Incorrect dart:io documentation statement

[alestiago]

Page URL

https://dart.dev/libraries/dart-io

Page source

https://github.com/dart-lang/site-www/blob/main/src/content/libraries/dart-io.md

Describe the problem

Currently the dart:io documentation states:

"Only non-web Flutter apps, command-line scripts, and servers can import and use dart:io, not web apps"

However, I believe this is not entirely true, consider the following reproductive steps:

Importing and using dart:io in a Flutter web applcation

1. Create a Flutter web application:

flutter create web_app --platforms web

2. Add an import to dart:io at the start of the main.dart file at the start of the file:

import 'dart:io';

3. Replace the title the "MyHomePage" in the `main.dart file:

home: MyHomePage(title: HttpDate.format(DateTime.now())),

Note that HttpDate is coming from dart:io and helps convert a DateTime string according to RFC 1123.

4. Run the flutter application (from web_app):

flutter run -d chrome

It succeeds, proving the documentation statement to be incorrect.

5. Build the flutter application (from web_app):

flutter build web

It succeeds, proving the documentation statement to be incorrect.

Expected fix

The notice is updated to be more accurate and outlines what specific parts of dart:io are not Web compatible.

Additional context

• I'm personally not able to enumerate all the parts of dart:io that are not Web compatible. If those are provided I wouldn't mind updating the documentation.

• At least, the documentation does end with a recommendation to use package:http that will cater for some cases, but that's not a justification to provide incorrect statements highlighted as important.

You should avoid directly using dart:io to make HTTP requests. The HttpClient class in dart:io is platform-dependent and tied to a single implementation. Instead, use a higher-level library like package:http.

I would like to fix this problem.

• I will try and fix this problem on dart.dev.