Flutter is an open-source software development kit created to streamline cross-platform mobile app development. It enables the creation of high-quality, natively compiled apps for both iOS and Android using a single codebase, eliminating the need for separate code for each platform. In this article, we’ll introduce Flutter, explore its key features, and discuss its advantages to provide a thorough overview of this developer-friendly framework.
Table of Contents
What is flutter?
Google developed Flutter, a portable open-source UI toolkit that allows developers to create desktop, web, and mobile apps with native quality from a single codebase. It uses the programming language Dart and incorporates Material Design and Cupertino widgets. With Flutter, developers can create spectacular UI that looks and feels native.
Flutter is unique among mobile SDK frameworks because it delivers a responsive style without relying on a JavaScript bridge, achieving performance that competes closely with its direct competitor, React Native. It integrates seamlessly with various platforms, including Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and Google Fuchsia.
Flutter architecture
The Flutter SDK is based on the Dart programming language. On a server, Dart programs can be run directly, while in the browser, they are converted to JavaScript using the Dart2js transcompiler. Applications for Fuchsia, Google’s new platform, are created directly in Dart. Its structure is comparable to popular object-oriented programming languages like C# and Java.
- Framework: The most visible part of the Flutter technology. It is based on the Dart programming language.
- Engine: Written in C/C++, this layer provides graphics, accessibility support, text layout, and other essential APIs.
- Embedder: A platform-specific embedder is used to help the Flutter app run on any OS.
What are the uses of Flutter?
Fluter is used to develop apps for Android and iOS, using one codebase for each platform. These apps’ smartphone versions are compiled for the appropriate platform before publication and work on Apple and Android devices as real, native apps. They do not require a browser or a runtime module.
They used the same codebase to create web apps for browsers and native programs for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Google itself uses Flutter for several modules of the Google Assistant and the user interface of the Google Home hub. Well-known e-commerce service providers such as eBay, Groupon, and Alibaba Group use Flutter to give their mobile and web apps a uniform look.
How does cross-platform development work with Flutter?
Flutter technology is suitable for multiple platforms that enhance code exchange and ensure interoperability with different platforms. Instead of developing native solutions, the developer writes unique code that is only available on that platform. Flutter reduces the budget of the companies as there is no need to hire native app developers. Flutter is compatible with mobile platforms (iOS and Android), desktop platforms (Windows, Linux, and MacOS), as well as the web.
Because of this, software of any complexity can be quickly developed using the shared code approach, which makes Flutter one of the most well-known tools for quick and affordable MVP development.
Pros of Flutter app development
- Single codebase for all platforms: Flutter provides a single codebase for both iOS and Android devices. It can be used for web, desktop, and mobile. There is no need to create separate code bases for each device.
- Less development time: flutter development requires less time than others. so there are no additional costs or maintenance charges. You can develop a larger app with the required features.
- The good seed for time to market: the responsive time of the Flutter development framework is faster than others. One of the main benefits of this tool is its short time-to-market. Most of the time, it is hard to tell whether the iOS or Android versions will be able to deliver a product on schedule. This is where Flutter plays its role, as it allows cross-platform usage.
- Native-like performance: It’s one of the best advantages of Flutter, Flutter works with Skia, a graphics engine that enables quick and well-optimized development. It also is indistinguishable from native apps as it doesn’t rely on interpreters or intermediary code representations.
- Worldwide Flutter community: Flutter has become the favourite choice of developers globally. More than 40% of software developers have chosen Flutter. It builds a strong community.
- Own Rendering Engine: Some cross-platform solutions have the issue of being remarkably similar between iOS and Android. This is why Flutter is the best option because it consists of packages that contain a set of unique widgets for both operating systems.
- The hot reload features: The ability to hot reload is one of the main benefits of using Flutter. This is for effective cross-platform development so it can complement the nature of Flutter. This feature’s function speeds up application development.
- Flutter’s Safety: Flutter’s UI code is single-threaded, and computational threads are executed in isolated sandboxes, which means no shared or unsafe resources at all.
- Dart: Dart programming language is one of the reasons to choose Flutter. It has features that make it stand out from other languages: Ahead of Time (AOT) compiler, which makes Flutter widgets customizable and a quick startup possible. Just In Time (JIT) compiler, as it allows code optimization to occur in real-time. On web platforms, Dart compiles highly efficient JavaScript. WebAssembly for Web is the next stage, which will offer significantly faster execution and animation than existing platforms. These are only a few of the characteristics that elevate Dart above Flutter when used for development.
