I’m sure you’d like to choose reliable technology for the development of your app. What would you say about the one Toyota, Google, and eBay use in their mobile solutions?
Flutter apps are getting increasingly popular and for a good reason. However, it doesn’t mean that it’s a one-size-fits-all solution.
Read on if you want to know when Flutter app development is a good decision and what kind of app you can build with it.
Facts and figures about Flutter technology
First, let’s describe the most basic information about Flutter.
- It’s a set of tools with SDK (software development kit) that enables building products that work on many platforms – web, iOS, Android, and desktop apps.
- Flutter SDK supports Dart programming language.
- Apart from SDK, Flutter offers various widgets. They make it easier to build apps, even highly customized.
- It was Google that started developing Flutter. The first version was released in 2017.
- Its main cross-platform alternative is React Native. This technology is older and was initially an alternative to Xamarin.
- Year by year, Flutter offers more, and its popularity grows. It’s an open-source SDK so that everybody can develop and improve it. According to Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023, Flutter is among the top 10 most popular frameworks and libraries that aren’t strictly web technologies, leaving React Native behind.
Pros of Flutter app development
Time and money savings
Let’s say you want a mobile app that works on Android and iOS. Typically, you’d have to build two apps separately for each system. With Flutter, you only need one codebase. It will work on iPhones and smartphones with Android. This is possible because all of the logic and algorithms are shared between these two different platforms – iOS and Android.
The bottom line is that building two apps is unnecessary when you can make just one. It takes less time and, consequently, doesn’t cost as much.
Accelerated time-to-launch
Do you need to release the app on a short notice? You have greater chances to achieve this goal when choosing Flutter apps. Even though QA specialists still have to test the app on both platforms, writing code requires a smaller amount of time. This means that users will get your product sooner, and you can profit from it earlier.
Fast implementation of changes on Android and iOS
Sometimes, hard-to-foresee circumstances force you to fix bugs in the app on both platforms as soon as possible. In the case of native apps, Android and iOS developers need to write code separately, which takes more time. Flutter developers only add changes to one codebase, fixing both apps simultaneously. As a result, you improve the app faster, and the user experience is better.
Flutter has a hot reload feature that allows you to see how changes to the code impact the app in real-time. This feature is incredibly convenient during the maintenance phase when we want to fix bugs quickly and immediately see how new code made the app look and work.
Easy-to-make animations that catch the eye
Will animations play a vital role in your app? If so, Flutter is a great choice. It makes it easier for software developers to create visually stunning animations – even complex ones. In the latter case, developers need to integrate the Flutter app with the tool called Rive, which is quite simple.
Rive facilitates the process of creating interactive animations, so it takes less time, and the results can be really impressive. You don’t have to take our word for it; just check the Duolingo app. Its creators used Rive to make their animations, which are often advanced.
So, if you can’t imagine your app without animations, Flutter with Rive is the perfect choice.
Versatility – app development for multiple platforms
Even if you don’t need to develop several kinds of apps (mobile, web, and desktop) now, in the future, you may want to reconsider it. And here comes Flutter to help you out. You can reuse code written for mobile apps to develop your web or desktop products. This option is less time-consuming than building everything from scratch. It’s a particularly beneficial solution from the business perspective.
High-level performance
Flutter is a very special cross-platform technology – unlike React Native, it doesn’t connect with native app components via a bridge. Instead, it uses widgets to communicate with the platform. As a result, this process is accelerated, and the app works fast and without delays.
If you’re wondering whether the performance will still be as good with advanced animations, we have some good news. Now, Flutter uses Impeller, a new graphic engine that significantly increases the performance of iOS apps. It also works on Android (3.16 version). That said, Flutter is a go-to option when you want to choose cross-platform development, add complex animations, and still enjoy fast performance.
Consistent aesthetic on both platforms
The UI design of your iOS and Android apps should be consistent. Flutter makes it possible. The entire user interface is shared between the two platforms, so apps on two systems can look the same. But what if you need elements unique for Android or iOS? Then, use Cupertino and Material Design widgets. They enable you to add native components that users of each platform are familiar with.
Flutter widgets facilitate building visually appealing user interfaces. It improves UX and makes it easier to use the app.
An active and growing community
Thanks to the vast community, the number of Flutter libraries, widgets, and supporting materials is rapidly growing. This way, getting help is easier when Flutter app developers encounter problems writing code. You can simply ask community members or the Flutter team.
