To Flutter or Not To Flutter – That is the Question!
Many people believe that Flutter is the best framework to build mobile apps. However, there are both upsides and downsides to Flutter. Keep reading to learn more from a responsible app developer. This can determine whether it is right for your particular business needs.
So what is Flutter?
Flutter, by Google, is an SDK or open-source software development kit. Principally it is for building apps for web, mobile, and desktop from a single codebase. Developers are able to create great-looking apps using a single codebase for Android and iOS as well as Linux, Mac, and Windows. It is the preferred choice for many developers in Sydney and Melbourne. However, if you are looking for a Flutter developer look no further.
But forewarned is forearmed so businesses seeking an app developer should apprise themselves of some key information before setting out on their journey
History
Flutter made its bow in 2017 with the first stable release, Flutter 1.0, coming out in December of the following year. Its robust performance and developer-friendly features have made it popular ever since.
The Upsides
The advantage of Flutter is that one codebase can be used across multiple platforms. This means that you do not waste development time creating different versions for different platforms.
A hot-reload feature allows developers to inject newly edited files without stopping the app. Thus, speeding up the development process and making experimentation with user interfaces (UIs) easier.
Developers can create complex UIs easily. This is due to the large number of pre-designed widgets and tools available with Flutter. Developers can customize these for high-quality UIs. High performance is also achievable as Flutter apps are compiled using native code. This refers to the 1s and 0s that tell a processor what to do, in layman’s terms. Flutter uses Skia, which is an in-house Google graphics library. This helps ensure smooth and responsive experiences when used in app development.
Since its inception seven years ago the community of users continues to grow. This means there is always help and many resources available. The primary programming language for Flutter is Dart. This is both a benefit and a drawback and should be discussed with an app developer who can guide you. Flutter can be excellent across many platforms.
The Possible Downsides
When compared to more established frameworks like React Native, Flutter is a few years behind. This means there are fewer libraries and third-party integrations. However, its ecosystem is growing rapidly so this is barely a drawback in 2024. Flutter apps are often larger in size over native apps due to the size of the Flutter engine within the entire app bundle.
Dart is also not as common as JavaScript or Java. This can limit the choice of developer. However, the link above will help you find experts to make your business run smarter. The talent is out there, you just need to look.
While it is true that Flutter covers a broad range of functionalities some additional work is necessary where platform-specific features are needed. Due to technical issues that your app developer can explain, Flutter apps occasionally run slower on older or lower-end devices. As a developing framework there are still teething problems that can cause issues.
In summary, Flutter can be considered a well-developed tool for building cross-platform apps. These apps will exhibit a high level of performance as well as efficiency. Ultimately, the choice is yours and much will depend on your business’s specific needs vis-a-vis your need for a mature ecosystem as opposed to a smaller app size.
