dot_shorthand_converter

A helper package/CLI that automatically refactors common Flutter enum usages into the new Dart/Flutter 3.38+ dot-shorthand form.

Overview

dot_shorthand_converter converts verbose enum usages like:

Column(
  mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,
  crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.center,
  textAlign: TextAlign.center,
)

into the concise dot-shorthand form:

Column(
  mainAxisAlignment: .start,
  crossAxisAlignment: .center,
  textAlign: .center,
)

This package works as a simple string-based codemod over your Dart files, making it fast and easy to modernize your Flutter codebase.

Features

• ✅ Automatic refactor: Converts EnumName.value into .value for 100+ common Flutter enums
• ✅ Safe by default: Skips non-Dart files and common tool/build folders (.dart_tool, build, .git)
• ✅ Library + CLI: Use it programmatically or via dart run
• ✅ Zero dependencies: Pure Dart implementation, no Flutter analyzer required
• ✅ Customizable: Provide your own set of enum types to convert

Installation

Add dot_shorthand_converter to your dev_dependencies in pubspec.yaml:

dev_dependencies:
  dot_shorthand_converter: ^0.0.1

Then install it:

dart pub get

Quick Start

Run the CLI from the root of your Flutter app/package:

dart run dot_shorthand_converter lib/

This will walk all .dart files under lib/ and rewrite common enum usages to use dot-shorthand.

CLI Usage

Refactor a directory

dart run dot_shorthand_converter lib/

Refactor a single file

dart run dot_shorthand_converter lib/my_widget.dart

Refactor current directory

If you omit the path, it defaults to the current working directory:

dart run dot_shorthand_converter

Library Usage

You can also use the core transformer directly in Dart code:

import 'package:dot_shorthand_converter/dot_shorthand_converter.dart';

void main() {
  const before = 'mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,';
  final after = convertToDotShorthand(before);
  
  print(after); // 'mainAxisAlignment: .start,'
}

Custom Enum Types

Provide your own set of enum-type names to customize what gets converted:

final custom = convertToDotShorthand(
  sourceCode,
  enumTypes: {
    'MainAxisAlignment',
    'CrossAxisAlignment',
    'MyCustomEnum',
  },
);

Supported Enums

The package includes support for 100+ common Flutter enums, including:

• Layout & Alignment: MainAxisAlignment, CrossAxisAlignment, Axis, WrapAlignment, etc.
• Text & Typography: TextAlign, TextDirection, TextOverflow, FontWeight, etc.
• Material Design: FloatingLabelBehavior, MaterialTapTargetSize, SnackBarBehavior, etc.
• Painting & Decoration: BoxFit, BlendMode, BorderStyle, Clip, etc.
• Scrolling: ScrollDirection, ScrollViewKeyboardDismissBehavior, etc.
• And many more...

See lib/dot_shorthand_converter.dart for the complete list.

Requirements

• Dart SDK: ^3.9.2
• Flutter: >=1.17.0 (for Flutter projects)

How It Works

This package uses regex-based pattern matching to find and replace enum usages. It's designed to be:

• Fast: No AST parsing or type analysis required
• Safe: Only matches known enum patterns in typical Flutter widget contexts
• Simple: Pure string transformation, works on any Dart code

Limitations

• This is a text-based transformer, not a full AST analyzer
• It may occasionally be too aggressive if you use the same enum names in unusual contexts
• In typical Flutter widget trees, it should be safe and accurate

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.