As a Flutter developer who's been in the game for a good time, I've always had a soft spot for Android Studio. Its powerful debugger, wide range of tools, and overall "smoothness" made it my go-to—despite my laptop occasionally screaming for mercy 😅.

But recently, I started hearing a lot of buzz about Firebase Studio. More specifically, how well it integrates with VS Code and Cursor. So, I decided to dedicate an entire workday to try it out—ditching my usual Android Studio setup—and run all my daily tasks purely through Firebase Studio within VS Code and Cursor.

First Impressions

To my surprise, the experience felt incredibly light compared to Android Studio. Launching Firebase Studio inside VS Code gave me everything I needed to work with Firebase—without jumping between browser tabs or opening the Firebase Console every five minutes.

What Stood Out?

Here’s what truly made a difference in my workflow:

✅ Seamless integration with the Emulator Suite
✅ Real-time monitoring of both Realtime Database and Firestore—as if you’re inside the Firebase Console
✅ Direct handling of Authentication flows within the code editor
✅ Ability to upload and manage Firebase Storage files easily
✅ Access to Logs and Crashlytics—without leaving your editor
✅ All of this… on the free Firebase plan. Zero extra cost.

Cursor Joins the Party

I also opened the same project in Cursor, and I was genuinely impressed. The AI-assisted coding, intelligent suggestions, and lightning-fast file navigation gave me a productivity boost I wasn’t expecting.

It felt like working in an environment that “gets” me—focused, smart, and distraction-free.

So… Who Wins?

Let’s break it down honestly:

Android Studio: Still my top pick for large, complex projects—especially when deep debugging or profiling is needed.
VS Code: Lightweight and fast. Perfect for quick tasks or if I want to keep things light on system resources.
Cursor: A surprising new favorite. With smart coding assistance and a clean UI, I’m seriously considering it as my main editor moving forward.

But when it comes to Firebase Studio specifically, it shines best inside VS Code. The integration is smoother, the experience is more focused, and everything just clicks.

Final Thoughts

I was hesitant to move away from Android Studio at first, but this day with Firebase Studio changed my perspective.

The workflow was smoother, productivity went up, and everything felt a lot simpler than I expected.

My advice?

If you’re a Flutter developer using Firebase, give Firebase Studio a shot for just one day. You might be surprised how much faster and more efficient your workflow becomes.

✍️ Written by Khalid Omr

( Linked In )

Links you will need

Firebase Studio
Cursor : need to download it and need to download SDKs
Android Studio : need to download it and need to download SDKs

A Full Day with Firebase Studio: My Honest Experience Between Android Studio, VS Code, and Cursor