flutter-mcp-toolkit-guide

When to use

Use this skill when the user wants to inspect or drive a running Flutter app from this conversation. Examples:

• "Tap the login button in my app"
• "Why is the home screen blank?"
• "Take a screenshot and tell me what's broken"
• "Expose my cart / flags / internal state to the agent via MCP"

If the user is asking about Flutter concepts unrelated to a running app (architecture questions, package selection), this skill does not apply.

Step 1: Preflight

Always run flutter-mcp-toolkit doctor --json first. Parse the output:

• status: "ok" — proceed to Step 2.
• status: "error" and error.code: "binary_not_found" — load flutter-mcp-toolkit-setup and follow its install instructions.
• status: "error" and error.code: "vm_not_connected" — load flutter-mcp-toolkit-setup and follow its troubleshooting section.
• Any other error — load flutter-mcp-toolkit-debug and read the error envelope playbook.

Step 2: Pick the right skill for the user's intent

User intent	Load skill
Read state ("what's on screen?", "show me errors", "screenshot")	flutter-mcp-toolkit-inspect
Drive UI ("tap X", "type into Y", "scroll to Z", "hot reload")	flutter-mcp-toolkit-control
Diagnose ("why is X failing?", "show recent logs", "evaluate expression")	flutter-mcp-toolkit-debug
Register app-specific MCP tools/resources (AgentCallEntry, addEntries)	flutter-mcp-toolkit-custom-tools
Upgrade from removed legacy call-entry APIs	flutter-mcp-toolkit-intentcall-migration
Audit CLI/MCP/schema/dynamic-registry parity before changing tool surfaces	flutter-mcp-boundary-audit
Maintain showcase/flutter_test_app web / WebMCP showcase hooks; agent list/execute via Chrome DevTools MCP (list_webmcp_tools / execute_webmcp_tool)	flutter-mcp-toolkit-maintain-web
Maintain showcase/flutter_test_app macOS / native IntentCall hooks	flutter-mcp-toolkit-maintain-macos
Score dogfood iterations or route dogfood evidence	flutter-mcp-toolkit-dogfood-iterations
Write repeatable E2E scenarios as Dart (flutter_mcp_harness: build/launch/attach/drive/assert, showcase launcher)	flutter-mcp-e2e-harness
Wire automation for an app across surfaces (MCP / CLI / harness / oka), first loops, runner sessions	flutter-mcp-automation-chain
Release, version, or plugin skill bundle maintenance	flutter-mcp-toolkit-repo-maintainer

Harness Script lint/run/Maestro and promo/video capture live in their owner repositories. Do not look for flutter-mcp-semantic-test, flutter-mcp-capture, or hyperframes-video in this plugin.

If the task spans more than one (e.g. "tap the button and show me what changed"), load inspect AND control. Skills are additive.

Step 3: Execute

Each task skill has the tool list, parameter shapes, and example calls. Follow the prelude at the top of the skill — it tells you whether you're calling MCP tools or shelling out to the CLI.

Tool taxonomy reference

The core toolkit tools fall into these categories. The full list with parameter shapes lives in the task skills.

• Inspection (read-only): discover_debug_apps, get_app_errors, get_screenshots, get_view_details, get_vm, get_extension_rpcs, semantic_snapshot, inspect_widget_at_point, capture_ui_snapshot, connect_debug_app. → flutter-mcp-toolkit-inspect.
• Interaction (mutating): tap_widget, long_press, enter_text, reveal_search, fill_form, scroll, swipe, drag, hover, focus_widget, press_key, wait_for, navigate, handle_dialog, hot_reload_flutter, hot_restart_flutter, hot_reload_and_capture. → flutter-mcp-toolkit-control.
• Debug: get_recent_logs, evaluate_dart_expression. → flutter-mcp-toolkit-debug.
• Dynamic registry (app-defined): after registration in the Flutter app, MCP calls use fmt_list_client_tools_and_resources, then fmt_client_tool / fmt_client_resource. When shelling out to the CLI, command names appear only as exec --name <name> values; do not call bare list_client_tools_and_resources, client_tool, or client_resource as MCP tools. → flutter-mcp-toolkit-custom-tools.
• Boundary/proof maintenance: use flutter-mcp-boundary-audit before changing catalog/schema/registry surfaces; use flutter-mcp-toolkit-maintain-web or flutter-mcp-toolkit-maintain-macos for showcase platform hooks; use flutter-mcp-toolkit-repo-maintainer for release, version, and generated skill-bundle work.
• True WebMCP (browser): with Chrome DevTools MCP (--categoryExperimentalWebmcp), use list_webmcp_tools / execute_webmcp_tool after navigating to the web app. Details in flutter-mcp-toolkit-maintain-web.

When in doubt

If doctor is green but a tool call fails, read the returned error.code and error.recovery fields. The full code → recovery table is in flutter-mcp-toolkit-debug.