Flutter is an open-source software development kit that allows for the rapid and easy building of cross-platform mobile apps. You can quickly create high-quality natively built apps for iOS and Android without having to develop code for each app separately. You only need one codebase for both platforms.
Tim Sneath, Flutter's product manager, said last year that the toolkit has been used by over 2 million developers since its release in 2018. The spring update also demonstrates that not just consumer apps but also enterprise app development are on the rise.
This essay will introduce you to this developer-friendly app development language. We'll discuss what Flutter is and go over its benefits and drawbacks.
What is Flutter?
Building apps used to be expensive when Objective C/Swift and Java/Kotlin were the dominant languages for mobile development. You had to create two distinct apps, which meant doing the work twice.
To address this issue, numerous frameworks for creating hybrid (or cross-platform) apps in HTML5 and Javascript have been developed. Among cross-platform toolkits such as Phonegap, Xamarin, React Native, and others, the Flutter framework has grown in popularity among developers, enterprises, entrepreneurs, and users.
Flutter is a portable UI toolkit that allows you to create native-like apps for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. It employs the programming language Dart with Material Design and Cupertino widgets. Flutter developers can design stunning user interfaces that look and feel native.
Flutter is the only framework with a mobile SDK that delivers a responsive style without the use of a Javascript bridge, achieving performance levels comparable to its cousin and direct competitor React Native. It interacts effortlessly with several platforms such as Android, iOS, and Linux, as well as MAC, Windows, and Google Fuchsia applications.
What is Flutter used for?
Flutter is one of the greatest ways to create apps for both Android and iOS without having to construct a separate codebase for each platform. The smartphone versions of these apps work as full native apps on Apple and Android devices and are compiled for each platform prior to publication. They do not require a browser or a runtime module. It is also feasible to construct web apps for browsers as well as native programmes for Windows, Linux, and macOS using the same codebase.
Flutter is used by Google for numerous modules of the Google Assistant as well as the user interface of the Google Home hub. Flutter is used by well-known e-commerce service providers such as eBay, Groupon, and Alibaba Group to create mobile and web experiences.
What programming language is Flutter based on?
The Flutter SDK is built on the Dart programming language, which was also created by Google. Its goal is to replace traditional JavaScript. Dart applications can be run directly on a server, but in the browser, they are transformed to JavaScript using the Dart2js transcompiler.
Dart is used to create apps for Google's new platform, Fuchsia. It has a similar structure to well-known object-oriented programming languages like Java or C#.
Pros and cons of Flutter app development
Every programming language has benefits and drawbacks. However, in most circumstances, the advantages of Flutter over similar technologies definitely exceed the limitations.
Pros of Flutter app development
Flutter has a number of benefits over its rivals. These benefits are built into the programming language and the collection of development tools that enable Flutter to address problems that other languages cannot.
1. One codebase for all platforms
Gone are the days when you had to create code for Android and another for iOS devices. Flutter's code reusability allows you to develop a single codebase and utilize it not only on mobile Android and iOS, but also on web, desktop, and other platforms. This greatly reduces development time, eliminates costs, and allows you to deploy your product much faster.
2. “It’s all Widgets” principle offers countless possibilities
When it comes to designing beautiful aesthetics for your app, Flutter's custom widgets are an absolute treat. At the same time, you don't have to be concerned about the user interface on different devices.
3. Fast testing with hot reload
The hot reload feature speeds up app development. There is no need to reload the app to see every change you make in the code with Flutter. You may simply make changes in real time to your app, giving you more opportunities to experiment with the code and fix errors on the fly.
Cons of Flutter app development
There is no such thing as a perfect technological solution, and Flutter is no exception. The disadvantages of Flutter aren't really deal breakers, but here are a few reasons why it might not be the best toolkit for a particular app.
1. Because of the widgets, the file size is somewhat large.
To begin with, Flutter apps are fairly large and "heavy." They take up a lot of storage space and take a long time to download or update.
2. Updating is difficult.
Updating Flutter modules is required when operating system programming requirements change. Because the modules are fixed parts in the application, they must also be recompiled and reloaded on the devices.
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