example/README.md

Flutter App Intents Examples #

This folder contains three complete example applications demonstrating different use cases for the flutter_app_intents package with Apple App Intents, enabling features like Siri voice commands, Shortcuts, and Spotlight search.

Examples Overview #

1. Counter Example #

Action-based App Intents - Demonstrates intents that perform operations without navigation.

Features:

• Increment counter (with optional amount parameter)
• Reset counter to zero
• Get current counter value
• Intent donation for Siri learning
• Parameter handling and validation

Best for learning:

• Basic App Intents implementation
• Parameter handling
• Action-based voice commands
• iOS static intent declarations

2. Navigation Example #

Navigation-based App Intents - Demonstrates deep linking and app navigation through intents.

Features:

• Open user profile page
• Launch chat with specific contact
• Navigate to search with query
• Open app settings
• Deep linking with route parameters

Best for learning:

• Navigation intents with OpensIntent
• Deep linking with parameters
• Multi-page Flutter navigation
• Route configuration and argument passing

3. Weather Example #

Query-based App Intents - Demonstrates background data queries with voice responses.

Features:

• Get current weather information
• Check specific temperature data
• Retrieve multi-day forecasts
• Boolean rain checks
• Background operation without opening app

Best for learning:

• Query intents with ProvidesDialog
• Background data processing
• Voice response formatting
• Multiple parameter types
• Information retrieval patterns

Choosing the Right Example #

Architecture #

All examples demonstrate the hybrid approach required for Flutter App Intents:

1. Static Swift App Intents (ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift) - Required for iOS discovery
2. Flutter handlers (lib/main.dart) - Your app's business logic
3. Bridge communication - Static intents call Flutter handlers via the plugin

Quick Start #

Prerequisites #

• Flutter environment with iOS development setup
• iOS 16.0 or later device or simulator
• Xcode 14.0 or later

Running the Examples #

Counter Example (Action Intents):

cd counter
flutter pub get
flutter run

Navigation Example (Deep Linking):

cd navigation
flutter pub get
flutter run

Weather Example (Query Intents):

cd weather
flutter pub get
flutter run

Testing App Intents #

1. Shortcuts App: Check for your app's shortcuts under "App Shortcuts"
2. ⚠️ CRITICAL: Enable Siri - In Shortcuts app → [Your App] → Info icon → Toggle ON Siri (OFF by default!)
3. Siri Commands: Use voice commands with your app name
4. Settings: Go to Settings > Siri & Search > App Shortcuts
5. Manual Testing: Use in-app buttons to test functionality

Common Troubleshooting #

Shortcuts not appearing?

1. Ensure iOS 16.0+ device/simulator
2. Wait for iOS to register static intents
3. Check console logs for registration status
4. Try restarting the Shortcuts app

Siri not recognizing commands?

1. FIRST: Check Siri toggle is ON (Shortcuts app → [Your App] → Info icon → Siri toggle green)
2. Use exact app name in voice commands
3. Try manual shortcuts first to help Siri learn
4. Add custom phrases in Settings > Siri & Search

For detailed troubleshooting, see the main README.

Implementation Guide #

For Action Intents (like Counter): #

return AppIntentResult.successful(
  value: 'Action completed successfully',
  needsToContinueInApp: false, // Optional for actions
);

For Navigation Intents (like Navigation): #

return AppIntentResult.successful(
  value: 'Opening page...',
  needsToContinueInApp: true, // Required for navigation
);

Next Steps #

1. Start with Counter - Learn basic App Intents concepts
2. Try Navigation - Understand deep linking and navigation patterns
3. Combine Both - Create apps with mixed intent types
4. Customize - Add your own intents and parameters

Both examples include comprehensive documentation and are production-ready starting points for your own App Intents implementation.