diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/android_device.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/android_device.dart
index e805f14ad94..65fb6ab124b 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/android_device.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/android_device.dart
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import '../base/utils.dart';
 import '../build_info.dart';
 import '../device.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 import '../protocol_discovery.dart';
 
 import 'adb.dart';
@@ -242,7 +241,7 @@ class AndroidDevice extends Device {
 
   String _getSourceSha1(ApplicationPackage app) {
     final AndroidApk apk = app;
-    final File shaFile = fs.file('${apk.file.path}.sha1');
+    final File shaFile = fs.file('${apk.apkPath}.sha1');
     return shaFile.existsSync() ? shaFile.readAsStringSync() : '';
   }
 
@@ -270,16 +269,16 @@ class AndroidDevice extends Device {
   @override
   Future<bool> installApp(ApplicationPackage app) async {
     final AndroidApk apk = app;
-    if (!apk.file.existsSync()) {
-      printError('"${apk.file.path}" does not exist.');
+    if (!fs.isFileSync(apk.apkPath)) {
+      printError('"${apk.apkPath}" does not exist.');
       return false;
     }
 
     if (!await _checkForSupportedAdbVersion() || !await _checkForSupportedAndroidVersion())
       return false;
 
-    final Status status = logger.startProgress('Installing ${apk.file.path}...', expectSlowOperation: true);
-    final RunResult installResult = await runAsync(adbCommandForDevice(<String>['install', '-t', '-r', apk.file.path]));
+    final Status status = logger.startProgress('Installing ${apk.apkPath}...', expectSlowOperation: true);
+    final RunResult installResult = await runAsync(adbCommandForDevice(<String>['install', '-t', '-r', apk.apkPath]));
     status.stop();
     // Some versions of adb exit with exit code 0 even on failure :(
     // Parsing the output to check for failures.
@@ -375,13 +374,12 @@ class AndroidDevice extends Device {
     if (!prebuiltApplication) {
       printTrace('Building APK');
       await buildApk(
-          project: new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory),
           target: mainPath,
           buildInfo: buildInfo,
       );
       // Package has been built, so we can get the updated application ID and
       // activity name from the .apk.
-      package = await AndroidApk.fromAndroidProject(new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory).android);
+      package = await AndroidApk.fromCurrentDirectory();
     }
 
     printTrace("Stopping app '${package.name}' on $name.");
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/apk.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/apk.dart
index 57e7f2952b4..4a2af8e102f 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/apk.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/apk.dart
@@ -4,22 +4,17 @@
 
 import 'dart:async';
 
-import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
-
 import '../base/common.dart';
 import '../build_info.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
-
 import 'android_sdk.dart';
 import 'gradle.dart';
 
 Future<Null> buildApk({
-  @required FlutterProject project,
-  @required String target,
+  String target,
   BuildInfo buildInfo = BuildInfo.debug
 }) async {
-  if (!project.android.isUsingGradle()) {
+  if (!isProjectUsingGradle()) {
     throwToolExit(
         'The build process for Android has changed, and the current project configuration\n'
             'is no longer valid. Please consult\n\n'
@@ -38,9 +33,5 @@ Future<Null> buildApk({
     throwToolExit('Try re-installing or updating your Android SDK.');
   }
 
-  return buildGradleProject(
-    project: project,
-    buildInfo: buildInfo,
-    target: target,
-  );
+  return buildGradleProject(buildInfo, target);
 }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/gradle.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/gradle.dart
index c7b1e253fd3..833ae588aba 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/gradle.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/android/gradle.dart
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
 import 'dart:async';
 
-import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
-
 import '../android/android_sdk.dart';
 import '../artifacts.dart';
 import '../base/common.dart';
@@ -16,13 +14,16 @@ import '../base/platform.dart';
 import '../base/process.dart';
 import '../base/utils.dart';
 import '../build_info.dart';
+import '../bundle.dart' as bundle;
 import '../cache.dart';
 import '../flutter_manifest.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 import 'android_sdk.dart';
 import 'android_studio.dart';
 
+const String gradleManifestPath = 'android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml';
+const String gradleAppOutV1 = 'android/app/build/outputs/apk/app-debug.apk';
+const String gradleAppOutDirV1 = 'android/app/build/outputs/apk';
 const String gradleVersion = '4.1';
 final RegExp _assembleTaskPattern = new RegExp(r'assemble([^:]+): task ');
 
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ final RegExp ndkMessageFilter = new RegExp(r'^(?!NDK is missing a ".*" directory
   r'|If you are using NDK, verify the ndk.dir is set to a valid NDK directory.  It is currently set to .*)');
 
 
+bool isProjectUsingGradle() {
+  return fs.isFileSync('android/build.gradle');
+}
 
 FlutterPluginVersion get flutterPluginVersion {
   final File plugin = fs.file('android/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/FlutterPlugin.groovy');
@@ -65,17 +69,18 @@ FlutterPluginVersion get flutterPluginVersion {
   return FlutterPluginVersion.none;
 }
 
-/// Returns the apk file created by [buildGradleProject]
-Future<File> getGradleAppOut(AndroidProject androidProject) async {
+/// Returns the path to the apk file created by [buildGradleProject], relative
+/// to current directory.
+Future<String> getGradleAppOut() async {
   switch (flutterPluginVersion) {
     case FlutterPluginVersion.none:
       // Fall through. Pretend we're v1, and just go with it.
     case FlutterPluginVersion.v1:
-      return androidProject.gradleAppOutV1File;
+      return gradleAppOutV1;
     case FlutterPluginVersion.managed:
       // Fall through. The managed plugin matches plugin v2 for now.
     case FlutterPluginVersion.v2:
-      return fs.file((await _gradleProject()).apkDirectory.childFile('app.apk'));
+      return fs.path.relative(fs.path.join((await _gradleProject()).apkDirectory, 'app.apk'));
   }
   return null;
 }
@@ -89,13 +94,12 @@ Future<GradleProject> _gradleProject() async {
 // of calculating the app properties using Gradle. This may take minutes.
 Future<GradleProject> _readGradleProject() async {
   final String gradle = await _ensureGradle();
-  final FlutterProject flutterProject =  new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory);
-  await updateLocalProperties(project: flutterProject);
+  await updateLocalProperties();
   try {
     final Status status = logger.startProgress('Resolving dependencies...', expectSlowOperation: true);
     final RunResult runResult = await runCheckedAsync(
       <String>[gradle, 'app:properties'],
-      workingDirectory: flutterProject.android.directory.path,
+      workingDirectory: 'android',
       environment: _gradleEnv,
     );
     final String properties = runResult.stdout.trim();
@@ -113,7 +117,7 @@ Future<GradleProject> _readGradleProject() async {
     }
   }
   // Fall back to the default
-  return new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>[], flutterProject.android.gradleAppOutV1Directory);
+  return new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>[], gradleAppOutDirV1);
 }
 
 void handleKnownGradleExceptions(String exceptionString) {
@@ -195,19 +199,28 @@ distributionUrl=https\\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-$gradleVersio
 /// Overwrite android/local.properties in the specified Flutter project, if needed.
 ///
 /// Throws, if `pubspec.yaml` or Android SDK cannot be located.
-///
-/// If [requireSdk] is `true` this will fail with a tool-exit if no Android Sdk
-/// is found.
-Future<void> updateLocalProperties({
-  @required FlutterProject project,
-  BuildInfo buildInfo,
-  bool requireAndroidSdk = true,
-}) async {
-  if (requireAndroidSdk && androidSdk == null) {
+Future<void> updateLocalProperties({String projectPath, BuildInfo buildInfo}) async {
+  final Directory android = (projectPath == null)
+      ? fs.directory('android')
+      : fs.directory(fs.path.join(projectPath, 'android'));
+  final String flutterManifest = (projectPath == null)
+      ? fs.path.join(bundle.defaultManifestPath)
+      : fs.path.join(projectPath, bundle.defaultManifestPath);
+  if (androidSdk == null) {
     throwToolExit('Unable to locate Android SDK. Please run `flutter doctor` for more details.');
   }
+  FlutterManifest manifest;
+  try {
+    manifest = await FlutterManifest.createFromPath(flutterManifest);
+  } catch (error) {
+    throwToolExit('Failed to load pubspec.yaml: $error');
+  }
+  updateLocalPropertiesSync(android, manifest, buildInfo);
+}
 
-  final File localProperties = await project.androidLocalPropertiesFile;
+/// Overwrite local.properties in the specified directory, if needed.
+void updateLocalPropertiesSync(Directory android, FlutterManifest manifest, [BuildInfo buildInfo]) {
+  final File localProperties = android.childFile('local.properties');
   bool changed = false;
 
   SettingsFile settings;
@@ -225,8 +238,6 @@ Future<void> updateLocalProperties({
     }
   }
 
-  final FlutterManifest manifest = await project.manifest;
-
   if (androidSdk != null)
     changeIfNecessary('sdk.dir', escapePath(androidSdk.directory));
   changeIfNecessary('flutter.sdk', escapePath(Cache.flutterRoot));
@@ -243,11 +254,7 @@ Future<void> updateLocalProperties({
     settings.writeContents(localProperties);
 }
 
-Future<Null> buildGradleProject({
-  @required FlutterProject project,
-  @required BuildInfo buildInfo,
-  @required String target,
-}) async {
+Future<Null> buildGradleProject(BuildInfo buildInfo, String target) async {
   // Update the local.properties file with the build mode, version name and code.
   // FlutterPlugin v1 reads local.properties to determine build mode. Plugin v2
   // uses the standard Android way to determine what to build, but we still
@@ -256,7 +263,7 @@ Future<Null> buildGradleProject({
   // and can be overwritten with flutter build command.
   // The default Gradle script reads the version name and number
   // from the local.properties file.
-  await updateLocalProperties(project: project, buildInfo: buildInfo);
+  await updateLocalProperties(buildInfo: buildInfo);
 
   final String gradle = await _ensureGradle();
 
