Firebase Authentication provides backend services, easy-to-use SDKs, and ready-made UI libraries to authenticate users to your app. It supports authentication using passwords, phone numbers, popular federated identity providers like Google, Facebook and Twitter, and more.
In this article, I will show how to set up a Flutter app and implement Google Sign-In using Firebase authentication.
we will cover the following topics:
- Create a new Flutter project with null safety
- Create a new Firebase project
- Firebase for Android, iOS & web
- Configure Firebase Authentication
- User auto login
Project overview
The app layouts will be simple, consisting of just two screens. The initial screen will be a sign-in screen (where users can sign in using their Google account), and the next screen will be the user info screen (which will display some of the user information retrieved from one’s Google account) with a button for signing out.
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Plugins
The plugins needed for this project are:
- firebase_core: for initializing Firebase
- firebase_auth: for implementing Firebase authentication
- google_sign_in: to use Google Sign-In
You will need to include the firebase_core plugin for using any other Firebase-related plugins, as it is used for initializing the FirebaseApp().
You can import the packages to your Flutter project by adding them to your pubspec.yaml file:
Set up Firebase project
To start using Firebase with the application, you first have to create a new Firebase project. Follow the steps below:
Enter a Project name and click on Continue.
Next, you will be asked whether you want to enable Google Analytics for the project. We won’t be needing analytics, as this is just a sample project. Click on Create project.
If you want to enable Google Analytics anyway, then you will be prompted to select a Google Analytics account on the next screen:
Wait for the project to be created, and you will be navigated to the Firebase dashboard of the project.
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Now, we have to complete the platform-specific Firebase configurations. Though we are using Flutter (which is a cross-platform framework), we still have to integrate the Firebase project separately for each platform. Flutter 2.0 has support for Android, iOS and web in its stable channel, so we will be configuring for all three platforms.
Android setup
First of all, let’s configure for the Android platform.
Enter the Android package name, an app nickname and the SHA-1. Click on Register app.
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Download the google-services.json file, and place it in the android -> app directory. Click on Next.
Just follow the instructions, and add the required code snippets to your project. Click on Next.
You have successfully configured Firebase for Android. On the final step, click on Continue to console to go back to the dashboard.
iOS setup
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Download the GoogleService-Info.plist file. Click on Next.
Go back to your project, open the ios folder using Xcode, and drag and drop the file that you downloaded into the Runner subfolder. When a dialog box appears, make sure that Runner is selected in the “Add to targets” box. Then click Finish.
You can skip steps 3 and 4, as they are automatically configured by the Flutter Firebase plugin that we will be adding soon. Click on Continue to console to go back to the dashboard.
Finally, you have completed the Firebase configuration for all two platforms.
Set up Authentication
In order to use Google Sign-In with Firebase Authentication, you have to enable it by going to the Authentication page from the left menu of the Firebase dashboard and selecting the Sign-in method tab.
Here, enable Google (under Provider), enter the project name and support email, and click on Save.
Make sure you also add the support email in Firebase project settings -> General.
There is no extra configuration required to use Google Sign-In on an Android device. But to use it on an iOS device, you have to do just one more thing.
Go to your project directory -> ios -> Runner -> Info.plist file, and add the following there:
<!-- Put me in the [my_project]/ios/Runner/Info.plist file -->
<!-- Google Sign-In section -->
<key>CFBundleURLTypes</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
<string>Editor</string>
<key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
<array>
<!-- TODO Replace this value: -->
<!-- Copied from GoogleService-Info.plist key REVERSED_CLIENT_ID -->
<string>com.googleusercontent.apps.861823949799-vc35cprkp249096uujjn0vvnmcvjppkn</string>
</array>
</dict>
</array>
<!-- End of the Google Sign-In section -->
Don’t forget to replace the value as per the above comment with the REVERSED_CLIENT_ID present in the GoogleService-Info.plist file.
Initialize Firebase
As we have configured the project for using Google Sign-In with Firebase Authentication, we can start defining methods for the authentication logic.
Create a new file called authentication.dart inside the folder lib -> utils. To use any other Firebase service, we have to first initialize the FirebaseApp:
class Authentication {
static Future<FirebaseApp> initializeFirebase() async {
FirebaseApp firebaseApp = await Firebase.initializeApp();
// TODO: Add auto login logic
return firebaseApp;
}
}
In the above code, we have initialized Firebase inside the initializeFirebase() method. Later, we will add the logic for auto login here.
