Benefits of shared_preferences and secure_storage in Flutter

In Flutter, shared_preferences and flutter_secure_storage are two popular packages used very often for persisting data locally on a device. They have similar interface – key-value storage, but the second is protected by the OS Security. 

Shared Preferences

shared_preferences is used for storing simple data as key-value pairs. This is similar to storing data in a dictionary or using localStorage in web development. It is typically used for non-sensitive data.

Benefits of Shared Preferences:

1. Simplicity: Easy to use for storing basic data types such as strings, integers, doubles, and booleans.
2. Persistence: Data stored using shared_preferences persists across app launches, meaning it is saved on the device even when the app is closed and reopened.
3. Quick Access: Fast read and write operations, suitable for small amounts of data.
4. Shared Data: Data can be shared across the entire application.
5. No Extra Permissions: Typically doesn’t require special permissions to store data.

Typical Use Cases:

• Storing user preferences (e.g., theme settings, language choice).
• Caching simple state information.
• Storing basic configuration options.

Secure Storage

flutter_secure_storage is used for storing sensitive data securely. It uses platform-specific secure storage solutions, such as Keychain on iOS and EncryptedSharedPreferences on Android.

Benefits of Secure Storage:

1. Encryption: Provides encryption to ensure that the stored data is secure and cannot be easily accessed or tampered with.
2. Security: Suitable for storing sensitive information like authentication tokens, passwords, or any other confidential data.
3. Platform Integration: Utilizes the underlying platform’s secure storage mechanisms, ensuring that data is managed according to platform-specific security practices.
4. Device Protection: Data is protected even if the device is compromised, providing an additional layer of security.

Typical Use Cases:

• Storing user credentials (e.g., OAuth tokens, passwords).
• Storing sensitive configuration data.
• Storing private keys or any other sensitive information that requires encryption.

Comparison:

• Data Sensitivity: Use shared_preferences for non-sensitive data and flutter_secure_storage for sensitive data.
• Ease of Use: shared_preferences is simpler to implement for straightforward key-value storage, while flutter_secure_storage requires more setup but provides higher security.
• Security: flutter_secure_storage offers encrypted storage, making it suitable for confidential data, whereas shared_preferences does not offer encryption.

Example Usage:

Shared Preferences:

import 'package:shared_preferences/shared_preferences.dart';

void savePreference() async {
  SharedPreferences prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
  await prefs.setString('username', 'exampleUser');
}

void getPreference() async {
  SharedPreferences prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();
  String? username = prefs.getString('username');
  print('Username: $username');
}

Secure Storage:

import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';

final storage = new FlutterSecureStorage();

void saveSecureData() async {
  await storage.write(key: 'token', value: 'secureToken');
}

void getSecureData() async {
  String? token = await storage.read(key: 'token');
  print('Token: $token');
}

Conclusion:

Using shared_preferences and flutter_secure_storage together allows you to handle a variety of data persistence needs in a Flutter app. shared_preferences is ideal for non-sensitive data where ease of use and performance are key, while flutter_secure_storage is crucial for storing sensitive information securely. For more Flutter Tips – check out my blog: https://programtom.com/dev/?s=flutter