@@ -264,7 +271,7 @@ Future<Null> buildGradleProject({
     case FlutterPluginVersion.none:
       // Fall through. Pretend it's v1, and just go for it.
     case FlutterPluginVersion.v1:
-      return _buildGradleProjectV1(project, gradle);
+      return _buildGradleProjectV1(gradle);
     case FlutterPluginVersion.managed:
       // Fall through. Managed plugin builds the same way as plugin v2.
     case FlutterPluginVersion.v2:
@@ -272,7 +279,7 @@ Future<Null> buildGradleProject({
   }
 }
 
-Future<Null> _buildGradleProjectV1(FlutterProject project, String gradle) async {
+Future<Null> _buildGradleProjectV1(String gradle) async {
   // Run 'gradlew build'.
   final Status status = logger.startProgress('Running \'gradlew build\'...', expectSlowOperation: true);
   final int exitCode = await runCommandAndStreamOutput(
@@ -286,7 +293,7 @@ Future<Null> _buildGradleProjectV1(FlutterProject project, String gradle) async
   if (exitCode != 0)
     throwToolExit('Gradle build failed: $exitCode', exitCode: exitCode);
 
-  printStatus('Built ${fs.path.relative(project.android.gradleAppOutV1File.path)}.');
+  printStatus('Built $gradleAppOutV1.');
 }
 
 Future<Null> _buildGradleProjectV2(String gradle, BuildInfo buildInfo, String target) async {
@@ -364,10 +371,10 @@ Future<Null> _buildGradleProjectV2(String gradle, BuildInfo buildInfo, String ta
   if (apkFile == null)
     throwToolExit('Gradle build failed to produce an Android package.');
   // Copy the APK to app.apk, so `flutter run`, `flutter install`, etc. can find it.
-  apkFile.copySync(project.apkDirectory.childFile('app.apk').path);
+  apkFile.copySync(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory, 'app.apk'));
 
   printTrace('calculateSha: ${project.apkDirectory}/app.apk');
-  final File apkShaFile = project.apkDirectory.childFile('app.apk.sha1');
+  final File apkShaFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory, 'app.apk.sha1'));
   apkShaFile.writeAsStringSync(calculateSha(apkFile));
 
   String appSize;
@@ -383,15 +390,15 @@ File _findApkFile(GradleProject project, BuildInfo buildInfo) {
   final String apkFileName = project.apkFileFor(buildInfo);
   if (apkFileName == null)
     return null;
-  File apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory.path, apkFileName));
+  File apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory, apkFileName));
   if (apkFile.existsSync())
     return apkFile;
-  apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory.path, buildInfo.modeName, apkFileName));
+  apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory, buildInfo.modeName, apkFileName));
   if (apkFile.existsSync())
     return apkFile;
   if (buildInfo.flavor != null) {
     // Android Studio Gradle plugin v3 adds flavor to path.
-    apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory.path, buildInfo.flavor, buildInfo.modeName, apkFileName));
+    apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(project.apkDirectory, buildInfo.flavor, buildInfo.modeName, apkFileName));
     if (apkFile.existsSync())
       return apkFile;
   }
@@ -446,13 +453,13 @@ class GradleProject {
     return new GradleProject(
       buildTypes.toList(),
       productFlavors.toList(),
-      fs.directory(fs.path.join(buildDir, 'outputs', 'apk')),
+      fs.path.normalize(fs.path.join(buildDir, 'outputs', 'apk')),
     );
   }
 
   final List<String> buildTypes;
   final List<String> productFlavors;
-  final Directory apkDirectory;
+  final String apkDirectory;
 
   String _buildTypeFor(BuildInfo buildInfo) {
     if (buildTypes.contains(buildInfo.modeName))
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart
index 7861239e8b0..ff52975964a 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/application_package.dart
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import 'globals.dart';
 import 'ios/ios_workflow.dart';
 import 'ios/plist_utils.dart' as plist;
 import 'ios/xcodeproj.dart';
-import 'project.dart';
 import 'tester/flutter_tester.dart';
 
 abstract class ApplicationPackage {
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ abstract class ApplicationPackage {
 
   String get displayName => name;
 
-  File get packagesFile => null;
+  String get packagePath => null;
 
   @override
   String toString() => displayName;
@@ -40,21 +39,21 @@ abstract class ApplicationPackage {
 
 class AndroidApk extends ApplicationPackage {
   /// Path to the actual apk file.
-  final File file;
+  final String apkPath;
 
   /// The path to the activity that should be launched.
   final String launchActivity;
 
   AndroidApk({
     String id,
-    @required this.file,
+    @required this.apkPath,
     @required this.launchActivity
-  }) : assert(file != null),
+  }) : assert(apkPath != null),
        assert(launchActivity != null),
        super(id: id);
 
   /// Creates a new AndroidApk from an existing APK.
-  factory AndroidApk.fromApk(File apk) {
+  factory AndroidApk.fromApk(String applicationBinary) {
     final String aaptPath = androidSdk?.latestVersion?.aaptPath;
     if (aaptPath == null) {
       printError('Unable to locate the Android SDK; please run \'flutter doctor\'.');
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ class AndroidApk extends ApplicationPackage {
        aaptPath,
       'dump',
       'xmltree',
-      apk.path,
+      applicationBinary,
       'AndroidManifest.xml',
     ];
 
@@ -73,46 +72,47 @@ class AndroidApk extends ApplicationPackage {
         .parseFromXmlDump(runCheckedSync(aaptArgs));
 
     if (data == null) {
-      printError('Unable to read manifest info from ${apk.path}.');
+      printError('Unable to read manifest info from $applicationBinary.');
       return null;
     }
 
     if (data.packageName == null || data.launchableActivityName == null) {
-      printError('Unable to read manifest info from ${apk.path}.');
+      printError('Unable to read manifest info from $applicationBinary.');
       return null;
     }
 
     return new AndroidApk(
       id: data.packageName,
-      file: apk,
+      apkPath: applicationBinary,
       launchActivity: '${data.packageName}/${data.launchableActivityName}'
     );
   }
 
   /// Creates a new AndroidApk based on the information in the Android manifest.
-  static Future<AndroidApk> fromAndroidProject(AndroidProject androidProject) async {
-    File apkFile;
+  static Future<AndroidApk> fromCurrentDirectory() async {
+    String manifestPath;
+    String apkPath;
 
-    if (androidProject.isUsingGradle()) {
-      apkFile = await getGradleAppOut(androidProject);
-      if (apkFile.existsSync()) {
+    if (isProjectUsingGradle()) {
+      apkPath = await getGradleAppOut();
+      if (fs.file(apkPath).existsSync()) {
         // Grab information from the .apk. The gradle build script might alter
         // the application Id, so we need to look at what was actually built.
-        return new AndroidApk.fromApk(apkFile);
+        return new AndroidApk.fromApk(apkPath);
       }
       // The .apk hasn't been built yet, so we work with what we have. The run
       // command will grab a new AndroidApk after building, to get the updated
       // IDs.
+      manifestPath = gradleManifestPath;
     } else {
-      apkFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(getAndroidBuildDirectory(), 'app.apk'));
+      manifestPath = fs.path.join('android', 'AndroidManifest.xml');
+      apkPath = fs.path.join(getAndroidBuildDirectory(), 'app.apk');
     }
 
-    final File manifest = androidProject.gradleManifestFile;
-
-    if (!manifest.existsSync())
+    if (!fs.isFileSync(manifestPath))
       return null;
 
-    final String manifestString = manifest.readAsStringSync();
+    final String manifestString = fs.file(manifestPath).readAsStringSync();
     final xml.XmlDocument document = xml.parse(manifestString);
 
     final Iterable<xml.XmlElement> manifests = document.findElements('manifest');
@@ -138,16 +138,16 @@ class AndroidApk extends ApplicationPackage {
 
     return new AndroidApk(
       id: packageId,
-      file: apkFile,
+      apkPath: apkPath,
       launchActivity: launchActivity
     );
   }
 
   @override
-  File get packagesFile => file;
+  String get packagePath => apkPath;
 
   @override
-  String get name => file.basename;
+  String get name => fs.path.basename(apkPath);
 }
 
 /// Tests whether a [FileSystemEntity] is an iOS bundle directory
@@ -158,18 +158,18 @@ abstract class IOSApp extends ApplicationPackage {
   IOSApp({@required String projectBundleId}) : super(id: projectBundleId);
 
   /// Creates a new IOSApp from an existing app bundle or IPA.
-  factory IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(File applicationBinary) {
-    final FileSystemEntityType entityType = fs.typeSync(applicationBinary.path);
+  factory IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(String applicationBinary) {
+    final FileSystemEntityType entityType = fs.typeSync(applicationBinary);
     if (entityType == FileSystemEntityType.notFound) {
       printError(
-          'File "${applicationBinary.path}" does not exist. Use an app bundle or an ipa.');
+          'File "$applicationBinary" does not exist. Use an app bundle or an ipa.');
       return null;
     }
     Directory bundleDir;
     if (entityType == FileSystemEntityType.directory) {
       final Directory directory = fs.directory(applicationBinary);
       if (!_isBundleDirectory(directory)) {
-        printError('Folder "${applicationBinary.path}" is not an app bundle.');
+        printError('Folder "$applicationBinary" is not an app bundle.');
         return null;
       }
       bundleDir = fs.directory(applicationBinary);
@@ -305,16 +305,16 @@ class PrebuiltIOSApp extends IOSApp {
   String get _bundlePath => bundleDir.path;
 }
 
