diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a6ff78b15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.envrc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# This file is used by direnv to setup the environment when entering
+# to use vendored flutter SDK.
+
+# Comment out the next line if you want to use your system flutter.
+PATH_add vendor/flutter/bin
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-flutter-main.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-flutter-main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e73c9cc28f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-flutter-main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# The `check-flutter-main` job serves 2 purposes:
+# 1. It checks that the code works with the flutter's latest main
+#    channel.
+# 2. It checks that tools/check and our related scripts don't embed
+#    any hidden assumptions that the Flutter SDK lives at vendor/flutter/.
+name: CI
+
+on: push
+
+jobs:
+  check-flutter-main:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+    - name: Clone Flutter SDK
+      # We can't do a depth-1 clone, because we need the most recent tag
+      # so that Flutter knows its version and sees the constraint in our
+      # pubspec is satisfied.  It's uncommon for flutter/flutter to go
+      # more than 100 commits between tags.  Fetch 1000 for good measure.
+      run: |
+        git clone --depth=1000 https://github.com/flutter/flutter ~/flutter
+        TZ=UTC git --git-dir ~/flutter/.git log -1 --format='%h | %ci | %s' --date=iso8601-local
+        echo ~/flutter/bin >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+
+    - name: Download Flutter SDK artifacts (flutter precache)
+      run: flutter precache --universal
+
+    - name: Download our dependencies (flutter pub get)
+      run: flutter pub get
+
+    - name: Run tools/check
+      run: TERM=dumb tools/check --all --verbose
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index f346aa0d82..af35f8eae8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -6,17 +6,25 @@ jobs:
   check:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - name: Check out repository
+      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      # We're not using `with: submodules` here because we can't do a
+      # depth=1 clone. See below for more details.
 
-    - name: Clone Flutter SDK
+    - name: Checkout flutter submodule
       # We can't do a depth-1 clone, because we need the most recent tag
       # so that Flutter knows its version and sees the constraint in our
       # pubspec is satisfied.  It's uncommon for flutter/flutter to go
-      # more than 100 commits between tags.  Fetch 1000 for good measure.
+      # more than 100 commits between tags. Fetch 1000 for good measure.
       run: |
-        git clone --depth=1000 https://github.com/flutter/flutter ~/flutter
-        TZ=UTC git --git-dir ~/flutter/.git log -1 --format='%h | %ci | %s' --date=iso8601-local
-        echo ~/flutter/bin >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+        git submodule update --init --depth 1000
+
+    - name: Add vendored flutter to PATH
+      run: |
+        echo vendor/flutter/bin >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+
+    - name: Run setup
+      run: tools/setup-vendor-flutter
 
     - name: Download Flutter SDK artifacts (flutter precache)
       run: flutter precache --universal
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..98627b69dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[submodule "vendor/flutter"]
+	path = vendor/flutter
+	url = https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
+	branch = main
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 730c9474c9..921dd355e9 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -17,4 +17,5 @@
 
   // This much more focused automatic fix is helpful, though.
   "files.trimTrailingWhitespace": true,
+  "dart.flutterSdkPaths": ["vendor/flutter"],
 }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 59e1247129..72d3435744 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -92,26 +92,72 @@ Two specific points to expand on:
 
 ### Setting up
 
-1. Follow the [Flutter installation guide](https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install)
-   for your platform of choice.
-2. Switch to the latest version of Flutter by running `flutter channel main`
-   and `flutter upgrade` (see [Flutter version](#flutter-version) below).
-3. Ensure Flutter is correctly configured by running `flutter doctor`.
-4. Start the app with `flutter run`, or from your IDE.
+1. Set up the pinned version of Flutter.
+
+    1.1. Initialize the pinned Flutter tree:
+
+    ```sh
+    tools/setup-vendor-flutter
+    ```
+
+    1.2. Install [direnv][direnv], and set up its hook:
+
+    ```sh
+    # On Debian or Ubuntu (with Bash):
+    sudo apt install direnv && echo 'eval "$(direnv hook bash)"' >>~/.bashrc
+
+    # Or using Homebrew:
+    brew install direnv
+
+    # Or see: https://direnv.net/docs/installation.html
+    # Then: https://direnv.net/docs/hook.html
+
+    # After installing and setting up the hook, run this in the zulip-flutter
+    # directory to allow the .envrc file.
+    direnv allow
+    ```
+
+   1.3. Follow remaining instructions in [Flutter installation guide](https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install)
+   for your platform of choice. You can skip the Flutter SDK installation as that is now done.
+
+2. Ensure Flutter is correctly configured by running `flutter doctor`.
+3. Start the app with `flutter run`, or from your IDE.
+   If you're using VSCode, you're set.
+   If you're using Android Studio, please read the next step.
+
+   3.1 For Android Studio users only (unless you are using your own
+       custom version of flutter):
+
+   After you first open, the project, go to:
+     `Settings -> Languages & Frameworks -> Flutter`
+   Under `Flutter SDK Path`, enter `<REPO_DIR>/vendor/flutter` (where
+   `<REPO_DIR>` is the location of the checkout of the repo).
 
