Flutter : Dependencies vs dev_dependencies [duplicate]

Question

I want know different between dependencies and dev_dependencies.

When i put package in dependencies/dev_dependencies ?

What put package in dependencies/dev_dependencies make size APK be bigger? ( i not yet try release apk to see different size)

Because i use extension in visual studio code Pubspec Assist, this extension auto add dependencies to pubspec.yaml

Thank's

Answer 1

dependencies

List of plugins that we have to include while deploying your App after completion of your development stage.

dev_dependencies

List of plugins that you want to try out at the development stage to test the apps at development stage.

For example: In the development stage, we use Mockito and test plugins and SDK to write the test cases and to test the complete behaviour of the app. These kind of plugins and SDK's we include in

dev_dependencies

So in the release apps, there is no need of adding these plugins or sdk support.

Answer 2

dependencies are packages that are included in your app during compilation while dev_dependencies are packages that you use during developing your app and these are not included in the APK