De-obfuscate Stack Trace from Dart Code in Flutter Apps

When you build a Flutter application in release mode, Dart code is often obfuscated to reduce app size and protect source code. As a result, stack traces from production crashes and exceptions can be difficult to read and debug.

This guide explains how to de-obfuscate Flutter stack traces using the flutter symbolize tool and SYMBOLS files generated during the build process.

Step 1: Locate the Matching SYMBOLS File

The SYMBOLS file is generated during your Flutter app release build. Typically, it's located in your project under the build folder.

Make sure to use the SYMBOLS file that matches the exact version and architecture of the app that produced the stack trace.

Step 2: Prepare the Obfuscated Stack Trace

Copy the obfuscated stack trace from Appxiom dashboard.

Save it as a .txt file on your local machine.

Step 3: Use the Flutter Symbolize Tool

Open your terminal and run the following command to de-obfuscate the stack trace:

flutter symbolize -i /path/to/obfuscated_stack_trace.txt -d /path/to/SYMBOLS > deobfuscated_stack_trace.txt

• Replace /path/to/obfuscated_stack_trace.txt with the location of your saved stack trace.
• Replace /path/to/SYMBOLS with the path to your matching SYMBOLS file.

The de-obfuscated stack trace will be saved in deobfuscated_stack_trace.txt, making it easy to debug your Dart code.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is a Dart stack trace?

A Dart stack trace shows the sequence of function calls that led to an exception in your Flutter app.

Q2: Why are Flutter stack traces obfuscated?

Flutter obfuscates Dart code in release builds to reduce app size.

Q3: How do I de-obfuscate a Flutter stack trace?

Use the Flutter SDK symbolize tool along with the matching SYMBOLS file to convert obfuscated stack traces into readable Dart code references.

Q4: Where is the SYMBOLS file located?

The SYMBOLS file is typically in the build folder of your Flutter project after building in release mode.