-Future<ApplicationPackage> getApplicationPackageForPlatform(
-    TargetPlatform platform,
-    {File applicationBinary}) async {
+Future<ApplicationPackage> getApplicationPackageForPlatform(TargetPlatform platform, {
+  String applicationBinary
+}) async {
   switch (platform) {
     case TargetPlatform.android_arm:
     case TargetPlatform.android_arm64:
     case TargetPlatform.android_x64:
     case TargetPlatform.android_x86:
       return applicationBinary == null
-          ? await AndroidApk.fromAndroidProject(new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory).android)
+          ? await AndroidApk.fromCurrentDirectory()
           : new AndroidApk.fromApk(applicationBinary);
     case TargetPlatform.ios:
       return applicationBinary == null
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ class ApplicationPackageStore {
       case TargetPlatform.android_arm64:
       case TargetPlatform.android_x64:
       case TargetPlatform.android_x86:
-        android ??= await AndroidApk.fromAndroidProject(new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory).android);
+        android ??= await AndroidApk.fromCurrentDirectory();
         return android;
       case TargetPlatform.ios:
         iOS ??= new IOSApp.fromCurrentDirectory();
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_apk.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_apk.dart
index 3dda93a63ba..e6e2cc54f31 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_apk.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_apk.dart
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 
 import '../android/apk.dart';
-import '../base/file_system.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 import 'build.dart';
 
 class BuildApkCommand extends BuildSubCommand {
@@ -46,6 +44,6 @@ class BuildApkCommand extends BuildSubCommand {
   @override
   Future<Null> runCommand() async {
     await super.runCommand();
-    await buildApk(project: new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory),target: targetFile, buildInfo: getBuildInfo());
+    await buildApk(buildInfo: getBuildInfo(), target: targetFile);
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/create.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/create.dart
index 7c97cf30c0b..0c69f1891cb 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/create.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/create.dart
@@ -168,19 +168,20 @@ class CreateCommand extends FlutterCommand {
 
     printStatus('Creating project ${fs.path.relative(dirPath)}...');
     int generatedFileCount = 0;
-    final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath(dirPath);
+    String appPath = dirPath;
     switch (template) {
       case 'app':
-        generatedFileCount += await _generateApp(project, templateContext);
+        generatedFileCount += await _generateApp(dirPath, templateContext);
         break;
       case 'module':
-        generatedFileCount += await _generateModule(project, templateContext);
+        generatedFileCount += await _generateModule(dirPath, templateContext);
         break;
       case 'package':
-        generatedFileCount += await _generatePackage(project, templateContext);
+        generatedFileCount += await _generatePackage(dirPath, templateContext);
         break;
       case 'plugin':
-        generatedFileCount += await _generatePlugin(project, templateContext);
+        appPath = fs.path.join(dirPath, 'example');
+        generatedFileCount += await _generatePlugin(dirPath, appPath, templateContext);
         break;
     }
     printStatus('Wrote $generatedFileCount files.');
@@ -193,8 +194,7 @@ class CreateCommand extends FlutterCommand {
       printStatus('Your module code is in lib/main.dart in the $relativePath directory.');
     } else {
       // Run doctor; tell the user the next steps.
-      final FlutterProject app = project.hasExampleApp ? project.example : project;
-      final String relativeAppPath = fs.path.relative(app.directory.path);
+      final String relativeAppPath = fs.path.relative(appPath);
       final String relativePluginPath = fs.path.relative(dirPath);
       if (doctor.canLaunchAnything) {
         // Let them know a summary of the state of their tooling.
@@ -233,59 +233,60 @@ To edit platform code in an IDE see https://flutter.io/developing-packages/#edit
     }
   }
 
-  Future<int> _generateModule(FlutterProject project, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
+  Future<int> _generateModule(String path, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
     int generatedCount = 0;
     final String description = argResults.wasParsed('description')
         ? argResults['description']
         : 'A new flutter module project.';
     templateContext['description'] = description;
-    generatedCount += _renderTemplate(fs.path.join('module', 'common'), project.directory, templateContext);
+    generatedCount += _renderTemplate(fs.path.join('module', 'common'), path, templateContext);
     if (argResults['pub']) {
       await pubGet(
         context: PubContext.create,
-        directory: project.directory.path,
+        directory: path,
         offline: argResults['offline'],
       );
+      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath(path);
       await project.ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling();
     }
     return generatedCount;
   }
 
-  Future<int> _generatePackage(FlutterProject project, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
+  Future<int> _generatePackage(String dirPath, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
     int generatedCount = 0;
     final String description = argResults.wasParsed('description')
        ? argResults['description']
        : 'A new flutter package project.';
     templateContext['description'] = description;
-    generatedCount += _renderTemplate('package', project.directory, templateContext);
+    generatedCount += _renderTemplate('package', dirPath, templateContext);
 
     if (argResults['pub']) {
       await pubGet(
         context: PubContext.createPackage,
-        directory: project.directory.path,
+        directory: dirPath,
         offline: argResults['offline'],
       );
     }
     return generatedCount;
   }
 
-  Future<int> _generatePlugin(FlutterProject project, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
+  Future<int> _generatePlugin(String dirPath, String appPath, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
     int generatedCount = 0;
     final String description = argResults.wasParsed('description')
         ? argResults['description']
         : 'A new flutter plugin project.';
     templateContext['description'] = description;
-    generatedCount += _renderTemplate('plugin', project.directory, templateContext);
+    generatedCount += _renderTemplate('plugin', dirPath, templateContext);
 
     if (argResults['pub']) {
       await pubGet(
         context: PubContext.createPlugin,
-        directory: project.directory.path,
+        directory: dirPath,
         offline: argResults['offline'],
       );
     }
     if (android_sdk.androidSdk != null)
-      await gradle.updateLocalProperties(project: project);
+      await gradle.updateLocalProperties(projectPath: dirPath);
 
     final String projectName = templateContext['projectName'];
     final String organization = templateContext['organization'];
@@ -298,27 +299,27 @@ To edit platform code in an IDE see https://flutter.io/developing-packages/#edit
     templateContext['pluginProjectName'] = projectName;
     templateContext['androidPluginIdentifier'] = androidPluginIdentifier;
 
-    generatedCount += await _generateApp(project.example, templateContext);
+    generatedCount += await _generateApp(appPath, templateContext);
     return generatedCount;
   }
 
-  Future<int> _generateApp(FlutterProject project, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
+  Future<int> _generateApp(String projectPath, Map<String, dynamic> templateContext) async {
     int generatedCount = 0;
-    generatedCount += _renderTemplate('create', project.directory, templateContext);
-    generatedCount += _injectGradleWrapper(project);
+    generatedCount += _renderTemplate('create', projectPath, templateContext);
+    generatedCount += _injectGradleWrapper(projectPath);
 
     if (argResults['with-driver-test']) {
-      final Directory testDirectory = project.directory.childDirectory('test_driver');
-      generatedCount += _renderTemplate('driver', testDirectory, templateContext);
+      final String testPath = fs.path.join(projectPath, 'test_driver');
+      generatedCount += _renderTemplate('driver', testPath, templateContext);
     }
 
     if (argResults['pub']) {
-      await pubGet(context: PubContext.create, directory: project.directory.path, offline: argResults['offline']);
-      await project.ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling();
+      await pubGet(context: PubContext.create, directory: projectPath, offline: argResults['offline']);
+      await new FlutterProject.fromPath(projectPath).ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling();
     }
 
     if (android_sdk.androidSdk != null)
-      await gradle.updateLocalProperties(project: project);
+      await gradle.updateLocalProperties(projectPath: projectPath);
 
     return generatedCount;
   }
@@ -361,16 +362,16 @@ To edit platform code in an IDE see https://flutter.io/developing-packages/#edit
     };
   }
 
-  int _renderTemplate(String templateName, Directory directory, Map<String, dynamic> context) {
+  int _renderTemplate(String templateName, String dirPath, Map<String, dynamic> context) {
     final Template template = new Template.fromName(templateName);
-    return template.render(directory, context, overwriteExisting: false);
+    return template.render(fs.directory(dirPath), context, overwriteExisting: false);
   }
 
-  int _injectGradleWrapper(FlutterProject project) {
+  int _injectGradleWrapper(String projectDir) {
     int filesCreated = 0;
     copyDirectorySync(
       cache.getArtifactDirectory('gradle_wrapper'),
-      project.android.directory,
+      fs.directory(fs.path.join(projectDir, 'android')),
       (File sourceFile, File destinationFile) {
         filesCreated++;
         final String modes = sourceFile.statSync().modeString();
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/daemon.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/daemon.dart
index 87efc31f59d..bb0f4b7b2d4 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/daemon.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/daemon.dart
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ class AppDomain extends Domain {
   Future<AppInstance> startApp(
     Device device, String projectDirectory, String target, String route,
     DebuggingOptions options, bool enableHotReload, {
-    File applicationBinary,
+    String applicationBinary,
     @required bool trackWidgetCreation,
     String projectRootPath,
     String packagesFilePath,
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/inject_plugins.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/inject_plugins.dart
index 6a1bb9403b4..832b64256dd 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/inject_plugins.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/inject_plugins.dart
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 
 import '../base/file_system.dart';
+import '../flutter_manifest.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
 import '../plugins.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 import '../runner/flutter_command.dart';
 
 class InjectPluginsCommand extends FlutterCommand {
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ class InjectPluginsCommand extends FlutterCommand {
 
   @override
   Future<Null> runCommand() async {
-    final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory);
-    await injectPlugins(project);
-    final bool result = hasPlugins(project);
+    final String projectPath = fs.currentDirectory.path;
+    final FlutterManifest manifest = await FlutterManifest.createFromPath(projectPath);
+    injectPlugins(projectPath: projectPath, manifest: manifest);
+    final bool result = hasPlugins();
     if (result) {
       printStatus('GeneratedPluginRegistrants successfully written.');
     } else {
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart
index 93acfc95cf3..47a30364dba 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart
@@ -289,13 +289,10 @@ class RunCommand extends RunCommandBase {
           notifyingLogger: new NotifyingLogger(), logToStdout: true);
       AppInstance app;
       try {
-        final String applicationBinaryPath = argResults['use-application-binary'];
         app = await daemon.appDomain.startApp(
           devices.first, fs.currentDirectory.path, targetFile, route,
           _createDebuggingOptions(), hotMode,
-          applicationBinary: applicationBinaryPath == null
-              ? null
-              : fs.file(applicationBinaryPath),
+          applicationBinary: argResults['use-application-binary'],
           trackWidgetCreation: argResults['track-widget-creation'],
           projectRootPath: argResults['project-root'],
           packagesFilePath: globalResults['packages'],
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/cocoapods.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/cocoapods.dart
index d6dc48c63f3..99048129e35 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/cocoapods.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/cocoapods.dart
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ import '../base/process.dart';
 import '../base/process_manager.dart';
 import '../base/version.dart';
 import '../cache.dart';
+import '../flutter_manifest.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 import 'xcodeproj.dart';
 
 const String noCocoaPodsConsequence = '''
@@ -81,18 +81,18 @@ class CocoaPods {
   Future<bool> get isCocoaPodsInitialized => fs.isDirectory(fs.path.join(homeDirPath, '.cocoapods', 'repos', 'master'));
 