Implement Google Sign-In
Now, let’s add the method for Google Sign-In:
class Authentication {
static Future<User?> signInWithGoogle({required BuildContext context}) async {
FirebaseAuth auth = FirebaseAuth.instance;
User? user;
final GoogleSignIn googleSignIn = GoogleSignIn();
final GoogleSignInAccount? googleSignInAccount =
await googleSignIn.signIn();
if (googleSignInAccount != null) {
final GoogleSignInAuthentication googleSignInAuthentication =
await googleSignInAccount.authentication;
final AuthCredential credential = GoogleAuthProvider.credential(
accessToken: googleSignInAuthentication.accessToken,
idToken: googleSignInAuthentication.idToken,
);
try {
final UserCredential userCredential =
await auth.signInWithCredential(credential);
user = userCredential.user;
} on FirebaseAuthException catch (e) {
if (e.code == 'account-exists-with-different-credential') {
// handle the error here
}
else if (e.code == 'invalid-credential') {
// handle the error here
}
} catch (e) {
// handle the error here
}
}
return user;
}
}
Here, we can handle the error more elegantly by showing a SnackBar. (You may have noticed that’s why we have passed the BuildContext to this method.) The try-catch block can be modified to this:
try {
final UserCredential userCredential =
await auth.signInWithCredential(credential);
user = userCredential.user;
} on FirebaseAuthException catch (e) {
if (e.code == 'account-exists-with-different-credential') {
ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
Authentication.customSnackBar(
content:
'The account already exists with a different credential.',
),
);
} else if (e.code == 'invalid-credential') {
ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
Authentication.customSnackBar(
content:
'Error occurred while accessing credentials. Try again.',
),
);
}
} catch (e) {
ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
Authentication.customSnackBar(
content: 'Error occurred using Google Sign-In. Try again.',
),
);
}
The customSnackBar() method looks like this:
static SnackBar customSnackBar({required String content}) {
return SnackBar(
backgroundColor: Colors.black,
content: Text(
content,
style: TextStyle(color: Colors.redAccent, letterSpacing: 0.5),
),
);
}
The signInWithGoogle() method that we have defined will help to authenticate user with Google Sign-In on the Android and iOS platforms. But in order to use Google Sign-In on the web, you have to modify it to the following:
import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart' show kIsWeb;
class Authentication {
static Future<User?> signInWithGoogle({required BuildContext context}) async {
FirebaseAuth auth = FirebaseAuth.instance;
User? user;
if (kIsWeb) {
GoogleAuthProvider authProvider = GoogleAuthProvider();
try {
final UserCredential userCredential =
await auth.signInWithPopup(authProvider);
user = userCredential.user;
} catch (e) {
print(e);
}
} else {
final GoogleSignIn googleSignIn = GoogleSignIn();
final GoogleSignInAccount? googleSignInAccount =
await googleSignIn.signIn();
if (googleSignInAccount != null) {
final GoogleSignInAuthentication googleSignInAuthentication =
await googleSignInAccount.authentication;
final AuthCredential credential = GoogleAuthProvider.credential(
accessToken: googleSignInAuthentication.accessToken,
idToken: googleSignInAuthentication.idToken,
);
try {
final UserCredential userCredential =
await auth.signInWithCredential(credential);
user = userCredential.user;
} on FirebaseAuthException catch (e) {
if (e.code == 'account-exists-with-different-credential') {
// ...
} else if (e.code == 'invalid-credential') {
// ...
}
} catch (e) {
// ...
}
}
}
return user;
}
}
On the web platform, you have to use the signInWithPopup() method on the FirebaseAuth instance.
Sign-out method
The sign-out method is quite simple to implement, but on the web platform, you do not need to call the googleSignIn.signOut() method. (This would result in an error.) Just calling FirebaseAuth.instance.signOut() will do the job.
import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart' show kIsWeb;
class Authentication {
static Future<void> signOut({required BuildContext context}) async {
final GoogleSignIn googleSignIn = GoogleSignIn();
try {
if (!kIsWeb) {
await googleSignIn.signOut();
}
await FirebaseAuth.instance.signOut();
} catch (e) {
ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
Authentication.customSnackBar(
content: 'Error signing out. Try again.',
),
);
}
}
}
Building the UI
Just delete everything from the main.dart file, and paste the boilerplate code given below.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'screens/sign_in_screen.dart';
void main() {
runApp(MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
title: 'FlutterFire Samples',
debugShowCheckedModeBanner: false,
theme: ThemeData(
primarySwatch: Colors.indigo,
brightness: Brightness.dark,
),
home: SignInScreen(),
);
}
}
Let’s build the UI for SignInScreen.