- Excellent documentation and community support: Flutter has extensive documentation and a vibrant community. It is simple for developers to locate resources, tutorials, and support, which facilitates learning and problem-solving.
- Strong industry adoption: Flutter is used by well-known companies such as Google, Alibaba, Tencent, and more. Its growing popularity ensures ongoing support and updates from both Google and the Flutter community. Material Design and Cupertino widgets: Flutter provides out-of-the-box support for both Material Design (Android) and Cupertino (iOS) widget sets. This ensures that the UI looks native on both platforms, creating a consistent and familiar user experience.
Cons of Flutter app development
- Large and heavy apps: the size of the applications under development can’t be ignored. Software developers working with this toolkit may find it difficult to work with large files. This can cause them to choose a lighter alternative.
- Dart’s low popularity: Dart is indeed a reliable programming language since it is fast. It is also true that developers are starting to make it an option. Yet, Dart is still not able to compete with other top programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, etc.
- Issues related to iOS: The Flutter framework works well on both Android and iOS. However, Flutter was created by Google, which gives Android apps a significant advantage. It is not regarded as a major issue, but it should be considered in case some problems arise in the future.
- The limited number of third-party libraries: Due to its relative nature, Flutter cannot be compared to native programming languages. Developers still need to spend more time building as many libraries as possible.
Known apps developed on Flutter
The development of Flutter apps is becoming more and more popular. Flutter is now widely used to create apps for the likes of Google, Alibaba, Yandex, Airbnb, Uber, eBay, and other leading companies. Here is a selection of the top Flutter apps.
Flutter development with SupportFly
Choosing SupportFly for your Flutter app development comes with a multitude of benefits designed to ensure your app’s success and longevity. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction sets us apart.
- Immense experience and prowess in the domain: With years of experience in the field, SupportFly has honed its skills in developing top-notch Android applications.
- Ultramodern Technologies: We use the latest technologies and tools to develop state-of-the-art Android applications.
- First-rate Apps Without Any Bugs: Quality is our top priority. Our rigorous testing procedures guarantee that your app is free from bugs and performs flawlessly.
- Swifter Development: Our agile development process and efficient workflows enable us to deliver high-quality apps faster without compromising on quality.
- Adaptive Application: Our apps are designed to be flexible and scalable, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of your business and users.
- Reasonable Pricing: Our pricing is competitive and transparent, ensuring you get the best return on your investment.
- Dedicated Cloud Team Available: From cloud integration to maintenance and support, we ensure your app is scalable, secure, and always available to your users.
- 24*7*365 Consultation Available: Our team is available around the clock, every day of the year, to provide consultation and support whenever you need it.
- Proven Track Record: Our portfolio showcases a variety of projects that have achieved outstanding results, demonstrating our ability to turn complex ideas into highly functional and engaging apps.
Conclusion
Flutter is the first choice of software engineers for app development. Flutter has a user-friendly interface and is cost-effective. Flutter app development can be beneficial for businesses as it has various advantages discussed in this blog. For any further information and assistance, contact our team. Our portfolio includes outstanding Android development services, iOS development, e-commerce platform development etc. —all built with Flutter. Despite the technology’s relatively recent emergence, we have become proficient experts in its use. If you’re interested in exploring the opportunities and benefits of Flutter for your project, reach out to SupportFly for a free consultation.
FAQs
Q1. Why is Flutter better for app development?
Single codebase for all platforms: There is no need to create separate codebases when working on iOS and Android devices. Flutter allows developers to build a single codebase and use it for several platforms, such as the web, desktop, and mobile. This results in quicker app launches and is cost-effective.
Q2. Why should mobile app startups choose Flutter?
Flutter has a rich set of widgets and allows developers to customize the user interface that appeals visually. Developers can either develop new widgets from scratch or use the pre-built widgets. Developers choose Flutter for mobile app development because it delivers high-performance mobile applications.
Q3. Why hire a Flutter app development company?
As Flutter makes it possible to create apps for both the iOS and Android platforms using a single codebase, it drastically lowers development expenses. Businesses can save a significant amount of money as a result of not having to hire developers with specialized skills or build separate development teams.
Q4. Is Flutter the future of mobile app development?
The future of Flutter development looks promising for mobile app development. This framework is in its infancy and still has a long way to go. It is free, open-source, and Google-developed, so there will be a lot of support out there.
Q5. Is Flutter a framework or SDK?
Flutter is Google’s open-source technology for creating mobile, desktop, and web apps with a single codebase. Unlike other popular solutions, Flutter is not a framework or library; it’s a complete SDK—software development kit.
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