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An overridden getter in Dart is a property accessor in a subclass that redefines the retrieval logic of a property inherited from its superclass. Because Dart adheres to the Uniform Access Principle by implicitly generating getters for all instance variables, a subclass can override both explicitly defined superclass getters and standard instance fields. To override a getter, the subclass uses the @override annotation followed by the get keyword, ensuring the signature conforms to the parent’s contract.

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Overriding an Explicit Getter

When a superclass defines a property using the get keyword, the subclass can replace its implementation. 
class BaseClass {
  String get identifier => 'Base-001';
}

class SubClass extends BaseClass {
  @override
  String get identifier => 'Sub-001';
}

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Overriding an Instance Field with a Getter

Because a standard field in Dart implicitly exposes a getter, a subclass can override a stored variable from the superclass and replace it with a computed property. 
class BaseClass {
  final double threshold = 10.5;
}

class SubClass extends BaseClass {
  @override
  double get threshold => super.threshold * 2.0;
}

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Technical Constraints and Rules

  • Covariant Return Types: The return type of the overridden getter must be the same as, or a subtype of, the return type of the superclass getter. You cannot widen the return type.
class BaseClass {
  num get value => 10;
}

class SubClass extends BaseClass {
  @override
  int get value => 20; // Valid: int is a subtype of num
}
  • Super Invocation: The subclass getter can access the superclass implementation or field value using the super keyword (super.propertyName).
  • Setter Inheritance: If the superclass defines a mutable (non-final) field, it implicitly creates both a getter and a setter. Overriding only the getter in the subclass modifies the read behavior, but the implicit setter inherited from the superclass remains intact and functional unless explicitly overridden as well.
  • Annotation Requirement: While the @override annotation is technically optional in Dart, it is strictly enforced by the Dart analyzer in standard linting rules to prevent silent failures if the superclass contract changes.
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