SignInScreen layout
Create a new dart file called sign_in_screen.dart inside the directory lib -> screens.
The SignInScreen layout would look like this:
SignInScreen should be a Stateful Widget because we will be making some changes to the UI later, which will require the widgets to be redrawn.
class SignInScreen extends StatefulWidget {
@override
_SignInScreenState createState() => _SignInScreenState();
}
class _SignInScreenState extends State<SignInScreen> {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Container();
}
}
The code for the SignInScreen UI will look like this:
class _SignInScreenState extends State<SignInScreen> {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
backgroundColor: CustomColors.firebaseNavy,
body: SafeArea(
child: Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.only(
left: 16.0,
right: 16.0,
bottom: 20.0,
),
child: Column(
mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.max,
children: [
Row(),
Expanded(
child: Column(
mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: ]
Flexible(
flex: 1,
child: Image.asset(
'assets/firebase_logo.png',
height: 160,
),
),
SizedBox(height: 20),
Text(
'FlutterFire',
style: TextStyle(
color: CustomColors.firebaseYellow,
fontSize: 40,
),
),
Text(
'Authentication',
style: TextStyle(
color: CustomColors.firebaseOrange,
fontSize: 40,
),
),
[,
),
),
FutureBuilder(
future: Authentication.initializeFirebase(context: context),
builder: (context, snapshot) {
if (snapshot.hasError) {
return Text('Error initializing Firebase');
} else if (snapshot.connectionState == ConnectionState.done) {
return GoogleSignInButton();
}
return CircularProgressIndicator(
valueColor: AlwaysStoppedAnimation<Color>(
CustomColors.firebaseOrange,
),
);
},
),
],
),
),
),
);
}
}
In the above code, you will notice a FutureBuilder in which we wait for Firebase to get initialized before showing the GoogleSignInButton widget.
Now we have to design the Sign in with Google button. Create a new file called google_sign_in_button.dart inside the directory lib -> widgets.
It will be a StatefulWidget and will contain a method call to the Google Sign-In authentication inside the onPressed() method.
class GoogleSignInButton extends StatefulWidget {
@override
_GoogleSignInButtonState createState() => _GoogleSignInButtonState();
}
class _GoogleSignInButtonState extends State<GoogleSignInButton> {
bool _isSigningIn = false;
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.only(bottom: 16.0),
child: _isSigningIn
? CircularProgressIndicator(
valueColor: AlwaysStoppedAnimation<Color>(Colors.white),
)
: OutlinedButton(
style: ButtonStyle(
backgroundColor: MaterialStateProperty.all(Colors.white),
shape: MaterialStateProperty.all(
RoundedRectangleBorder(
borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(40),
),
),
),
onPressed: () async {
setState(() {
_isSigningIn = true;
});
// TODO: Add a method call to the Google Sign-In authentication
setState(() {
_isSigningIn = false;
});
},
child: Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(0, 10, 0, 10),
child: Row(
mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: <Widget>[
Image(
image: AssetImage("assets/google_logo.png"),
height: 35.0,
),
Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 10),
child: Text(
'Sign in with Google',
style: TextStyle(
fontSize: 20,
color: Colors.black54,
fontWeight: FontWeight.w600,
),
),
)
],
),
),
),
);
}
}
We haven’t filled the onPressed() method in the above code. Let’s add the authentication method call:
onPressed: () async {
setState(() {
_isSigningIn = true;
});
User? user =
await Authentication.signInWithGoogle(context: context);
setState(() {
_isSigningIn = false;
});
if (user != null) {
Navigator.of(context).pushReplacement(
MaterialPageRoute(
builder: (context) => UserInfoScreen(
user: user,
),
),
);
}
}
If the authentication successfully returns the user, then this will navigate to the UserInfoScreen and pass the retrieved user to it.
UserInfoScreen layout
Create a new dart file called user_info_screen.dart inside the directory lib -> screens.
