Flutter has created a lot of buzz since its initial release in 2018. Even prominent tech firms, Google and Alibaba have chosen Flutter to create popular apps like Google Assistant, Adwords, and Xianyu (the most popular eCommerce app by Alibaba).
Flutter is, without exaggeration, a sigh of relief for developers and tech companies. So, what sets Flutter apart from other cross-platform frameworks like ReactNative, Cordova, and Xamarin? Read this article till the end and you will learn everything there is to know about flutter.
What Exactly Is The Flutter Framework?
An open cross-platform framework known as Flutter makes it possible to create apps using just one codebase. This implies that you are not required to write different codes for the platforms of iOS and Android.
In 2018, Google released the first version of Flutter. Since then, it has become increasingly popular, with more than 2 million developers utilizing the toolkit for consumer and business app development. Amazingly it leverages the power of a single codebase to create cross-platform as well as web, and desktop apps.
Just to be clear, let us tell you that Flutter is not the only option when it comes to stable cross-platforms. However, other frameworks like Phonegap, Xamarin, and React Native can only manage a maximum of 60 frames per second while Flutter can run apps at 120 fps (frames per second).
Being open source is the platform’s major bonus (You may share your app code on Github). Given the influence this Open Source framework has had on the development community, it is only fair that Flutter has more than 90.4k stars on Github. Undoubtedly, the framework has swiftly gained popularity among developers, businesses, entrepreneurs, and users thanks to all these benefits.
How Does Flutter Work?
It should go without saying that flutter is a framework for running apps on iOS and Android with a single codebase. However, how does it achieve that? Is a mid-level language or virtual machine used in the process, or will it compile to native code? Let us break down this whole process for you.
The term Flutter refers to two major components; SDK, and Framework.
- Flutter SDK: This is a set of tools that enables you to develop any type of software for both the Android and iOS platforms in a single codebase.
- Flutter Framework: It essentially includes all preset widgets/widget libraries, utility functions, and packages.
Here is a new piece of valuable information for you; flutter employs Dart as a programming language(no worries we will discuss this in detail). Flutter-created apps can operate on both Android and iOS. As a result, we must compile the dart code to the native machine android/ios code.
Flutter SDK handles the compilation work. There is no native operating system functionality or web view used by Flutter. Instead, flutter draws widgets using its own, extremely fast rendering engine called Skia.
Two factors, in particular, serve to ensure good performance.
Dart’s AOT compilation functionality is used to translate the source code into native code. The code is compiled to native code beforehand because iOS does not support dynamic compilation, but it still requires some components of the Dart VM to function.
What Language Does Flutter Use?
We have already learned that Dart is used in Flutter-based apps. The core of Flutter combines Dart with efficient C++. The end product produces animations at a frame rate of 60 or 120, which gives the app the appearance of being native.
Its goal is to replace standard JavaScript. Programs written in Dart can be run directly on a server, but on a browser, they must be transcompiled into JavaScript using the Dart2js trans-compiler.
Dart is used to creating apps directly for Google’s upcoming Fuchsia platform. Its structure resembles that of popular object-oriented programming languages like C# or Java.
Is Flutter Good For App Development?
Since Flutter has been around for years, we at CodersGlobe acknowledge its potential in the era of rapidly changing technologies. This is due to its numerous benefits, including the fastest app creation process and simultaneous app updates for iOS and Android.
You would be correct if you assumed that almost every cross-platform framework contains some features and functionalities that are required for the development task. But! Flutter is distinct from its competitors in a few significant respects.
It’s time to find out whether Flutter is still a potent programming framework for creating mobile applications in 2022 after many updates to it over the years. Let’s explore in more detail what makes Flutter app development preferable to other frameworks.
Flutter is the first mobile SDK-enabled framework that provides a responsive design without a Javascript bridge. The many platforms, including Android, iOS, Linux, MAC, Windows, and Google Fuchsia applications, are all easily integrated.
Since its launch, the open-source framework Flutter has acquired a sizable and engaged developer community. This community continuously disseminates helpful code samples and helps programmers in creating, innovative, stunning cross-platform applications.