   Future<bool> processPods({
-    @required IosProject iosProject,
+    @required Directory appIosDirectory,
     // For backward compatibility with previously created Podfile only.
     @required String iosEngineDir,
     bool isSwift = false,
     bool dependenciesChanged = true,
   }) async {
-    if (!(await iosProject.podfile.exists())) {
+    if (!(await appIosDirectory.childFile('Podfile').exists())) {
       throwToolExit('Podfile missing');
     }
     if (await _checkPodCondition()) {
-      if (_shouldRunPodInstall(iosProject, dependenciesChanged)) {
-        await _runPodInstall(iosProject, iosEngineDir);
+      if (_shouldRunPodInstall(appIosDirectory, dependenciesChanged)) {
+        await _runPodInstall(appIosDirectory, iosEngineDir);
         return true;
       }
     }
@@ -151,18 +151,18 @@ class CocoaPods {
   /// Ensures the `ios` sub-project of the Flutter project at [appDirectory]
   /// contains a suitable `Podfile` and that its `Flutter/Xxx.xcconfig` files
   /// include pods configuration.
-  void setupPodfile(IosProject iosProject) {
+  void setupPodfile(String appDirectory, FlutterManifest manifest) {
     if (!xcodeProjectInterpreter.isInstalled) {
       // Don't do anything for iOS when host platform doesn't support it.
       return;
     }
-    if (!iosProject.directory.existsSync()) {
+    if (!fs.directory(fs.path.join(appDirectory, 'ios')).existsSync()) {
       return;
     }
-    final File podfile = iosProject.podfile;
-    if (!podfile.existsSync()) {
+    final String podfilePath = fs.path.join(appDirectory, 'ios', 'Podfile');
+    if (!fs.file(podfilePath).existsSync()) {
       final bool isSwift = xcodeProjectInterpreter.getBuildSettings(
-        iosProject.directory.childFile('Runner.xcodeproj').path,
+        fs.path.join(appDirectory, 'ios', 'Runner.xcodeproj'),
         'Runner',
       ).containsKey('SWIFT_VERSION');
       final File podfileTemplate = fs.file(fs.path.join(
@@ -173,14 +173,15 @@ class CocoaPods {
         'cocoapods',
         isSwift ? 'Podfile-swift' : 'Podfile-objc',
       ));
-      podfileTemplate.copySync(podfile.path);
+      podfileTemplate.copySync(podfilePath);
     }
-    _addPodsDependencyToFlutterXcconfig(iosProject, 'Debug');
-    _addPodsDependencyToFlutterXcconfig(iosProject, 'Release');
+
+    _addPodsDependencyToFlutterXcconfig(appDirectory, 'Debug');
+    _addPodsDependencyToFlutterXcconfig(appDirectory, 'Release');
   }
 
-  void _addPodsDependencyToFlutterXcconfig(IosProject iosProject, String mode) {
-    final File file = iosProject.xcodeConfigFor(mode);
+  void _addPodsDependencyToFlutterXcconfig(String appDirectory, String mode) {
+    final File file = fs.file(fs.path.join(appDirectory, 'ios', 'Flutter', '$mode.xcconfig'));
     if (file.existsSync()) {
       final String content = file.readAsStringSync();
       final String include = '#include "Pods/Target Support Files/Pods-Runner/Pods-Runner.${mode
@@ -191,11 +192,12 @@ class CocoaPods {
   }
 
   /// Ensures that pod install is deemed needed on next check.
-  void invalidatePodInstallOutput(IosProject iosProject) {
-    final File manifestLock = iosProject.podManifestLock;
-    if (manifestLock.existsSync()) {
-      manifestLock.deleteSync();
-    }
+  void invalidatePodInstallOutput(String appDirectory) {
+    final File manifest = fs.file(
+      fs.path.join(appDirectory, 'ios', 'Pods', 'Manifest.lock'),
+    );
+    if (manifest.existsSync())
+      manifest.deleteSync();
   }
 
   // Check if you need to run pod install.
@@ -204,25 +206,24 @@ class CocoaPods {
   // 2. Podfile.lock doesn't exist or is older than Podfile
   // 3. Pods/Manifest.lock doesn't exist (It is deleted when plugins change)
   // 4. Podfile.lock doesn't match Pods/Manifest.lock.
-  bool _shouldRunPodInstall(IosProject iosProject, bool dependenciesChanged) {
+  bool _shouldRunPodInstall(Directory appIosDirectory, bool dependenciesChanged) {
     if (dependenciesChanged)
       return true;
-
-    final File podfileFile = iosProject.podfile;
-    final File podfileLockFile = iosProject.podfileLock;
-    final File manifestLockFile = iosProject.podManifestLock;
-
+    final File podfileFile = appIosDirectory.childFile('Podfile');
+    final File podfileLockFile = appIosDirectory.childFile('Podfile.lock');
+    final File manifestLockFile =
+        appIosDirectory.childFile(fs.path.join('Pods', 'Manifest.lock'));
     return !podfileLockFile.existsSync()
         || !manifestLockFile.existsSync()
         || podfileLockFile.statSync().modified.isBefore(podfileFile.statSync().modified)
         || podfileLockFile.readAsStringSync() != manifestLockFile.readAsStringSync();
   }
 
-  Future<Null> _runPodInstall(IosProject iosProject, String engineDirectory) async {
+  Future<Null> _runPodInstall(Directory appIosDirectory, String engineDirectory) async {
     final Status status = logger.startProgress('Running pod install...', expectSlowOperation: true);
     final ProcessResult result = await processManager.run(
       <String>['pod', 'install', '--verbose'],
-      workingDirectory: iosProject.directory.path,
+      workingDirectory: appIosDirectory.path,
       environment: <String, String>{
         // For backward compatibility with previously created Podfile only.
         'FLUTTER_FRAMEWORK_DIR': engineDirectory,
@@ -243,7 +244,7 @@ class CocoaPods {
       }
     }
     if (result.exitCode != 0) {
-      invalidatePodInstallOutput(iosProject);
+      invalidatePodInstallOutput(appIosDirectory.parent.path);
       _diagnosePodInstallFailure(result);
       throwToolExit('Error running pod install');
     }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/mac.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/mac.dart
index 97bd65245f4..d5a2c6b44a1 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/mac.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/mac.dart
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ import '../base/process.dart';
 import '../base/process_manager.dart';
 import '../base/utils.dart';
 import '../build_info.dart';
+import '../flutter_manifest.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
 import '../plugins.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 import '../services.dart';
 import 'cocoapods.dart';
 import 'code_signing.dart';
@@ -221,15 +221,18 @@ Future<XcodeBuildResult> buildXcodeProject({
   final Directory appDirectory = fs.directory(app.appDirectory);
   await _addServicesToBundle(appDirectory);
 
-  final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory);
-  await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-    project: project,
+  final FlutterManifest manifest = await FlutterManifest.createFromPath(
+    fs.currentDirectory.childFile('pubspec.yaml').path,
+  );
+  updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+    projectPath: fs.currentDirectory.path,
+    buildInfo: buildInfo,
     targetOverride: targetOverride,
     previewDart2: buildInfo.previewDart2,
-    buildInfo: buildInfo,
+    manifest: manifest,
   );
 
-  if (hasPlugins(project)) {
+  if (hasPlugins()) {
     final String iosPath = fs.path.join(fs.currentDirectory.path, app.appDirectory);
     // If the Xcode project, Podfile, or Generated.xcconfig have changed since
     // last run, pods should be updated.
@@ -243,7 +246,7 @@ Future<XcodeBuildResult> buildXcodeProject({
       properties: <String, String>{},
     );
     final bool didPodInstall = await cocoaPods.processPods(
-      iosProject: project.ios,
+      appIosDirectory: appDirectory,
       iosEngineDir: flutterFrameworkDir(buildInfo.mode),
       isSwift: app.isSwift,
       dependenciesChanged: !await fingerprinter.doesFingerprintMatch()
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/xcodeproj.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/xcodeproj.dart
index 4f7f6b5bb43..b9bf73d0c7a 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/xcodeproj.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/xcodeproj.dart
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
-import 'dart:async';
-
 import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
 
 import '../artifacts.dart';
@@ -19,7 +17,6 @@ import '../bundle.dart' as bundle;
 import '../cache.dart';
 import '../flutter_manifest.dart';
 import '../globals.dart';
-import '../project.dart';
 
 final RegExp _settingExpr = new RegExp(r'(\w+)\s*=\s*(.*)$');
 final RegExp _varExpr = new RegExp(r'\$\((.*)\)');
@@ -28,18 +25,27 @@ String flutterFrameworkDir(BuildMode mode) {
   return fs.path.normalize(fs.path.dirname(artifacts.getArtifactPath(Artifact.flutterFramework, TargetPlatform.ios, mode)));
 }
 
+String _generatedXcodePropertiesPath({@required String projectPath, @required FlutterManifest manifest}) {
+  if (manifest.isModule) {
+    return fs.path.join(projectPath, '.ios', 'Flutter', 'Generated.xcconfig');
+  } else {
+    return fs.path.join(projectPath, 'ios', 'Flutter', 'Generated.xcconfig');
+  }
+}
+
 /// Writes default Xcode properties files in the Flutter project at [projectPath],
 /// if project is an iOS project and such files are out of date or do not
 /// already exist.
-Future<void> generateXcodeProperties({FlutterProject project}) async {
-  if ((await project.manifest).isModule ||
-      project.ios.directory.existsSync()) {
-    if (!Cache.instance.fileOlderThanToolsStamp(await project.generatedXcodePropertiesFile)) {
+void generateXcodeProperties({String projectPath, FlutterManifest manifest}) {
+  if (manifest.isModule || fs.isDirectorySync(fs.path.join(projectPath, 'ios'))) {
+    final File propertiesFile = fs.file(_generatedXcodePropertiesPath(projectPath: projectPath, manifest: manifest));
+    if (!Cache.instance.fileOlderThanToolsStamp(propertiesFile)) {
       return;
     }
 
