Getting Started With Flutter GPU

Brandon DeRosier from Flutter introduces Flutter GPU, a low-level graphics API that lets developers build custom renderers entirely in Dart and GLSL—no native code required. This changes everything for 3D rendering in Flutter.

Flutter 3.24 debuts Flutter GPU and Flutter Scene, enabling developers to create custom renderers and import 3D glTF models directly into Flutter apps. Both are in preview on the main channel, require Impeller, and currently support iOS, macOS, and Android.

Key Takeaways

• Flutter GPU enables custom renderers using only Dart and GLSL shaders
• Flutter Scene package imports animated glTF models for realtime 3D rendering
• Requires Impeller backend, currently supports iOS, macOS, and Android platforms
• Shader bundles compile ahead of time using native assets build hooks
• Tutorial walks through rendering first triangle and importing 3D helmet model

The article reveals why Flutter deliberately avoided building a single generic 3D renderer, and what that philosophy means for performance-critical rendering use cases.