Installation

Get Buoy running in your Flutter app in minutes.

Quick Start

Install the umbrella (whole suite) or pick individual tools:

Select your tools(umbrella)

buoyumbrella

flutter pub add buoy

Available Packages

Each package adds a new tool to your floating menu. Install only what you need — or use buoy for everything.

Core

Required

The floating menu + broker/desktop/MCP wiring. Required for all tools.

flutter pub add buoy_core

Network

Every HTTP request — package:http, dio, image loads, GraphQL.

flutter pub add buoy_network

Storage

Browse and edit shared_preferences live, with a write event stream.

flutter pub add buoy_storage

Environment

View and validate environment config with a health score.

flutter pub add buoy_env

Console

Every print, debugPrint, and log call in a DevTools-style panel.

flutter pub add buoy_console

Routes

go_router sitemap and live navigation stack — tap to jump.

flutter pub add buoy_routes

Images

Every image load with cache verdicts, oversize audits, and failures.

flutter pub add buoy_images

Events Timeline

Network, storage, state, and navigation in one LLM-ready stream.

flutter pub add buoy_events

Riverpod

Every provider’s live value and each state change, with diffs.

flutter pub add buoy_riverpod

Perf Monitor

Live on-device HUD with FPS, jank, CPU, and memory.

flutter pub add buoy_perf_monitor

Impersonate

Inject impersonation headers to test as any user.

flutter pub add buoy_impersonate

Image Overlay

Pin a design mockup over the running app for pixel-perfect UI.

flutter pub add buoy_image_overlay

Prefer one install? flutter pub add buoy pulls in the whole suite (umbrella package).

Register Your License Key

A license key unlocks Pro features (production builds and MCP). Pass it as a prop to BuoyDevTools:

dart

import 'package:buoy/buoy.dart';

MaterialApp(
  builder: (context, child) => BuoyDevTools(
    licenseKey: 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY',
    child: child ?? const SizedBox.shrink(),
  ),
)

import 'package:buoy/buoy.dart';

MaterialApp(
  builder: (context, child) => BuoyDevTools(
    licenseKey: 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY',
    child: child ?? const SizedBox.shrink(),
  ),
)

Don't have a key yet? Grab one at buoy.gg/pricing.

Devices

iOS Simulator / Android Emulator — connects to Buoy Desktop automatically (localhost / 10.0.2.2).
Physical devices — pass your computer's LAN IP via the widget: BuoyDevTools(socketUrl: 'http://192.168.1.x:42831', …). iOS will show the Local Network permission prompt on first connect — tap Allow.

Dart Support

All packages are pure Dart (no pods, no gradle edits, no FFI). Null-safe APIs and pub.dev docs ship with every package.

Monorepos & Enterprise Setups

Buoy is built to survive locked-down Flutter apps:

After adding a new buoy_* package, do a full restart — hot reload won't pick up new plugin/package registrations. Stop the app and run again.
Physical devices need a LAN socketUrl — unlike React Native (Metro-derived broker), Flutter apps on a phone should pass BuoyDevTools(socketUrl: 'http://<your-lan-ip>:42831').
Same broker as React Native — Flutter and RN devices can sit side by side on one Desktop / MCP session.
No on-device UI for end users — omit BuoyDevTools (or gate it behind a role check) for builds where only the desktop dashboard should see the session. See Quick Start.

React Query, Redux, Zustand, render highlighting, debug borders, and JS Top remain React Native only. Coming soon for Flutter: benchmarking/batch reports for Perf Monitor, and Dart Top. Vote on the roadmap.

Next Steps

Quick Start — Basic setup guide
BuoyDevTools — Core widget reference
Buoy Desktop — The full desktop dashboard
AI / MCP Server — Drive your app from your AI editor
Custom Tools — Build your own debugging tools

Requirements