-    await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-      project: project,
+    updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+      projectPath: projectPath,
+      manifest: manifest,
       buildInfo: BuildInfo.debug,
       targetOverride: bundle.defaultMainPath,
       previewDart2: true,
@@ -51,12 +57,13 @@ Future<void> generateXcodeProperties({FlutterProject project}) async {
 ///
 /// targetOverride: Optional parameter, if null or unspecified the default value
 /// from xcode_backend.sh is used 'lib/main.dart'.
-Future<void> updateGeneratedXcodeProperties({
-  @required FlutterProject project,
+void updateGeneratedXcodeProperties({
+  @required String projectPath,
+  @required FlutterManifest manifest,
   @required BuildInfo buildInfo,
   String targetOverride,
   @required bool previewDart2,
-}) async {
+}) {
   final StringBuffer localsBuffer = new StringBuffer();
 
   localsBuffer.writeln('// This is a generated file; do not edit or check into version control.');
@@ -65,7 +72,7 @@ Future<void> updateGeneratedXcodeProperties({
   localsBuffer.writeln('FLUTTER_ROOT=$flutterRoot');
 
   // This holds because requiresProjectRoot is true for this command
-  localsBuffer.writeln('FLUTTER_APPLICATION_PATH=${fs.path.normalize(project.directory.path)}');
+  localsBuffer.writeln('FLUTTER_APPLICATION_PATH=${fs.path.normalize(projectPath)}');
 
   // Relative to FLUTTER_APPLICATION_PATH, which is [Directory.current].
   if (targetOverride != null)
@@ -79,7 +86,6 @@ Future<void> updateGeneratedXcodeProperties({
 
   localsBuffer.writeln('SYMROOT=\${SOURCE_ROOT}/../${getIosBuildDirectory()}');
 
-  final FlutterManifest manifest = await project.manifest;
   if (!manifest.isModule) {
     // For module projects we do not want to write the FLUTTER_FRAMEWORK_DIR
     // explicitly. Rather we rely on the xcode backend script and the Podfile
@@ -119,9 +125,9 @@ Future<void> updateGeneratedXcodeProperties({
     localsBuffer.writeln('TRACK_WIDGET_CREATION=true');
   }
 
-  final File generatedXcodePropertiesFile = await project.generatedXcodePropertiesFile;
-  generatedXcodePropertiesFile.createSync(recursive: true);
-  generatedXcodePropertiesFile.writeAsStringSync(localsBuffer.toString());
+  final File localsFile = fs.file(_generatedXcodePropertiesPath(projectPath: projectPath, manifest: manifest));
+  localsFile.createSync(recursive: true);
+  localsFile.writeAsStringSync(localsBuffer.toString());
 }
 
 XcodeProjectInterpreter get xcodeProjectInterpreter => context[XcodeProjectInterpreter];
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/plugins.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/plugins.dart
index 484d89748ad..d9e29465ae8 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/plugins.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/plugins.dart
@@ -2,16 +2,15 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
-import 'dart:async';
-
+import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
 import 'package:mustache/mustache.dart' as mustache;
 import 'package:yaml/yaml.dart';
 
 import 'base/file_system.dart';
 import 'dart/package_map.dart';
+import 'flutter_manifest.dart';
 import 'globals.dart';
 import 'ios/cocoapods.dart';
-import 'project.dart';
 
 void _renderTemplateToFile(String template, dynamic context, String filePath) {
   final String renderedTemplate =
@@ -70,11 +69,11 @@ Plugin _pluginFromPubspec(String name, Uri packageRoot) {
   return new Plugin.fromYaml(name, packageRootPath, flutterConfig['plugin']);
 }
 
-List<Plugin> findPlugins(FlutterProject project) {
+List<Plugin> findPlugins(String directory) {
   final List<Plugin> plugins = <Plugin>[];
   Map<String, Uri> packages;
   try {
-    final String packagesFile = fs.path.join(project.directory.path, PackageMap.globalPackagesPath);
+    final String packagesFile = fs.path.join(directory, PackageMap.globalPackagesPath);
     packages = new PackageMap(packagesFile).map;
   } on FormatException catch (e) {
     printTrace('Invalid .packages file: $e');
@@ -90,9 +89,9 @@ List<Plugin> findPlugins(FlutterProject project) {
 }
 
 /// Returns true if .flutter-plugins has changed, otherwise returns false.
-bool _writeFlutterPluginsList(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin> plugins) {
-  final File pluginsFile = project.flutterPluginsFile;
-  final String oldContents = _readFlutterPluginsList(project);
+bool _writeFlutterPluginsList(String directory, List<Plugin> plugins) {
+  final File pluginsFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(directory, '.flutter-plugins'));
+  final String oldContents = _readFlutterPluginsList(directory);
   final String pluginManifest =
       plugins.map((Plugin p) => '${p.name}=${escapePath(p.path)}').join('\n');
   if (pluginManifest.isNotEmpty) {
@@ -101,16 +100,15 @@ bool _writeFlutterPluginsList(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin> plugins) {
     if (pluginsFile.existsSync())
       pluginsFile.deleteSync();
   }
-  final String newContents = _readFlutterPluginsList(project);
+  final String newContents = _readFlutterPluginsList(directory);
   return oldContents != newContents;
 }
 
 /// Returns the contents of the `.flutter-plugins` file in [directory], or
 /// null if that file does not exist.
-String _readFlutterPluginsList(FlutterProject project) {
-  return project.flutterPluginsFile.existsSync()
-      ? project.flutterPluginsFile.readAsStringSync()
-      : null;
+String _readFlutterPluginsList(String directory) {
+  final File pluginsFile = fs.file(fs.path.join(directory, '.flutter-plugins'));
+  return pluginsFile.existsSync() ? pluginsFile.readAsStringSync() : null;
 }
 
 const String _androidPluginRegistryTemplate = '''package io.flutter.plugins;
@@ -144,7 +142,7 @@ public final class GeneratedPluginRegistrant {
 }
 ''';
 
-Future<void> _writeAndroidPluginRegistrant(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin> plugins) async {
+void _writeAndroidPluginRegistrant(String directory, List<Plugin> plugins) {
   final List<Map<String, dynamic>> androidPlugins = plugins
       .where((Plugin p) => p.androidPackage != null && p.pluginClass != null)
       .map((Plugin p) => <String, dynamic>{
@@ -157,19 +155,8 @@ Future<void> _writeAndroidPluginRegistrant(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin>
     'plugins': androidPlugins,
   };
 
-  final String javaSourcePath = fs.path.join(
-    (await project.androidPluginRegistrantHost).path,
-    'src',
-    'main',
-    'java',
-  );
-  final String registryPath = fs.path.join(
-    javaSourcePath,
-    'io',
-    'flutter',
-    'plugins',
-    'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.java',
-  );
+  final String javaSourcePath = fs.path.join(directory, 'src', 'main', 'java');
+  final String registryPath = fs.path.join(javaSourcePath, 'io', 'flutter', 'plugins', 'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.java');
   _renderTemplateToFile(_androidPluginRegistryTemplate, context, registryPath);
 }
 
@@ -234,7 +221,7 @@ Depends on all your plugins, and provides a function to register them.
 end
 ''';
 
-Future<void> _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin> plugins) async {
+void _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(String directory, FlutterManifest manifest, List<Plugin> plugins) {
   final List<Map<String, dynamic>> iosPlugins = plugins
       .where((Plugin p) => p.pluginClass != null)
       .map((Plugin p) => <String, dynamic>{
@@ -247,8 +234,10 @@ Future<void> _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin> plug
     'plugins': iosPlugins,
   };
 
-  final String registryDirectory = (await project.iosPluginRegistrantHost).path;
-  if ((await project.manifest).isModule) {
+  if (manifest.isModule) {
+    // In a module create the GeneratedPluginRegistrant as a pod to be included
+    // from a hosting app.
+    final String registryDirectory = fs.path.join(directory, 'Flutter', 'FlutterPluginRegistrant');
     final String registryClassesDirectory = fs.path.join(registryDirectory, 'Classes');
     _renderTemplateToFile(
       _iosPluginRegistrantPodspecTemplate,
@@ -266,37 +255,57 @@ Future<void> _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(FlutterProject project, List<Plugin> plug
       fs.path.join(registryClassesDirectory, 'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.m'),
     );
   } else {
+    // For a non-module create the GeneratedPluginRegistrant as source files
+    // directly in the ios project.
+    final String runnerDirectory = fs.path.join(directory, 'Runner');
     _renderTemplateToFile(
       _iosPluginRegistryHeaderTemplate,
       context,
-      fs.path.join(registryDirectory, 'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.h'),
+      fs.path.join(runnerDirectory, 'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.h'),
     );
     _renderTemplateToFile(
       _iosPluginRegistryImplementationTemplate,
       context,
-      fs.path.join(registryDirectory, 'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.m'),
+      fs.path.join(runnerDirectory, 'GeneratedPluginRegistrant.m'),
     );
   }
 }
 
-/// Injects plugins found in `pubspec.yaml` into the platform-specific projects.
-Future<void> injectPlugins(FlutterProject project) async {
-  final List<Plugin> plugins = findPlugins(project);
-  final bool changed = _writeFlutterPluginsList(project, plugins);
-  await _writeAndroidPluginRegistrant(project, plugins);
-  await _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(project, plugins);
+class InjectPluginsResult{
+  InjectPluginsResult({
+    @required this.hasPlugin,
+    @required this.hasChanged,
+  });
+  /// True if any flutter plugin exists, otherwise false.
+  final bool hasPlugin;
+  /// True if plugins have changed since last build.
+  final bool hasChanged;
+}
 
