Inside samples: an open-source Flutter app worth studying

A collection of Flutter examples and demos.

CategoryApp/Template
Stars★ 19,208
Last update2026-07-09
PriorityHigh

samples is an open-source open-source app / starter template for Flutter mobile app development, with 19,208★ on GitHub and last updated on 2026-07-09. This guide covers what samples does, why it matters in 2026, how to add it to your project, when to reach for it, and how it compares to the alternatives — plus a quick FAQ.

What is samples?

A collection of Flutter examples and demos. It focuses on learning from a complete, real-world Flutter codebase. The project lives at flutter/samples and is maintained by flutter.

Why samples is worth knowing in 2026

samples carries 19,208 GitHub stars, 7,868 forks, 12 open issues. It has been around since 2018, and is actively maintained (updated within the last month). For a App/Template option, that combination of adoption and upkeep usually means a healthy community, production usage, and plenty of examples to learn from — the things that make a dependency safe to build on.

Running samples

samples is a complete project you can clone and run. Make sure you have the Flutter SDK installed, then:

git clone https://github.com/flutter/samples.git
cd samples
flutter pub get
flutter run

From there, read through the project structure to see how a real Flutter app is organised — routing, state, data access, and UI — and fork it as a starting point for your own build.

When should you use samples?

Reach for samples when:

  • you want a production-grade example to study or fork
  • you’re bootstrapping a new app from a proven starter
  • you learn best by reading complete projects

samples vs. the alternatives

If you’re weighing options in the App/Template space, these are the other projects developers most often compare samples against:

There’s no single winner — the right pick depends on your app’s size, your team’s familiarity, and your performance budget. Browse the full App/Template collection to compare them side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Is samples free to use?

Yes. samples is open source and free to use in your Flutter projects. You can view the source, report issues, and contribute on GitHub.

Does samples work on both iOS and Android?

samples is built for Flutter, so it targets iOS and Android from a single codebase, and typically web and desktop too depending on the project’s platform support.

As of 2026, samples has around 19,208 stars and 7,868 forks on GitHub, which puts it among the more widely used options in the App/Template space.

What are good alternatives to samples?

Popular alternatives in the App/Template category include immich, localsend, open-source-ios-apps. The best choice depends on your app’s size, team, and performance needs.

Resources & links

Part of FlutterCook — 500 hands-on guides to the best open-source Flutter libraries, UI kits, and apps. Explore the live GitHub trends or browse YouTube guides.