Flutter is a technology that is built on widgets. This implies that every element can benefit from object-oriented programming. One advantage of adopting Flutter is the simplicity with which you can edit or customize widgets. It also offers user interface widgets that adhere to essential web application design standards.
Flutter draws the entire UI with an internal graphics engine called Skia, which is also utilized by Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox Flutter’s speedy and well-optimized software allows it to act differently than most other mobile development frameworks.
You can simultaneously release app updates for iOS and Android because both platforms share the same codebase. When there are separate projects for both platforms, this is challenging to accomplish.
Synchronizing is challenging due to developers’ inconsistent availability or prolonged platform implementation. This issue is eliminated by Flutter and other cross-platform tools because we can create applications for both at the same time.
They created flutter from the outset with animation support. It is considerably simpler to create bespoke interactions and sophisticated animations than it is on iOS or Android.
It goes without saying that developing animations for an application takes time. We don’t want to give the notion that building an animated Flutter app will take less time than creating a native app without animation. We can ensure you, though, that if animations are important to your application, take Flutter into account.
You can concentrate on growing the user base once your apps are complete and available. This frequently entails switching the app to maintenance mode, where fixing bugs takes precedence over adding new features.
Startups frequently consider building their own team at this phase. It might be simpler with Flutter since you only need to hire one mobile app developer rather than two for iOS and Android.
With Flutter, you can do a tonne of things with your apps that aren’t possible with other platforms. It obviously calls for a pretty robust framework. The majority of the aforementioned points would actually be impossible without a powerful cross-platform rendering engine.
For rendering itself onto a canvas provided by the platform, Flutter uses Skia. The Flutter UI can function on almost any platform thanks to the engine. In other words, the need to modify the user interface before transferring it to a platform has significantly sped up the development process.
Apps Built With Flutter
Flutter app development is becoming extremely prevalent. Flutter is now commonly used to build apps for firms like Alibaba, Toyota Abbey, BMW, Airbnb, Uber, eBay, and others. Here is the list of the most popular apps developed on the Flutter framework.
Google Ads
You can manage Google ad campaigns with the help of this mobile app right from your smartphone. You can track ad production using a compressed version of a desktop platform, so it does not limit you to your office.
Campaign data, real-time budget and bid updates, live alerts, keyword modification, and a Google expert contact form are all features of the app. It has a pleasing design and is understandable.
Xianyu by Alibaba
Now that Flutter is established as a stable hybrid framework, it’s more than 200 million registered users are using it to their advantage! Alibaba recognized that the Flutter framework was a wise choice when it came to creating and growing a reliable system. Apps with hundreds of millions of monthly active users have availed use of Flutter.
eBay Motors
Flutter was used to build one of the biggest retail platform services. With the help of this app, users may purchase and sell autos on their smartphones. They may explore the offerings, publish adverts, and place bids on the automobiles they want with a few clicks and swipes.
BMW
In July 2020, the My BMW App became live online and was created with the Flutter framework. Its use has grown to include 47 nations throughout the world, and it works as a universal interface to give users a smooth transition between their mobile device, their automobile, and the digital world. The My BMW App gives users a direct line of communication with their car as well as with BMW outlets and the BMW brand.
Google Stadia
You may play your favorite video games instantly on Google’s Stadia gaming platform. Google created and runs the cloud gaming platform. 130 games and over 1 million downloads are available on Stadia.
Reflectly
To assist users to manage everyday stress, dealing with misconceived notions, and maintaining their positivity, Reflectly is an AI-powered personal journaling app that blends psychotherapy, mindfulness, and schema therapy. It gives you the chance to express your feelings and look after your mental health.
Take The Final Step Toward Making Your Next Flutter App A Reality
Over the years, CodersGlobe has created a number of apps using the Flutter platform. Using Flutter, we have created premium consumer and commercial apps. Even though the technology is still quite new, we have qualified professionals on our team.
Contact CodersGlobe for a free consultation if you’d like to talk about the benefits and potential of employing Flutter app development for your project.