-  if (project.ios.directory.existsSync()) {
+/// Injects plugins found in `pubspec.yaml` into the platform-specific projects.
+void injectPlugins({@required String projectPath, @required FlutterManifest manifest}) {
+  final List<Plugin> plugins = findPlugins(projectPath);
+  final bool changed = _writeFlutterPluginsList(projectPath, plugins);
+  if (manifest.isModule) {
+    _writeAndroidPluginRegistrant(fs.path.join(projectPath, '.android', 'Flutter'), plugins);
+  } else if (fs.isDirectorySync(fs.path.join(projectPath, 'android', 'app'))) {
+    _writeAndroidPluginRegistrant(fs.path.join(projectPath, 'android', 'app'), plugins);
+  }
+  if (manifest.isModule) {
+    _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(fs.path.join(projectPath, '.ios'), manifest, plugins);
+  } else if (fs.isDirectorySync(fs.path.join(projectPath, 'ios'))) {
+    _writeIOSPluginRegistrant(fs.path.join(projectPath, 'ios'), manifest, plugins);
     final CocoaPods cocoaPods = new CocoaPods();
     if (plugins.isNotEmpty)
-      cocoaPods.setupPodfile(project.ios);
+      cocoaPods.setupPodfile(projectPath, manifest);
     if (changed)
-      cocoaPods.invalidatePodInstallOutput(project.ios);
+      cocoaPods.invalidatePodInstallOutput(projectPath);
   }
 }
 
 /// Returns whether the Flutter project at the specified [directory]
 /// has any plugin dependencies.
-bool hasPlugins(FlutterProject project) {
-  return _readFlutterPluginsList(project) != null;
+bool hasPlugins({String directory}) {
+  directory ??= fs.currentDirectory.path;
+  return _readFlutterPluginsList(directory) != null;
 }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/project.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/project.dart
index ad506d2a2ef..d3f2e66a914 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/project.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/project.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:convert';
 
+
 import 'android/gradle.dart' as gradle;
 import 'base/file_system.dart';
 import 'bundle.dart' as bundle;
@@ -66,57 +67,6 @@ class FlutterProject {
   /// The generated IosModule sub project of this module project.
   IosModuleProject get iosModule => new IosModuleProject(directory.childDirectory('.ios'));
 
-  Future<File> get androidLocalPropertiesFile {
-    return _androidLocalPropertiesFile ??= manifest.then<File>((FlutterManifest manifest) {
-      return directory.childDirectory(manifest.isModule ? '.android' : 'android')
-          .childFile('local.properties');
-    });
-  }
-  Future<File> _androidLocalPropertiesFile;
-
-  Future<File> get generatedXcodePropertiesFile {
-    return _generatedXcodeProperties ??= manifest.then<File>((FlutterManifest manifest) {
-      return directory.childDirectory(manifest.isModule ? '.ios' : 'ios')
-          .childDirectory('Flutter')
-          .childFile('Generated.xcconfig');
-    });
-  }
-  Future<File> _generatedXcodeProperties;
-
-  File get flutterPluginsFile {
-    return _flutterPluginsFile ??= directory.childFile('.flutter-plugins');
-  }
-  File _flutterPluginsFile;
-
-  Future<Directory> get androidPluginRegistrantHost async {
-    return _androidPluginRegistrantHost ??= manifest.then((FlutterManifest manifest) {
-      if (manifest.isModule) {
-        return directory.childDirectory('.android').childDirectory('Flutter');
-      } else {
-        return directory.childDirectory('android').childDirectory('app');
-      }
-    });
-  }
-  Future<Directory> _androidPluginRegistrantHost;
-
-  Future<Directory> get iosPluginRegistrantHost async {
-    return _iosPluginRegistrantHost ??= manifest.then((FlutterManifest manifest) {
-      if (manifest.isModule) {
-        // In a module create the GeneratedPluginRegistrant as a pod to be included
-        // from a hosting app.
-        return directory
-            .childDirectory('.ios')
-            .childDirectory('Flutter')
-            .childDirectory('FlutterPluginRegistrant');
-      } else {
-        // For a non-module create the GeneratedPluginRegistrant as source files
-        // directly in the iOS project.
-        return directory.childDirectory('ios').childDirectory('Runner');
-      }
-    });
-  }
-  Future<Directory> _iosPluginRegistrantHost;
-
   /// Returns true if this project has an example application
   bool get hasExampleApp => _exampleDirectory.childFile('pubspec.yaml').existsSync();
 
@@ -136,11 +86,11 @@ class FlutterProject {
     }
     final FlutterManifest manifest = await this.manifest;
     if (manifest.isModule) {
-      await androidModule.ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling(this);
-      await iosModule.ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling();
+      await androidModule.ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling(manifest);
+      await iosModule.ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling(manifest);
     }
-    await xcode.generateXcodeProperties(project: this);
-    await injectPlugins(this);
+    xcode.generateXcodeProperties(projectPath: directory.path, manifest: manifest);
+    injectPlugins(projectPath: directory.path, manifest: manifest);
   }
 }
 
@@ -151,20 +101,6 @@ class IosProject {
 
   final Directory directory;
 
-  /// The xcode config file for [mode].
-  File xcodeConfigFor(String mode) {
-    return directory.childDirectory('Flutter').childFile('$mode.xcconfig');
-  }
-
-  /// The 'Podfile'.
-  File get podfile => directory.childFile('Podfile');
-
-  /// The 'Podfile.lock'.
-  File get podfileLock => directory.childFile('Podfile.lock');
-
-  /// The 'Manifest.lock'.
-  File get podManifestLock => directory.childDirectory('Pods').childFile('Manifest.lock');
-
   Future<String> productBundleIdentifier() {
     final File projectFile = directory.childDirectory('Runner.xcodeproj').childFile('project.pbxproj');
     return _firstMatchInFile(projectFile, _productBundleIdPattern).then((Match match) => match?.group(1));
@@ -178,7 +114,7 @@ class IosModuleProject {
 
   final Directory directory;
 
-  Future<void> ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling() async {
+  Future<void> ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling(FlutterManifest manifest) async {
     if (_shouldRegenerate()) {
       final Template template = new Template.fromName(fs.path.join('module', 'ios'));
       template.render(directory, <String, dynamic>{}, printStatusWhenWriting: false);
@@ -197,29 +133,6 @@ class AndroidProject {
 
   AndroidProject(this.directory);
 
-  File get gradleManifestFile {
-    return _gradleManifestFile ??= isUsingGradle()
-        ? fs.file(fs.path.join(directory.path, 'app', 'src', 'main', 'AndroidManifest.xml'))
-        : directory.childFile('AndroidManifest.xml');
-  }
-  File _gradleManifestFile;
-
-
-  File get gradleAppOutV1File {
-    return _gradleAppOutV1File ??= gradleAppOutV1Directory.childFile('app-debug.apk');
-  }
-  File _gradleAppOutV1File;
-
-  Directory get gradleAppOutV1Directory {
-    return _gradleAppOutV1Directory ??= fs.directory(fs.path.join(directory.path, 'app', 'build', 'outputs', 'apk'));
-  }
-  Directory _gradleAppOutV1Directory;
-
-
-  bool isUsingGradle() {
-    return directory.childFile('build.gradle').existsSync();
-  }
-  
   final Directory directory;
 
   Future<String> applicationId() {
@@ -240,15 +153,15 @@ class AndroidModuleProject {
 
   final Directory directory;
 
-  Future<void> ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling(FlutterProject project) async {
+  Future<void> ensureReadyForPlatformSpecificTooling(FlutterManifest manifest) async {
     if (_shouldRegenerate()) {
       final Template template = new Template.fromName(fs.path.join('module', 'android'));
       template.render(directory, <String, dynamic>{
-        'androidIdentifier': (await project.manifest).moduleDescriptor['androidPackage'],
+        'androidIdentifier': manifest.moduleDescriptor['androidPackage'],
       }, printStatusWhenWriting: false);
       gradle.injectGradleWrapper(directory);
     }
-    await gradle.updateLocalProperties(project: project, requireAndroidSdk: false);
+    gradle.updateLocalPropertiesSync(directory, manifest);
   }
 
   bool _shouldRegenerate() {
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart
index 66c805635b5..771d83dc604 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import 'dart:async';
 
 import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
 
+import 'android/gradle.dart';
 import 'application_package.dart';
 import 'artifacts.dart';
 import 'asset.dart';
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ import 'dependency_checker.dart';
 import 'devfs.dart';
 import 'device.dart';
 import 'globals.dart';
-import 'project.dart';
 import 'run_cold.dart';
 import 'run_hot.dart';
 import 'vmservice.dart';
@@ -814,11 +814,15 @@ abstract class ResidentRunner {
         new DartDependencySetBuilder(mainPath, packagesFilePath);
     final DependencyChecker dependencyChecker =
         new DependencyChecker(dartDependencySetBuilder, assetBundle);
-    if (device.package.packagesFile == null || !device.package.packagesFile.existsSync()) {
+    final String path = device.package.packagePath;
+    if (path == null)
       return true;
-    }
-    final DateTime lastBuildTime = device.package.packagesFile.statSync().modified;
-
+    final FileStat stat = fs.file(path).statSync();
+    if (stat.type != FileSystemEntityType.FILE) // ignore: deprecated_member_use
+      return true;
+    if (!fs.file(path).existsSync())
+      return true;
+    final DateTime lastBuildTime = stat.modified;
     return dependencyChecker.check(lastBuildTime);
   }
 
