How many days does it take to learn Dart?

Dart is an object-oriented, class-based programming language developed by Google. Its popularity has only increased in recent years, and many corporations have incorporated Dart learning into their skill enhancement programs to improve their development processes further. 

Dart is used across multiple industries to build fast applications that can work on any platform, including mobile, web, desktop, and server-side applications. The more you dig into Dart, the faster you will come across Flutter and its strong association with it. Flutter is Google’s UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications, but Dart can be used independently in other contexts. 

Where is Dart used?#

There are three contexts where Dart is used that are necessary to understand why it has become popular and widely used as a programming language. 

Mobile app development (Flutter)#

Dart has built its reputation as the programming language behind Flutter, which allows developers to create cross-platform mobile applications for iOS, Android, web, and desktop using a single codebase. It is no surprise that developers quickly start wondering whether to learn Dart or Flutter first when introduced to Dart. 

Dart is also optimized for UI development, which provides a declarative approach to building user interfaces. Some advantages of Dart learning and its integration with Flutter include receiving instant updates during code development, not needing to maintain separate codebases for every platform, and a rich widget library that is prebuilt and customizable. 

Web development#

Using Dart for web development allows the creation of scalable and efficient web applications. Dart’s versatility allows it to build both server-side and client-side applications, and because it can be compiled into JavaScript, it can run in any modern browser. 

As Dart supports hot reload, developers can use a faster development cycle. In addition, Dart’s AOT (Ahead-of-Time) compilation ensures that web applications run at high performance.

Server-side development#

More developers are realizing through Dart learning how useful the programming language is for server-side development. Its features include simple syntax, potential for high performance, asynchronous programming, and strong typing, all making server-side applications more robust. Moreover, Dart’s event-driven architecture supports handling many concurrent connections, which is extremely necessary for web servers. 

Dart learning: Time and experience #

Dart learning time depends on multiple factors and will be different for everyone. However, your prior programming experience, or lack thereof, your goals, and how much time you can dedicate to your learning are all factors that will affect how many days or months it will take to grasp Dart. 

Beginner programmer #

If you are a beginner programmer with no prior experience with programming languages, whether you will take a long or short time depends on external factors such as your dedication, Dart learning resources and techniques, and prior familiarity with other programming concepts. If you are a beginner, basic Dart proficiency will take around 2–3 months. On the other hand, if you are aiming to build real-world projects and understand more complex Dart fundamentals and concepts, the estimated time frame will be 6–12 months. 

Of course, you must stay consistent and do more during your Dart learning process than just study the basics; active practice and taking on challenges with projects is necessary. Here is a general breakdown of what your timeline may look like: 

Initial learning phase (2–4 weeks)#

As a beginner, spend 2-4 weeks learning basic Dart syntax and programming concepts such as variables, data types, conditionals, loops, and functions. You should also become familiar with Dart IDE, like Visual Studio Code or IntelliJ IDEA. Considering how commonly Dart is used with Flutter, learn its basics as well as how to set it up.  

Intermediate learning phase (1–2 months)#

During the intermediate phase, you should focus on understanding what makes Dart an object-oriented programming language and what that means. This is when you should understand classes, inheritance, and other object-oriented programming principles in depth.

Start reviewing the topics under data structures and algorithms, such as lists, maps, and more. These concepts will become the foundation for problem-solving in Dart. Remember that it is never too early to start practicing coding exercises, as this will allow you to solidify and review what you have learned concretely. Start simple by attempting to write code for basic applications, such as to-do apps or calculators. 

Advanced learning phase (3–6 months) #

By this point, you should begin to engage with building real-world projects. Try your hand at creating cross-platform applications using Flutter. Although seamless proficiency will only be possible after an additional few months, it is better to start dabbling with it at this point. 

Asynchronous programming and future streams are advanced Dart concepts requiring significant practice and deeper knowledge before they can be applied practically. 

