| name | add-package |
| description | This skill should be used when about to add a Dart or Flutter package dependency — running flutter pub add, dart pub add, or editing pubspec.yaml to introduce a new package. Also load when choosing a specific version constraint for a new package. Skip for upgrading existing packages (pub upgrade), removing packages, or pub commands that don't introduce a new dependency. |
| user-invocable | false |
Adding a Dart/Flutter Package Dependency
Preferred approach
Use flutter pub add <package> (or dart pub add) rather than editing
pubspec.yaml directly. The pub command output is the primary signal for
package health; direct edits bypass it.
Read pub output after every add
After running pub add, read the output carefully before proceeding. Two
classes of problem appear inline:
Discontinued packages
+ flutter_markdown 0.7.7+1 (discontinued replaced by flutter_markdown_plus)
...
1 package is discontinued.
Action:
- If a replacement is listed: remove the discontinued package and add the
replacement instead (
flutter pub remove <pkg> then
flutter pub add <replacement>).
- If no replacement is listed: find a well-maintained alternative before
proceeding.
Version pinned behind current major
+ lints 4.0.0 (6.1.0 available)
...
4 packages have newer versions incompatible with dependency constraints.
The (X.Y.Z available) annotation on a package you just added means the version
you requested is behind the current release — often by a major version.
Action:
-
Run flutter pub outdated to see the structured breakdown:
Package Name Current Upgradable Resolvable Latest
lints *4.0.0 *4.0.0 6.1.0 6.1.0
-
If a direct dependency you just added shows a major-version gap between
Current and Latest, remove the version pin or update the constraint to the
current major (flutter pub add 'lints:^6.0.0').
-
Transitive dependency gaps are generally not actionable — note them but don't
block on them.
When editing pubspec.yaml directly
If you add a dependency by editing pubspec.yaml instead of using pub add,
run flutter pub get immediately after and apply the same output-reading rules.