With so many people involved in Flutter development, year by year, this technology offers more possibilities. For example, there was a time when access to native elements of the device, such as GPS or a camera, was difficult. It has changed thanks to various libraries developed by the community and the Flutter team.
Cons of Flutter app development
Flutter app size is larger compared to native apps
They say that every good thing comes with a price. In this case, the price is the size of the Flutter apps.
When comparing Kotlin and Swift apps, Flutter apps are larger. Why? They contain the entire code that is required for the app to work. Native apps can have smaller sizes because they use platform elements instead.
On the bright side, this difference between app sizes gets smaller. The Dart AOT compiler removes unnecessary or reachable code, which optimizes and reduces the app’s size.
Another good news is that more and more users have devices with ample storage, so the size of the app doesn’t become a problem.
App performance is worse in certain cases
Although, generally speaking, Flutter’s performance is good, sometimes problems occur. For example, the app can be slower when it makes a lot of complicated calculations, processes a lot of graphical content, or takes care of low-level sensor management.
In such cases, native technologies like Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android would allow the app to work faster. For the same reason, we also recommend native technologies in IoT development.
Flutter development vs React Native
Should you create apps with Flutter or React Native? After all, they both enable cross-platform development. The differences, however, are substantial. These two technologies rely on different mechanics.
For instance, React Native uses JavaScript bridges to access native components and develop features based on platform-specific elements.
Flutter doesn’t need this. Instead, it is based on widgets, improving the app’s performance and allowing flexibility. Flutter app developers can adjust the widgets if something needs fast customization.
Interestingly, Flutter already has more stars, forks, and commits on GitHub than React Native. Even though the latter is two years older and is based on a programming language, more people are familiar with (JavaScript). It says a lot about Flutter’s fast-growing popularity that stems from its effectiveness and usability.
Flutter apps examples from different industries
Now that you know the pros and cons of Flutter app development, check out how it looks in practice. We’ve prepared a few examples of apps created with Flutter widgets.
Zoho Tables
#productivity #workmanagement
This app helps users manage their tasks and collaborate on various projects. It connects with the smartphone’s native elements – a camera that a camera that enables uploading photos and a microphone to record voice notes.
App on Google Play
ABOUT YOU
#ecommerce #personalization
It’s a popular eCommerce app with millions of users worldwide. This online store offers features that make shopping and discovering new products easier and more convenient. It was developed with Flutter from start to finish, which proves that this cross-platform technology works well in the eCommerce industry.
App on Apple App Store
App on Google Play
LeggUP
#personaldevelopment #livechat
LeggUp was made for employees who participate in professional and self-development sessions. This Flutter app enables them, for example, to take and save notes, download the learning materials, and get in touch with their coaches thanks to a chat feature. We’ve started this project in 2021. Back then, the Zoom SDK for Flutter didn’t exist, so we made it ourselves. It shows that even if you lack some elements required for the development of your Flutter app, you don’t have to drop the feature. Thanks to some additional effort, you can make it on your own.
App on Apple App Store
App on Google Play
OneSplit
#scanner #calculations
Users of OneSplit can easily split bills with this app. It calculates how much each person owes to the payer based on the input of the total amount or the bill scan. The scanner’s primary role is to digitize the bill. To make this possible, the app needs access to a camera.
App on Apple App Store
App on Google Play
Yoodl
#socialmedia #animations
It’s a communication tool. Its users create animated drawings and don’t even need any unique talents for this. Yoodl offers tools for intuitive drawings so that anyone can be an author of visually appealing animations. The sole process of animating them is very fast – it only takes a few seconds.
App on Apple App Store
App on Google Play
For more Flutter app examples, check out our list.
Flutter app development services by Holdapp
All in all, there are many reasons to choose Flutter for your next app development project. However, this is not a universal solution that is always a good idea. Sometimes, native technologies will be a better choice, so it’s best to keep that in mind and analyze all the options with experienced Flutter developers. They will tell you if cross-platform applications are suitable for you.
The question is – how do you choose a software development company? We recommend checking the team’s experience. How many projects do they have in their portfolio? What industries do they work for? What do their clients say about them? This information is crucial when choosing a partner to cooperate with you on a mobile app development process.
Get to know us better and read about our mobile app projects. From cultural institution to personal development – we’ve been developing Flutter apps for various clients and markets.
So, if you are still wondering about using Flutter, write us a message. We’ll help you choose the best solution. Additionally, you can read our blog posts about Flutter app development to understand this technology better.
