Introduction

Flutter, the popular open-source UI software development kit by Google, is used for creating natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop. Regularly updating Flutter is essential for accessing new features, improvements, and bug fixes. However, developers sometimes face an issue where the flutter upgrade command gets stuck, producing no output at all, leaving them puzzled.

In this blog, we will discuss the possible causes of this issue and provide step-by-step solutions to fix it. Whether you're facing this problem on Windows, macOS, or Linux, we’ve got you covered.

Understanding the Problem

The flutter upgrade command is used to update Flutter to the latest stable version. Normally, when you run this command, Flutter fetches the latest code from the remote repository, installs updates, and provides output about the status of the upgrade process. However, sometimes the command gets stuck with no output at all, which can be frustrating.

Possible causes for this issue include:

• Network issues preventing Flutter from fetching the latest updates.
• Corrupted Flutter installation or broken SDK.
• Permissions or access issues on certain files or directories.
• Flutter cache issues that prevent the update from proceeding.

Understanding these causes will help us troubleshoot and apply the correct fix.

Solutions to Fix Flutter Upgrade Command Stuck

Here are a few steps to help you fix the flutter upgrade command when it’s stuck and producing no output.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

The first thing to check is whether your internet connection is stable. If your connection is unstable or intermittent, the upgrade process might fail silently or take too long without any output.

• Ensure that you have a stable internet connection.
• Try running the command again after checking your network.

2. Run Flutter Doctor

Running flutter doctor helps identify potential issues with your Flutter setup. It checks for common problems, such as missing dependencies or SDK issues.

Open your terminal/command prompt and run the following:

flutter doctor

Look for any errors or warnings that might point to issues with your Flutter installation.

3. Clear Flutter Cache

Flutter maintains a cache of downloaded dependencies and SDK components. If this cache becomes corrupted, it might cause issues during upgrades. You can try clearing the Flutter cache to resolve the issue.

To clear the Flutter cache, run the following command:

flutter clean

After cleaning the cache, try running flutter upgrade again.

4. Check File Permissions

If Flutter is unable to access certain files or directories due to insufficient permissions, the upgrade process may be blocked.

• Ensure that you have proper read/write permissions for the Flutter installation directory.

On macOS/Linux, you can change the permissions using the following command:

sudo chmod -R 777 <flutter-install-directory>

On Windows, ensure you’re running the command prompt or terminal as Administrator.

5. Check for Locked Files or Processes

Sometimes, files or processes may be locked by another application, preventing Flutter from performing the upgrade.

• On Windows, open Task Manager and check if any Flutter-related processes are running. End those tasks if needed.
• On macOS/Linux, use ps aux to identify any hanging processes and kill them.

6. Manually Upgrade Flutter

If the flutter upgrade command continues to fail, you can manually update Flutter by switching to the latest stable channel and pulling the latest code from the repository.

Run the following commands:

flutter channel stable
flutter upgrade --force

This will force Flutter to upgrade to the latest stable version, regardless of any previous issues.

7. Reinstall Flutter

If none of the above steps work, it’s possible that your Flutter installation is corrupted. In this case, the best solution is to reinstall Flutter.

Steps for Reinstallation:

• Uninstall Flutter from your system.
• Download the latest stable version from the official Flutter website: https://flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install
• Follow the installation instructions for your operating system.
• After reinstalling, run flutter doctor and flutter upgrade again to ensure everything works correctly.

Conclusion

Facing the flutter upgrade command stuck with no output can be frustrating, but by following the troubleshooting steps above, you can resolve the issue effectively. 

Start by checking your internet connection, run flutter doctor to identify any underlying problems, clear the Flutter cache, and ensure file permissions are correct. If the issue persists, try manually upgrading or reinstalling Flutter.

Regular updates are crucial for keeping your Flutter environment up to date with the latest features and fixes. With these steps, you should be able to get Flutter back to working smoothly and continue developing your app without further interruptions.