# Base Appium Configuration

WebdriverIO uses Appium to run tests across mobile emulators, simulators, and real devices. The `@wdio/appium-service` automatically manages the Appium server lifecycle during test execution.

For general Appium setup and capability options, see the [Appium Service Documentation](https://webdriver.io/docs/appium-service/).

## Installing Dependencies[​](#installing-dependencies "Direct link to Installing Dependencies")

To test Flutter applications, install the Appium service and the Flutter finder package:

```
npm install --save-dev @wdio/appium-service appium appium-flutter-finder
```

### Installing the Appium Flutter Driver[​](#installing-the-appium-flutter-driver "Direct link to Installing the Appium Flutter Driver")

You can install the Appium Flutter Driver (`appium-flutter-driver`) in one of two ways:

#### Option 1: As a Dev Dependency (Recommended for CI/CD)[​](#option-1-as-a-dev-dependency-recommended-for-cicd "Direct link to Option 1: As a Dev Dependency (Recommended for CI/CD)")

Adding the driver directly to your `devDependencies` ensures that all team members and CI/CD pipelines have the driver installed automatically without requiring extra setup steps:

```
npm install --save-dev appium-flutter-driver
```

> You can also install all required packages together in a single command:
>
> ```
> npm install --save-dev @wdio/appium-service appium appium-flutter-finder appium-flutter-driver
> ```

#### Option 2: Via Appium CLI (Local Setup)[​](#option-2-via-appium-cli-local-setup "Direct link to Option 2: Via Appium CLI (Local Setup)")

Alternatively, you can install the driver locally into your Appium environment using the Appium CLI:

```
npx appium driver install flutter
```

### Package Overview[​](#package-overview "Direct link to Package Overview")

These packages provide:

* **`@wdio/appium-service` & `appium`**: Starts and manages the Appium server during test runs.
* **`appium-flutter-driver`**: The Appium driver responsible for communicating with Flutter's test extension.
* **`appium-flutter-finder`**: Helper library providing Flutter-specific locator strategies (`byValueKey`, `byText`, `byTooltip`).