@@ -902,9 +906,11 @@ String getMissingPackageHintForPlatform(TargetPlatform platform) {
     case TargetPlatform.android_arm64:
     case TargetPlatform.android_x64:
     case TargetPlatform.android_x86:
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory);
-      final String manifestPath = fs.path.relative(project.android.gradleManifestFile.path);
-      return 'Is your project missing an $manifestPath?\nConsider running "flutter create ." to create one.';
+      String manifest = 'android/AndroidManifest.xml';
+      if (isProjectUsingGradle()) {
+        manifest = gradleManifestPath;
+      }
+      return 'Is your project missing an $manifest?\nConsider running "flutter create ." to create one.';
     case TargetPlatform.ios:
       return 'Is your project missing an ios/Runner/Info.plist?\nConsider running "flutter create ." to create one.';
     default:
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_cold.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_cold.dart
index a0a40a254a0..aafa113b536 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_cold.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_cold.dart
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class ColdRunner extends ResidentRunner {
              ipv6: ipv6);
 
   final bool traceStartup;
-  final File applicationBinary;
+  final String applicationBinary;
 
   @override
   Future<int> run({
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_hot.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_hot.dart
index d7226098746..a1ec78bb780 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_hot.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/run_hot.dart
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class HotRunner extends ResidentRunner {
              ipv6: ipv6);
 
   final bool benchmarkMode;
-  final File applicationBinary;
+  final String applicationBinary;
   final bool hostIsIde;
   Set<String> _dartDependencies;
   final String dillOutputPath;
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tester/flutter_tester.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tester/flutter_tester.dart
index 88637c8e059..ad65f7b12fe 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tester/flutter_tester.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tester/flutter_tester.dart
@@ -22,21 +22,21 @@ import '../protocol_discovery.dart';
 import '../version.dart';
 
 class FlutterTesterApp extends ApplicationPackage {
-  final Directory _directory;
+  final String _directory;
 
   factory FlutterTesterApp.fromCurrentDirectory() {
-    return new FlutterTesterApp._(fs.currentDirectory);
+    return new FlutterTesterApp._(fs.currentDirectory.path);
   }
 
-  FlutterTesterApp._(Directory directory)
+  FlutterTesterApp._(String directory)
       : _directory = directory,
-        super(id: directory.path);
+        super(id: directory);
 
   @override
-  String get name => _directory.basename;
+  String get name => fs.path.basename(_directory);
 
   @override
-  File get packagesFile => _directory.childFile('.packages');
+  String get packagePath => fs.path.join(_directory, '.packages');
 }
 
 // TODO(scheglov): This device does not currently work with full restarts.
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/android/gradle_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/android/gradle_test.dart
index 74603d22aa7..750651cd686 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/android/gradle_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/android/gradle_test.dart
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import 'package:flutter_tools/src/base/file_system.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/build_info.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/flutter_manifest.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/ios/xcodeproj.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_tools/src/project.dart';
 import 'package:mockito/mockito.dart';
 import 'package:platform/platform.dart';
 import 'package:process/process.dart';
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ void main() {
         // This test is written to fail if our bots get Android SDKs in the future: shouldBeToolExit
         // will be null and our expectation would fail. That would remind us to make these tests
         // hermetic before adding Android SDKs to the bots.
-        await updateLocalProperties(project: new FlutterProject(fs.currentDirectory));
+        await updateLocalProperties();
       } on Exception catch (e) {
         shouldBeToolExit = e;
       }
@@ -70,10 +69,7 @@ someProperty: someValue
 buildDir: /Users/some/apps/hello/build/app
 someOtherProperty: someOtherValue
       ''');
-      expect(
-        fs.path.normalize(project.apkDirectory.path),
-        fs.path.normalize('/Users/some/apps/hello/build/app/outputs/apk'),
-      );
+      expect(project.apkDirectory, fs.path.normalize('/Users/some/apps/hello/build/app/outputs/apk'));
     });
     test('should extract default build variants from app properties', () {
       final GradleProject project = projectFrom('''
@@ -114,27 +110,27 @@ someOtherProperty: someOtherValue
       expect(project.productFlavors, <String>['free', 'paid']);
     });
     test('should provide apk file name for default build types', () {
-      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>[], fs.directory('/some/dir'));
+      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>[], '/some/dir');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(BuildInfo.debug), 'app-debug.apk');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(BuildInfo.profile), 'app-profile.apk');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(BuildInfo.release), 'app-release.apk');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.release, 'unknown')), isNull);
     });
     test('should provide apk file name for flavored build types', () {
-      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>['free', 'paid'], fs.directory('/some/dir'));
+      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>['free', 'paid'], '/some/dir');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.debug, 'free')), 'app-free-debug.apk');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.release, 'paid')), 'app-paid-release.apk');
       expect(project.apkFileFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.release, 'unknown')), isNull);
     });
     test('should provide assemble task name for default build types', () {
-      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>[], fs.directory('/some/dir'));
+      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>[], '/some/dir');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(BuildInfo.debug), 'assembleDebug');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(BuildInfo.profile), 'assembleProfile');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(BuildInfo.release), 'assembleRelease');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.release, 'unknown')), isNull);
     });
     test('should provide assemble task name for flavored build types', () {
-      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>['free', 'paid'], fs.directory('/some/dir'));
+      final GradleProject project = new GradleProject(<String>['debug', 'profile', 'release'], <String>['free', 'paid'], '/some/dir');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.debug, 'free')), 'assembleFreeDebug');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.release, 'paid')), 'assemblePaidRelease');
       expect(project.assembleTaskFor(const BuildInfo(BuildMode.release, 'unknown')), isNull);
@@ -189,10 +185,7 @@ someOtherProperty: someOtherValue
       writeSchemaFile(fs, schemaData);
 
       try {
-        await updateLocalProperties(
-          project: new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project'),
-          buildInfo: buildInfo,
-        );
+        await updateLocalProperties(projectPath: 'path/to/project', buildInfo: buildInfo);
 
         final File localPropertiesFile = fs.file('path/to/project/android/local.properties');
         expect(propertyFor('flutter.versionName', localPropertiesFile), expectedBuildName);
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/application_package_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/application_package_test.dart
index a57e72b2f40..da5b17a98bd 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/application_package_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/application_package_test.dart
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ void main() {
     };
     testUsingContext('Error on non-existing file', () {
       final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp =
-          new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('not_existing.ipa'));
+          new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('not_existing.ipa');
       expect(iosApp, isNull);
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void main() {
     testUsingContext('Error on non-app-bundle folder', () {
       fs.directory('regular_folder').createSync();
       final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp =
-          new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('regular_folder'));
+          new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('regular_folder');
       expect(iosApp, isNull);
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void main() {
     }, overrides: overrides);
     testUsingContext('Error on no info.plist', () {
       fs.directory('bundle.app').createSync();
-      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('bundle.app'));
+      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('bundle.app');
       expect(iosApp, isNull);
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void main() {
     testUsingContext('Error on bad info.plist', () {
       fs.directory('bundle.app').createSync();
       fs.file('bundle.app/Info.plist').writeAsStringSync(badPlistData);
-      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('bundle.app'));
+      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('bundle.app');
       expect(iosApp, isNull);
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ void main() {
     testUsingContext('Success with app bundle', () {
       fs.directory('bundle.app').createSync();
       fs.file('bundle.app/Info.plist').writeAsStringSync(plistData);
-      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('bundle.app'));
+      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('bundle.app');
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(logger.errorText, isEmpty);
       expect(iosApp.bundleDir.path, 'bundle.app');
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ void main() {
     testUsingContext('Bad ipa zip-file, no payload dir', () {
       fs.file('app.ipa').createSync();
       when(os.unzip(fs.file('app.ipa'), any)).thenAnswer((Invocation _) {});
-      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('app.ipa'));
+      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('app.ipa');
       expect(iosApp, isNull);
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ void main() {
         fs.directory(bundlePath1).createSync(recursive: true);
         fs.directory(bundlePath2).createSync(recursive: true);
       });
-      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('app.ipa'));
+      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('app.ipa');
       expect(iosApp, isNull);
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(logger.errorText,
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void main() {
             .file(fs.path.join(bundleAppDir.path, 'Info.plist'))
             .writeAsStringSync(plistData);
       });
-      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp(fs.file('app.ipa'));
+      final PrebuiltIOSApp iosApp = new IOSApp.fromPrebuiltApp('app.ipa');
       final BufferLogger logger = context[Logger];
       expect(logger.errorText, isEmpty);
       expect(iosApp.bundleDir.path, endsWith('bundle.app'));
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/cocoapods_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/cocoapods_test.dart
index fe43de429dd..b65e75763b5 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/cocoapods_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/cocoapods_test.dart
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import 'package:file/memory.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/base/common.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/base/io.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/cache.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_tools/src/flutter_manifest.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/project.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/ios/cocoapods.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_tools/src/ios/xcodeproj.dart';
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ void main() {
   FileSystem fs;
   ProcessManager mockProcessManager;
   MockXcodeProjectInterpreter mockXcodeProjectInterpreter;
-  FlutterProject projectUnderTest;
+  Directory projectUnderTest;
   CocoaPods cocoaPodsUnderTest;
   InvokeProcess resultOfPodVersion;
 
@@ -45,8 +46,7 @@ void main() {
     fs = new MemoryFileSystem();
     mockProcessManager = new MockProcessManager();
     mockXcodeProjectInterpreter = new MockXcodeProjectInterpreter();
-    projectUnderTest = new FlutterProject(fs.directory('project'));
-    projectUnderTest.ios.directory.createSync(recursive: true);
+    projectUnderTest = fs.directory(fs.path.join('project', 'ios'))..createSync(recursive: true);
     cocoaPodsUnderTest = new CocoaPods();
     pretendPodVersionIs('1.5.0');
     fs.file(fs.path.join(
@@ -124,10 +124,22 @@ void main() {
   });
 
   group('Setup Podfile', () {
-    testUsingContext('creates objective-c Podfile when not present', () async {
-      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile(projectUnderTest.ios);
+    File podFile;
+    File debugConfigFile;
+    File releaseConfigFile;
 
-      expect(projectUnderTest.ios.podfile.readAsStringSync(), 'Objective-C podfile template');
+    setUp(() {
+      debugConfigFile = fs.file(fs.path.join('project', 'ios', 'Flutter', 'Debug.xcconfig'));
+      releaseConfigFile = fs.file(fs.path.join('project', 'ios', 'Flutter', 'Release.xcconfig'));
+      podFile = fs.file(fs.path.join('project', 'ios', 'Podfile'));
+    });
+
+    testUsingContext('creates objective-c Podfile when not present', () async {
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('project').manifest;
+      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile('project', manifest);
+
+      expect(podFile.readAsStringSync(), 'Objective-C podfile template');
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       FileSystem: () => fs,
     });
@@ -138,22 +150,24 @@ void main() {
         'SWIFT_VERSION': '4.0',
       });
 