 
 ### Flutter version
 
-While in the beta phase, we use the latest Flutter from Flutter's
-main branch.  Use `flutter channel main` and `flutter upgrade`.
+We pin to a particular version of flutter SDK via git submodules in
+[vendor/flutter/](vendor/flutter/).
+If your local checkout of this repository does not have this submodule
+checked out at the same commit, the build may fail.
+
+However, if you want to manage your own flutter SDK version you can
+opt out of this behavior by either of:
+- Skip installing direnv or don't do `direnv allow`.
+- Comment out the lines in `.envrc`.
+
+Do note that if you do this, you need to manually make sure that the
+flutter SDK version matches or is compatible with the version
+indicated by the submodule commit SHA.
 
-We don't pin a specific version, because Flutter itself doesn't offer
-a way to do so.  So far that hasn't been a problem.  When it becomes one,
-we'll figure it out; there are several tools for this in the Flutter
-community.  See [issue #15][].
+Otherwise, the build can fail as we have not tested the current code
+with that particular flutter SDK version.
 
-[issue #15]: https://github.com/zulip/zulip-flutter/issues/15
+If you want manage your own flutter SDK version, follow the [Flutter
+installation guide](https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install) for
+your platform of choice.
 
+[direnv]: https://direnv.net/
 
 ### Tests
 
@@ -242,13 +288,16 @@ that's a good prompt to do this.  We also do this when there's a
 new PR merged that we particularly want to take.
 
 To update the version bounds:
+* First, make sure you're on the `main` channel, run:
+  `flutter channel main`.
 * Use `flutter upgrade` to upgrade your local Flutter and Dart.
 * Update the lower bounds at `environment` in `pubspec.yaml`
   to the new versions, as seen in `flutter --version`.
 * Run `flutter pub get`, which will update `pubspec.lock`.
 * Make a quick check that things work: `tools/check`,
   and do a quick smoke-test of the app.
-* Commit and push the changes in `pubspec.yaml` and `pubspec.lock`.
+* Commit and push the changes in the submodule `vendor/flutter`,
+  `pubspec.yaml` and `pubspec.lock`.
 
 
 ### Upgrading dependencies
diff --git a/analysis_options.yaml b/analysis_options.yaml
index 2ea8830e38..f578490407 100644
--- a/analysis_options.yaml
+++ b/analysis_options.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ analyzer:
     # TODO(pigeon) re-enable lints once clean: https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/145633
     - lib/host/*.g.dart
 
+    # Skip analysis on `vendor/`, which has outside code like the Flutter SDK.
+    - vendor/**
+
 linter:
   # For a list of all available lints, with docs, see:
   #   https://dart-lang.github.io/linter/lints/index.html.
diff --git a/tools/check b/tools/check
index 49df5cdc0a..66f05a2e3e 100755
--- a/tools/check
+++ b/tools/check
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ run_icons() {
 
 run_shellcheck() {
     # Omitted from this check: nothing (nothing known, anyway).
-    files_check tools/ '!*.'{dart,js,json} \
+    files_check tools/ '!*.'{dart,js,json} .envrc \
     || return 0
 
     # Shellcheck is fast, <1s; so if we touched any possible targets at all,
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ run_shellcheck() {
     targets=(
         $(git grep -l '#!.*sh\b' -- tools/)
         $(git ls-files -- tools/'*.sh')
+        .envrc
     )
 
     if ! type shellcheck >/dev/null 2>&1; then
diff --git a/tools/lib/git.sh b/tools/lib/git.sh
index 1fa254e1a4..89dc9f14b1 100644
--- a/tools/lib/git.sh
+++ b/tools/lib/git.sh
@@ -90,3 +90,12 @@ git_base_commit() {
 git_changed_files() {
     git diff --name-only --diff-filter=d "$@"
 }
+
+# Check if provided submodule path is clean.
+submodule_is_clean()
+{
+    # first character of every line status indicates the status of the
+    # submodule. If there is a space, it means the submodule is clean
+    # and initiated.
+    ! git submodule status -- "$@" | grep -q "^[^ ]"
+}
diff --git a/tools/setup-vendor-flutter b/tools/setup-vendor-flutter
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..71a6ac5762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/setup-vendor-flutter
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+this_dir=${BASH_SOURCE[0]%/*}
+
+# shellcheck source=tools/lib/git.sh
+. "${this_dir}"/lib/git.sh
+
+divider_line='================================================================'
+
+# One-time setup to let git submodule + flutter SDK know that we're
+# using the main channel (main branch).
+# Otherwise, `flutter doctor` complains about being on a user branch.
+# We do a quick check that there's no changes.
+if ! submodule_is_clean "vendor/flutter" ; then
+    echo "Initializing 'vendor/flutter' submodule:"
+    echo "${divider_line}"
+    if ! git submodule update --init ; then
+        echo "${divider_line}"
+        echo >&2 "Failed to initialize the 'vendor/flutter' submodule, please resolve the issues indicated above then run this script again."
+        exit 1
+    else
+        echo "${divider_line}"
+    fi
+fi
+# Check if current branch is main, if not, switch to main
+if [[ $(git -C vendor/flutter branch --show-current) == "main" ]]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+git -C vendor/flutter checkout -B main HEAD
diff --git a/vendor/flutter b/vendor/flutter
new file mode 160000
index 0000000000..b0198426b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vendor/flutter
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit b0198426b5ec57572b2ffb94b958bb4528c144e2