Gone are the days when one mobile application had to be written twice, even three times if we account for the web version. Gradually, companies are leaning towards utilizing multiplatform frameworks that allow for the development of multiple platforms at once, and Flutter is one such tool.
Today, we will outline why we chose Flutter and how your next app might benefit from it.
Flutter – The right choice for your project
Flutter as a framework was created in Google's workshops in early 2018 and has since gained a steady influx of popularity. About one-fifth of all Android apps run on Flutter (19% of all Android apps). Thus, it has bested previously dominant frameworks like React Native or Xamarin.
Flutter makes it possible to create tailored, intuitive apps because developers control every pixel of the resulting app; that’s what gives it the biggest advantage over its competitors. When developing, we are not limited by what the framework offers; we can let our imagination run wild and create fast and user-friendly applications. This makes apps look identical on all versions of Android and iOS across all platforms.
Another undeniable advantage of Flutter is the unified code running on all target platforms, and not just on mobile. Flutter allows you to create web and desktop apps that can also be used on embedded devices. Furthermore, a vibrant ecosystem, growing developer community, available libraries, and a high frequency of updates give further incentive to jump in.
The framework also offers easy integration of native code when it’s needed. Some apps may want users to pin widgets to the home screen, or your project might require biometric authentication; all of this is made possible by easy development, native code integration, and a rich variety of existing libraries.
And let’s not forget about developer experience. Flutter has an increasingly popular "hot-reload" tool built in, allowing devs to quickly iterate through code changes without rebuilding the entire application and clicking through to current changes. What seems like a minor gimmick speeds up development by orders of magnitude. Consequently, devs can spend more time working on the final result than falling into the treacherous cycle of “rewrite code – build – check.”
Is Flutter always the right choice?
Naturally, every project is unique and has its specific requirements. Therefore, it is not always worth going the multi-platform route. At Netglade, we carefully analyze each project’s requirements before proposing the ideal solution to you.
Why is Flutter not a "silver bullet"?
Every approach has trade-offs, and choosing Flutter is no exception.
In the introduction, we described the key benefits of Flutter-driven multiplatform development. However, there are cases where it makes more sense to take the native route. Perhaps you need to push native performance and hardware to the maximum, such as with iOS-specific features like LiDAR (technology for scanning 3D objects), or when creating a challenging 3D application.
For these projects, we suggest taking the native development route, in which developers can get the maximum performance out of the resulting devices and optimize apps for each platform separately.
But do you need to keep an eye on the budget? Or are you just building a prototype to test the feasibility of the project? Multiplatform development will be a better way to reduce costs and speed up the entire process.
Source: Whitepaper – Business Value of Flutter | Very Good Ventures
At Netglade, we always take an in-depth look at your project and propose a technical solution that will launch your project to the stars.
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