!
I started this project to tackle my own productivity struggles, hoping it could help other developers, students, and anyone looking to stay focused. I chose Flutter because I wanted to explore how well it could handle a desktop app, especially for Windows. So if you're curious about building desktop apps with Flutter, or you’re just interested in how this project came together, this post is for you!
Why Flutter for a Windows App?
Using Flutter to build a Windows app might sound a bit unconventional since Flutter is primarily known for mobile apps. But Flutter’s support for desktop has improved a lot recently, and I was eager to test it out. The idea of building a cross-platform app with one codebase was appealing—after all, with a little extra tweaking, Focus Forge could easily be ported to Mac and Linux in the future.
Also, Flutter has great community support and tons of libraries, making it easier to work quickly and integrate features like custom animations, notifications, and state management.
What Focus Forge Does: A Simple Pomodoro Timer
Focus Forge is a Pomodoro timer app designed to keep you focused and productive. If you’re not familiar, the Pomodoro Technique breaks work into intervals (usually 25 minutes) with short breaks in between. It’s a popular method for avoiding burnout and staying on track, especially when juggling multiple tasks.
With Focus Forge, you can:
- Set custom work and break intervals to match your own pace.
- Get gentle notifications when it’s time for a break or to resume work.
- Track your progress and see how many “Pomodoros” you’ve completed throughout the day.
It’s nothing too complex—just a reliable, lightweight tool to help you stay focused.
Building the App: Key Challenges and Solutions
Creating Focus Forge wasn’t without its challenges. Here are a few things I ran into while building it:
1. Setting Up Flutter for Windows Desktop
First, I had to make sure I had the right environment for desktop development. This meant ensuring my Flutter SDK was up-to-date and enabling desktop support. Thankfully, Flutter’s desktop setup has come a long way and is well-documented. I ran into a few platform-specific quirks but nothing major.
2. Timer Precision
A timer might seem like a simple feature, but keeping it precise on desktop can be tricky. Flutter’s Timer class works well, but I needed to make sure it didn’t lag even if the app was minimized or running in the background. This meant testing and refining the timer logic a few times to get it right.
3. Minimalist, Distraction-Free UI
Designing the UI was fun but challenging, as I wanted a minimalistic look that doesn’t distract the user. I used Flutter’s built-in widgets and customized them to keep things simple and clean. The end result is a focused, clutter-free design that helps users stay on task.
4. Making It Open Source
Once I had a solid version of Focus Forge running, I decided to make it open-source. I figured, why not share this with the community? Plus, since Flutter desktop apps are still relatively new, it might be a helpful resource for other developers looking to do something similar. You can check out the repo, tweak the code, and even suggest new features if you like.
Why Open Source?
I’m a big believer in open source, and I’ve personally learned so much from other developers’ projects. By making Focus Forge open-source, I wanted to contribute back to the community. Also, open-source projects often get feedback and improvements from the community, which makes them better over time.
Feel free to check out Focus Forge on GitHub. You’re welcome to fork it, suggest new features, or even just give it a try to see how it works!
What’s Next?
Focus Forge was an experiment in building a functional desktop app with Flutter, and it’s made me excited to explore more in this space. There are plenty of features I’d love to add in the future, like:
- Adding sound options for notifications
- Creating a dark mode
- Adding session history so users can review their progress
It’s just the beginning, but I hope Focus Forge can be a helpful tool for anyone who needs a bit of help staying focused. And if you have ideas, suggestions, or want to contribute, you’re more than welcome!
Wrapping Up
If you’re a Flutter dev curious about building for desktop, I encourage you to give it a shot. Building Focus Forge taught me a lot, and it’s really rewarding to see how much Flutter can do beyond mobile apps. I’m looking forward to seeing what the community thinks and, hopefully, getting some feedback from other developers.
Thanks for reading, and happy coding!
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