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('project');
-      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile(project.ios);
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('project').manifest;
+      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile('project', manifest);
 
-      expect(projectUnderTest.ios.podfile.readAsStringSync(), 'Swift podfile template');
+      expect(podFile.readAsStringSync(), 'Swift podfile template');
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       FileSystem: () => fs,
       XcodeProjectInterpreter: () => mockXcodeProjectInterpreter,
     });
 
     testUsingContext('does not recreate Podfile when already present', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile..createSync()..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
+      podFile..createSync()..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
 
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('project');
-      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile(project.ios);
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('project').manifest;
+      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile('project', manifest);
 
-      expect(projectUnderTest.ios.podfile.readAsStringSync(), 'Existing Podfile');
+      expect(podFile.readAsStringSync(), 'Existing Podfile');
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       FileSystem: () => fs,
     });
@@ -161,32 +175,30 @@ void main() {
     testUsingContext('does not create Podfile when we cannot interpret Xcode projects', () async {
       when(mockXcodeProjectInterpreter.isInstalled).thenReturn(false);
 
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('project');
-      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile(project.ios);
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('project').manifest;
+      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile('project', manifest);
 
-      expect(projectUnderTest.ios.podfile.existsSync(), false);
+      expect(podFile.existsSync(), false);
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       FileSystem: () => fs,
       XcodeProjectInterpreter: () => mockXcodeProjectInterpreter,
     });
 
     testUsingContext('includes Pod config in xcconfig files, if not present', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile..createSync()..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.xcodeConfigFor('Debug')
-        ..createSync(recursive: true)
-        ..writeAsStringSync('Existing debug config');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.xcodeConfigFor('Release')
-        ..createSync(recursive: true)
-        ..writeAsStringSync('Existing release config');
+      podFile..createSync()..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
+      debugConfigFile..createSync(recursive: true)..writeAsStringSync('Existing debug config');
+      releaseConfigFile..createSync(recursive: true)..writeAsStringSync('Existing release config');
 
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('project');
-      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile(project.ios);
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('project').manifest;
+      cocoaPodsUnderTest.setupPodfile('project', manifest);
 
-      final String debugContents = projectUnderTest.ios.xcodeConfigFor('Debug').readAsStringSync();
+      final String debugContents = debugConfigFile.readAsStringSync();
       expect(debugContents, contains(
           '#include "Pods/Target Support Files/Pods-Runner/Pods-Runner.debug.xcconfig"\n'));
       expect(debugContents, contains('Existing debug config'));
-      final String releaseContents = projectUnderTest.ios.xcodeConfigFor('Release').readAsStringSync();
+      final String releaseContents = releaseConfigFile.readAsStringSync();
       expect(releaseContents, contains(
           '#include "Pods/Target Support Files/Pods-Runner/Pods-Runner.release.xcconfig"\n'));
       expect(releaseContents, contains('Existing release config'));
@@ -198,9 +210,9 @@ void main() {
   group('Process pods', () {
     testUsingContext('prints error, if CocoaPods is not installed', () async {
       pretendPodIsNotInstalled();
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile.createSync();
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile').createSync();
       final bool didInstall = await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
       );
       verifyNever(mockProcessManager.run(
@@ -219,7 +231,7 @@ void main() {
     testUsingContext('throws, if Podfile is missing.', () async {
       try {
         await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-          iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+          appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
           iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         );
         fail('ToolExit expected');
@@ -266,7 +278,7 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
       ));
       try {
         await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-          iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+          appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
           iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         );
         fail('ToolExit expected');
@@ -283,14 +295,14 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('run pod install, if Podfile.lock is missing', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock')
         ..createSync(recursive: true)
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
       final bool didInstall = await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         dependenciesChanged: false,
       );
@@ -306,14 +318,14 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('runs pod install, if Manifest.lock is missing', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfileLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile.lock')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
       final bool didInstall = await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         dependenciesChanged: false,
       );
@@ -332,17 +344,17 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('runs pod install, if Manifest.lock different from Podspec.lock', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfileLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile.lock')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock')
         ..createSync(recursive: true)
         ..writeAsStringSync('Different lock file.');
       final bool didInstall = await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         dependenciesChanged: false,
       );
@@ -361,17 +373,17 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('runs pod install, if flutter framework changed', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfileLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile.lock')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock')
         ..createSync(recursive: true)
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
       final bool didInstall = await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         dependenciesChanged: true,
       );
@@ -390,20 +402,20 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('runs pod install, if Podfile.lock is older than Podfile', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfileLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile.lock')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock')
         ..createSync(recursive: true)
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
       await new Future<void>.delayed(const Duration(milliseconds: 10));
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..writeAsStringSync('Updated Podfile');
       await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         dependenciesChanged: false,
       );
@@ -421,17 +433,17 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('skips pod install, if nothing changed', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfileLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile.lock')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock')
         ..createSync(recursive: true)
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
       final bool didInstall = await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-        iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+        appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
         iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
         dependenciesChanged: false,
       );
@@ -447,13 +459,13 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
     });
 
     testUsingContext('a failed pod install deletes Pods/Manifest.lock', () async {
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfile
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing Podfile');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podfileLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Podfile.lock')
         ..createSync()
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
-      projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock
+      projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock')
         ..createSync(recursive: true)
         ..writeAsStringSync('Existing lock file.');
 
@@ -470,13 +482,13 @@ Note: as of CocoaPods 1.0, `pod repo update` does not happen on `pod install` by
 
       try {
         await cocoaPodsUnderTest.processPods(
-          iosProject: projectUnderTest.ios,
+          appIosDirectory: projectUnderTest,
           iosEngineDir: 'engine/path',
           dependenciesChanged: true,
         );
         fail('Tool throw expected when pod install fails');
       } on ToolExit {
-        expect(projectUnderTest.ios.podManifestLock.existsSync(), isFalse);
+        expect(projectUnderTest.childFile('Pods/Manifest.lock').existsSync(), isFalse);
       }
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       FileSystem: () => fs,
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/xcodeproj_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/xcodeproj_test.dart
index d1c44f95c93..6fb0f61fccc 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/xcodeproj_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/ios/xcodeproj_test.dart
@@ -289,9 +289,11 @@ Information about project "Runner":
         previewDart2: true,
         targetPlatform: TargetPlatform.ios,
       );
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project');
-      await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-        project: project,
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+        await new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project').manifest;
+      updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+        projectPath: 'path/to/project',
+        manifest: manifest,
         buildInfo: buildInfo,
         previewDart2: true,
       );
@@ -311,9 +313,11 @@ Information about project "Runner":
         trackWidgetCreation: true,
         targetPlatform: TargetPlatform.ios,
       );
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project');
-      await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-        project: project,
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project').manifest;
+      updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+        projectPath: 'path/to/project',
+        manifest: manifest,
         buildInfo: buildInfo,
         previewDart2: true,
       );
@@ -332,9 +336,11 @@ Information about project "Runner":
         previewDart2: true,
         targetPlatform: TargetPlatform.ios,
       );
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project');
-      await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-        project: project,
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project').manifest;
+      updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+        projectPath: 'path/to/project',
+        manifest: manifest,
         buildInfo: buildInfo,
         previewDart2: true,
       );
@@ -354,9 +360,11 @@ Information about project "Runner":
         targetPlatform: TargetPlatform.ios,
       );
 
-      final FlutterProject project = new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project');
-      await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-        project: project,
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project').manifest;
+      updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+        projectPath: 'path/to/project',
+        manifest: manifest,
         buildInfo: buildInfo,
         previewDart2: true,
       );
@@ -404,8 +412,11 @@ Information about project "Runner":
       const String schemaData = '{}';
       writeSchemaFile(fs, schemaData);
 
-      await updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
-        project: new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project'),
+      final FlutterManifest manifest =
+          await new FlutterProject.fromPath('path/to/project').manifest;
+      updateGeneratedXcodeProperties(
+        projectPath: 'path/to/project',
+        manifest: manifest,
         buildInfo: buildInfo,
         previewDart2: false,
       );
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/project_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/project_test.dart
index 7eabcdbecc2..ee5f20ead6b 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/project_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/project_test.dart
@@ -129,6 +129,13 @@ void testInMemory(String description, Future<Null> testMethod()) {
   );
 }
 
+void addPubPackages(Directory directory) {
+  directory.childFile('pubspec.yaml')
+    ..createSync(recursive: true);
+  directory.childFile('.packages')
+    ..createSync(recursive: true);
+}
+
 void addIosWithBundleId(Directory directory, String id) {
   directory
       .childDirectory('ios')
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/src/mocks.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/src/mocks.dart
index e89fb67bbcc..fe732a98708 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/src/mocks.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/src/mocks.dart
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class MockApplicationPackageStore extends ApplicationPackageStore {
   MockApplicationPackageStore() : super(
     android: new AndroidApk(
       id: 'io.flutter.android.mock',
-      file: fs.file('/mock/path/to/android/SkyShell.apk'),
+      apkPath: '/mock/path/to/android/SkyShell.apk',
       launchActivity: 'io.flutter.android.mock.MockActivity'
     ),
     iOS: new BuildableIOSApp(
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/tester/flutter_tester_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/tester/flutter_tester_test.dart
index 7e510d0a730..af38a1ba9a1 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/tester/flutter_tester_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/tester/flutter_tester_test.dart
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void main() {
 
       final FlutterTesterApp app = new FlutterTesterApp.fromCurrentDirectory();
       expect(app.name, 'my_project');
-      expect(app.packagesFile.path, fs.path.join(projectPath, '.packages'));
+      expect(app.packagePath, fs.path.join(projectPath, '.packages'));
     }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
       FileSystem: () => fs,
     });