How to Disconnect Firebase From Flutter Project | remove firebase connection from flutter project

How to Disconnect Firebase from an Existing Flutter Project

Firebase integration provides powerful features, but there might be situations where you need to disconnect it from your existing Flutter project. In this guide, I will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring that all Firebase-related configurations are removed.

Step 1: Remove Firebase SDKs from Your Flutter Project

The first thing you need to do is remove any Firebase-related SDKs from your pubspec.yaml file.

How to Do It:

# Open your pubspec.yaml file and remove the following dependencies:
dependencies:
  firebase_core: # remove this
  firebase_auth: # remove this
  cloud_firestore: # remove this
  # And any other Firebase packages
    

After removing the dependencies, run:

flutter pub get
    

This will update your dependencies and remove the Firebase SDKs from your project.

Step 2: Remove Firebase Configuration Files

For Android:

1. Delete the google-services.json file from your android/app directory.
2. Open android/build.gradle and remove the Firebase dependency:

# Look for the following line in build.gradle (Project Level):
classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:...'
    

3. Open android/app/build.gradle and remove the Google services plugin:

apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'
    

For iOS:

1. Delete the GoogleService-Info.plist file from your ios/Runner directory.
2. Open ios/Runner.xcworkspace in Xcode and ensure there’s no reference to this file.
3. In your ios/Podfile, remove any Firebase-related pods, such as:

pod 'Firebase/Core'
pod 'Firebase/Auth'
pod 'Firebase/Firestore'
    

Run the following command in the iOS directory:

pod install
    

Step 3: Clean the Project

After removing the Firebase configurations, clean your project:

flutter clean
    

This will clear the cache and ensure that no Firebase-related files or settings linger.

Step 4: Remove Firebase Initialization Code

Look through your Dart files for any Firebase initialization code, and remove it. For example:

await Firebase.initializeApp();
    

Also, remove any Firebase-related services (authentication, Firestore, etc.) that you may have been using.

Step 5: Remove Firebase Analytics (If Applicable)

If you were using Firebase Analytics, ensure you remove any code or configuration related to it.

• For Android: Check for Firebase Analytics references in the AndroidManifest.xml.
• For iOS: Ensure that Xcode does not include Firebase Analytics settings.

Step 6: Delete Firebase Build Configurations (Optional)

Some Firebase-related configurations might still remain. It’s good to clean these up:

• In Android, check the proguard-rules.pro file for Firebase rules and remove them.
• In iOS, double-check your project settings (especially under Capabilities) to ensure Firebase is completely disconnected.

Step 7: Clear Cache (Optional but Recommended)

Clearing the build cache ensures a fresh build:

flutter clean
    

Alternatively, you can manually delete the .dart_tool, build, and ios/Pods directories and rebuild the project.

Step 8: (Optional) Remove the Firebase Project from Firebase Console

If you no longer need the Firebase project, you can remove it from your Firebase Console.

Important: This action will delete all Firebase services like Firestore, Authentication, and Storage associated with the project, so be cautious!

Step 9: Double-Check for Firebase Dependencies

Finally, search your project for any leftover Firebase references, such as:

# In your project, run a search for 'firebase_' to ensure no remnants are left.
    

Conclusion

Disconnecting Firebase from a Flutter project might seem daunting, but by following these steps, you can ensure that Firebase is fully removed from your app. Whether it's the removal of SDKs, configuration files, or lingering initialization code, each step plays a critical role in making your project Firebase-free!

Tip: Always make a backup of your project before removing services like Firebase.

Summary of Steps:

• Remove Firebase SDKs from pubspec.yaml.
• Delete Firebase configuration files (google-services.json and GoogleService-Info.plist).
• Clean the project using flutter clean.
• Remove Firebase initialization and related code from Dart files.
• Remove Firebase Analytics (if used).
• Clean Firebase build configurations in Android/iOS.
• Clear the cache for a fresh build.
• Optionally, remove the Firebase project from Firebase Console.
• Double-check for remaining Firebase dependencies.