Using flutter_native_image plugin to do image processing in Flutter apps

Image processing plays a crucial role in many mobile applications, enabling developers to enhance, manipulate, and optimize images according to specific requirements. Flutter, a cross-platform framework, provides numerous tools and packages to handle image processing tasks effectively.

In this blog post, we will explore the flutter_native_image package, which offers advanced image processing capabilities in Flutter applications.

What is flutter_native_image?

flutter_native_image is a powerful Flutter package that allows developers to perform image processing operations using native code. It leverages the native image processing capabilities available on both Android and iOS platforms, resulting in faster and more efficient image operations.

Installation

To begin using flutter_native_image in your Flutter project, add it as a dependency in your pubspec.yaml file:

dependencies:flutter_native_image: ^1.0.6

After adding the dependency, run flutter pub get to fetch the package and its dependencies.

Using flutter_native_image

The flutter_native_image package provides various image processing operations, including resizing, cropping, rotating, compressing, and more. Let's explore some of these operations with code samples.

1. Resizing Images

Resizing images is a common requirement in mobile applications. The flutter_native_image package makes it straightforward to resize images in Flutter.

Here's an example of resizing an image to a specific width and height:

import 'package:flutter_native_image/flutter_native_image.dart';

Future<void> resizeImage() async {
  String imagePath = 'path/to/image.jpg';
  ImageProperties properties = await FlutterNativeImage.getImageProperties(imagePath);
  File resizedImage = await FlutterNativeImage.resizeImage(
    imagePath: imagePath,
    targetWidth: 500,
    targetHeight: 500,
  );
  // Process the resized image further or display it in your Flutter UI.
}

2. Compressing Images

Image compression is essential to reduce the file size of images without significant loss of quality. The flutter_native_image package allows you to compress images efficiently.

Here's an example:

import 'package:flutter_native_image/flutter_native_image.dart';

Future<void> compressImage() async {
  String imagePath = 'path/to/image.jpg';
  File compressedImage = await FlutterNativeImage.compressImage(
    imagePath,
    quality: 80,
    percentage: 70,
  );
  // Process the compressed image further or display it in your Flutter UI.
}

3. Rotating Images

In some cases, you may need to rotate images based on user interactions or other requirements. The flutter_native_image package simplifies image rotation tasks.

Here's an example:

import 'package:flutter_native_image/flutter_native_image.dart';

Future<void> rotateImage() async {
  String imagePath = 'path/to/image.jpg';
  File rotatedImage = await FlutterNativeImage.rotateImage(
    imagePath: imagePath,
    degree: 90,
  );
  // Process the rotated image further or display it in your Flutter UI.
}

4. Cropping Images

Cropping images allows you to extract specific regions of interest from an image. The flutter_native_image package enables easy cropping of images. Here's an example:

import 'package:flutter_native_image/flutter_native_image.dart';

Future<void> cropImage() async {
  String imagePath = 'path/to/image.jpg';
  File croppedImage = await FlutterNativeImage.cropImage(
    imagePath: imagePath,
    originX: 100,
    originY: 100,
    width: 300,
    height: 300,
  );
  // Process the cropped image further or display it in your Flutter UI.
}

Conclusion

Image processing is a fundamental aspect of many Flutter applications, and the flutter_native_image package simplifies the process by leveraging the native image processing capabilities of Android and iOS platforms.

In this blog post, we explored some of the key image processing operations, including resizing, compressing, rotating, and cropping images using flutter_native_image. By incorporating these operations into your Flutter project, you can enhance the visual experience, optimize image sizes, and meet specific application requirements efficiently.

Remember to check the official flutter_native_image package documentation for more information and additional functionalities.

Happy coding!