The UserInfoScreen layout will look like this:
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The UserInfoScreen should be a Stateful Widget where some user info will be shown along with a Sign Out button.
class UserInfoScreen extends StatefulWidget {
const UserInfoScreen({Key? key, required User user})
: _user = user,
super(key: key);
final User _user;
@override
_UserInfoScreenState createState() => _UserInfoScreenState();
}
class _UserInfoScreenState extends State<UserInfoScreen> {
late User _user;
bool _isSigningOut = false;
Route _routeToSignInScreen() {
return PageRouteBuilder(
pageBuilder: (context, animation, secondaryAnimation) => SignInScreen(),
transitionsBuilder: (context, animation, secondaryAnimation, child) {
var begin = Offset(-1.0, 0.0);
var end = Offset.zero;
var curve = Curves.ease;
var tween =
Tween(begin: begin, end: end).chain(CurveTween(curve: curve));
return SlideTransition(
position: animation.drive(tween),
child: child,
);
},
);
}
@override
void initState() {
_user = widget._user;
super.initState();
}
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
backgroundColor: CustomColors.firebaseNavy,
appBar: AppBar(
elevation: 0,
backgroundColor: CustomColors.firebaseNavy,
title: AppBarTitle(),
),
body: SafeArea(
child: Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.only(
left: 16.0,
right: 16.0,
bottom: 20.0,
),
child: Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: [
Row(),
_user.photoURL != null
? ClipOval(
child: Material(
color: CustomColors.firebaseGrey.withOpacity(0.3),
child: Image.network(
_user.photoURL!,
fit: BoxFit.fitHeight,
),
),
)
: ClipOval(
child: Material(
color: CustomColors.firebaseGrey.withOpacity(0.3),
child: Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.all(16.0),
child: Icon(
Icons.person,
size: 60,
color: CustomColors.firebaseGrey,
),
),
),
),
SizedBox(height: 16.0),
Text(
'Hello',
style: TextStyle(
color: CustomColors.firebaseGrey,
fontSize: 26,
),
),
SizedBox(height: 8.0),
Text(
_user.displayName!,
style: TextStyle(
color: CustomColors.firebaseYellow,
fontSize: 26,
),
),
SizedBox(height: 8.0),
Text(
'( ${_user.email!} )',
style: TextStyle(
color: CustomColors.firebaseOrange,
fontSize: 20,
letterSpacing: 0.5,
),
),
SizedBox(height: 24.0),
Text(
'You are now signed in using your Google account. To sign out of your account, click the "Sign Out" button below.',
style: TextStyle(
color: CustomColors.firebaseGrey.withOpacity(0.8),
fontSize: 14,
letterSpacing: 0.2),
),
SizedBox(height: 16.0),
_isSigningOut
? CircularProgressIndicator(
valueColor: AlwaysStoppedAnimation<Color>(Colors.white),
)
: ElevatedButton(
style: ButtonStyle(
backgroundColor: MaterialStateProperty.all(
Colors.redAccent,
),
shape: MaterialStateProperty.all(
RoundedRectangleBorder(
borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(10),
),
),
),
onPressed: () async {
setState(() {
_isSigningOut = true;
});
await Authentication.signOut(context: context);
setState(() {
_isSigningOut = false;
});
Navigator.of(context)
.pushReplacement(_routeToSignInScreen());
},
child: Padding(
padding: EdgeInsets.only(top: 8.0, bottom: 8.0),
child: Text(
'Sign Out',
style: TextStyle(
fontSize: 20,
fontWeight: FontWeight.bold,
color: Colors.white,
letterSpacing: 2,
),
),
),
),
],
),
),
),
);
}
}
Here, the Authentication.signOut() method that we defined earlier is used for signing out a user.
The _routeToSignInScreen() method is just used to show a slide transition animation (from left to right) while navigating back from the UserInfoScreen to the SignInScreen as the user signs out of the account.
We have almost completed the app. There is just one more thing to be discussed.
Auto login
If a user has logged in to the app and then closed it, when the user comes back to the app, it should automatically sign in (that is, without requiring credentials every time the user returns to the app).
To implement this, we just have to complete the TODO that we left in the initializeFirebase() method. The modified method will be as follows:
static Future<FirebaseApp> initializeFirebase({
required BuildContext context,
}) async {
FirebaseApp firebaseApp = await Firebase.initializeApp();
User? user = FirebaseAuth.instance.currentUser;
if (user != null) {
Navigator.of(context).pushReplacement(
MaterialPageRoute(
builder: (context) => UserInfoScreen(
user: user,
),
),
);
}
return firebaseApp;
}