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Cross-platform app development is a major demand of the digital world in this era. Be it a large-scale or small-scale business, individual services or start-ups, and even NPOs, every venture needs to be in line with the technological advancements and needs of the app market and users. With many Software Development Kits (SDKs), like React Native, Xamarin, etc.
Flutter’s framework is the most recently emerged cross-platform app development framework and is already grossing in the market. It is frequently used by almost half a million developers. Numerous Flutter App Development and experts have emerged, building a strong community base and service providers.
We are going to answer some of your questions in this analysis. Why is Flutter so favored? What are the unique characteristics of Flutter? When to use Flutter?
Flutter is created by Google in 2017. It is an open-source cross-platform Software Development Kits (SDK). Flutter uses the object-oriented programming language ‘Dart’, which is also developed by Google. It is easy to understand and implement for any developer including JavaScript developers. Flutter enables multi-platform app development from a single codebase. Widget creation is one of the most impressive features of Flutter. It upgrades the developers’ coding experience and builds native-looking apps. Many renowned market players rely on Flutter for the development of their apps, like eBay, Alibaba Group, The New York Times Square, Groupon, etc.
Let’s dig deep into Flutter’s framework, which will help you to understand the overall SDK, its benefits, limitations, differentiations and when should you use it. You will be able to know how to utilize its unique features for your next projects.
Pros
Flutter helps to save time and efforts of the developers and the cost of development with its advanced functionality to reuse code. It can create multi-platform apps with a single code base. Meaning, one code serves app building for iOS, Android, and other platforms. It maintains app uniformity and serves a better user experience and seamless usage of app functions and features. The developers are also saved from going through an exhausting coding process.
Flutter also enables the developers to perform a quick platform shift. Meaning, if you have an app for one operating system, like Android or iOS, for which you want to create another app for a different operating system, Flutter is seamless for such migration. Developers do not go through making another app from scratch and the creativity is also intact.
Developers are not required to recompile the code when they make any changes to it. They can easily perform changes to the existing code, experiment with different UIs, and see those changes take place in real-time on the app. Hot reload provides a very fast app load and refresh time after updating it. Develops can directly coordinate with designers for app design.
Flutter SDK helps the developer in building impressive and custom according to the need of the app. Flutter creates and combines multiple widgets to make the app User Interface and create the whole application using multiple widgets.
This widget feature is the main reason which helps the developers to identify and rectify any errors very quickly. Otherwise, it takes a lot of time and effort for the developers to manually find the error and rectify it. This is possible because the error message clearly states in which location or in which widget is the error located. Also, another impressive thing is that only the error-facing part of the app is affected and the rest of the app works fine. In other apps, usually, any error in the code affects the whole app because there is no individual widget feature.
Having exclusive support of Google’s firebase, there is no need for Flutter developers to build separate back-ends. The online functions also work very well. For example Cloud storage, authentication, database hosting, etc.
Cons
Many of its app libraries and features are still in development and require more time to upgrade. It is still too mature and is being experimented with. It has time to reach stability like the first few SDKs and native development.
Dart has lesser features and is not that well-refined when we compare it to other programming languages, for example, Kotlin and Swift.
Having a heavy app size, Flutter apps require more time to download and update.
Flutter doesn’t originally create native apps. It replicates the original operating system’s components and design with its Cupertino library, which is not exactly the same as the native app development. You can notice this while using the app in different system versions where there is a difference in buttons and text boxes in the apps which are developed natively. But these functions appear to have the same pattern in all versions when they are created using Flutter.
1. Flutter is the best option for start-ups and anyone who wants to create their Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This is because of its ability to save time, effort, and app development costs without losing creativity or compromising on any other important aspects of the app.
2. When you want to create a cross-platform app for multiple operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, etc. from a single code base, maintain the consistency and feel of the app through all the platforms.
3. When you want to develop creative, effective, and efficient apps using minimum development cost.
4. When you are a single developer or a freelancer, who wants to enjoy the developing process and be creative without having to go through a complex, long-term rigorous process of app development, testing, error rectification, and maintenance.
5. When you want to reduce the overall cost of the app, including app development, app security, and app service or maintenance. Flutter is open-source, i.e., free to use. There is also no additional cost of maintenance required for Flutter apps.
6. When you are a new developer. Flutter is famous and very favorable in the market. Because Flutter creates an easy-to-use User Interface and functions, people prefer it. New developers will not get confused, have the support of large community base confusions, small community, and enjoy the pool of market and job opportunities.
There are many single SDK and multiple SDKs app development services in the market. As we tried to help you understand the pros and cons of Flutter in this analysis, we will definitely help you to create your Flutter app with our advanced and exclusive Flutter App Development and make you notice the difference in your digital service and your overall business!
DC Kumawat is the CEO of Orion InfoSolutions, a leading provider of IT solutions to businesses of all sizes. He has over 14+ years of experience in the IT industry. He is a passionate advocate for the use of technology to improve business performance.