The total time for the beginner phase of Dart learning will be around 2–3 months for basic proficiency and 6–12 months for successfully building real-world projects. It may take longer or shorter depending on your pace, so having access to adequate learning resources and ample time is crucial. 

Intermediate programmer#

If you are an intermediate programmer who has no prior experience in Dart but has a grasp on other programming languages, the time it will take you to become proficient depends on several factors. 

You must be clear on which areas of Dart you want to learn and have a specific goal. After that, you can decide what level of knowledge is needed and how much time you can dedicate to study from your schedule. 

Initial learning phase (1–2 weeks)#

Understanding Dart’s syntax will not take long because Dart is very similar to other programming languages such as Java, C#, and JavaScript. You will pick up the basics as an intermediate programmer within a week. 

Key language features such as classes, functions, control structures, and the type of system Dart uses may take longer. Still, the difficulty level won’t be that high, thanks to your existing programming experience. As long as you solve basic Dart problems and follow tutorials to reinforce the concepts you are learning, this initial learning phase will go by smoothly. 

Intermediate learning phase (2–3 weeks) #

During this phase, there will be a focus on object-oriented programming and Dart-specific features. 

You can quickly grasp concepts such as classes, inheritance, and polymorphism, but Dart-specific features such as asynchronous programming, streams, and isolates may take longer. Remember to start trying your hand at building small projects, such as a simple command-line tool, to gain a deeper understanding of Dart’s real-world application and reinforce the concepts you are learning. 

Advanced learning phase (2–3 months)#

At this point, you should be introduced to Flutter and how Dart learning factors into that; this will allow you to build UI components and manage state. Although it will take additional time to fully grasp Dart’s widget-based system and more advanced concepts, focusing on hands-on projects will greatly help your learning process. 

With time, you can build scalable and optimized applications as long as you focus on regular practice and learning. By the final month, you will be proficient enough to contribute toward larger projects involving writing production-ready code or developing web applications with Dart involving backend integrations. 

The learning curve will be much easier for a beginner programmer, but it will still take 3–5 months to use Dart for more advanced projects, especially those involving Flutter. 

Advanced programmer#

If you are an advanced programmer, the Dart learning curve will be very smooth since you already have a strong foundation in programming. How fast you become an expert with Dart will depend on factors such as your level of proficiency in related languages and your personal goals and expectations. 

Initial learning phase (1–2 days) #

Thanks to your existing programming knowledge, you will find Dart a relatively straightforward language to grasp. Its simple syntax is reminiscent of what you may have seen in other languages, such as JavaScript, so grasping Dart’s data types, control structures, functions, and OOP principles won’t take long. 

During this stage, you should focus on writing simple scripts and becoming familiar with Dart’s core libraries. 

Intermediate learning phase (1–2 weeks) #

Becoming familiar with Dart’s asynchronous programming support may take some practice, especially if you haven’t delved into event-driven models. During this phase, you should focus on Dart’s error-handling model and approach to collections and generics. Working with Dart’s libraries should also be a priority. 

Advanced learning phase (1–3 months)#

It wouldn’t be surprising if one of your goals for Dart learning had something to do with Flutter. If that’s the case, then at this stage, you should focus on becoming comfortable with Dart’s widgets, state management, navigation, and other concepts for building cross-platform mobile apps. 

You can quickly grasp Flutter’s declarative UI, but becoming an expert with the entire widget tree and building complex apps may take longer. Focus on performance optimizations, testing, and difficult features such as isolate-based concurrency at this point.  

You’ll look at 3–4 months of learning to use Dart comfortably enough to navigate and spearhead complex projects. 

Final words#

There are many factors to consider before learning Dart, but many involve you rather than the programming language itself. 

Your proficiency in programming languages, how much time you will dedicate to the learning process, and which Dart learning courses you will use will all factor in how many days it takes to learn Dart. Stay motivated and driven to reach your goals, and you will become a Dart expert.