Introduced in 2015, Flutter once again gathered worldwide attention during Google I/O 2019 with the release of Flutter for the web, release of improved Flutter version 1.12, and release of Dart 2.3. This was followed by a lot of excitement from the developers’ circles and Flutter surely caused a lot of flutters then?
The rate at which Flutter apps make their appearances on Google Play continues to increase. As a developer, whether you plan to use Flutter or not, you should be aware of what Flutter is and the advantages it can bring to the developers’ table.
What is Flutter?
As Google’s mobile app SDK, the Flutter environment is replete with tools, widgets, and a framework. Flutter’s key feature is that you can build visually attractive and fast-to-load apps on Android and iOS platforms. You can also build natively compiled applications for desktop platforms such as Google Fuchsia, Linux, Windows, and Mac.
Advantages of Flutter App Development
We list below some of the advantages when you choose Flutter for app development purposes:
1. Productivity
The fact that you can use a single code-base for both iOS and Android apps helps you to save time and other resources as well. In case you want to differentiate the apps for the two platforms, even that is possible.
This single code-base means that, as a developer, you need to write the automatic tests only once. This makes for great savings as far as testing times are concerned. QA specialists also spend less time because they have to check only a single app.
2. Performance
Compilation of the Flutter code using DART results in native code and dependencies on OEM widgets are greatly lessened. Flutter has its own set of widgets. Flutter, as a mobile SDK, can provide reactive views without the need for a JavaScript bridge. Performance issues are fewer and loading times for the apps are decreased.
3. Fast, Simple Development
The ‘hot reload’ feature helps developers see the effects of changes made in the code-base instantly. The emulators/simulators show the changes when the app is running without any need for a restart. This is very helpful for fixing bugs and changing UI features.
Shifting the picture 5 pixels to the right or testing the code for faster animations takes no time at all. The designer and the tester can work together to put in the features as required. In native app development, this would take a lot more time as the code has to be rebuilt with the new features. You may lose several minutes to bring in even a small change.
As far as simplicity is concerned, creators of Flutter claim that one does not need to have any prior knowledge of programming to get started in Flutter. However, some claim that experience with objected-oriented languages is a surefire advantage. Creating an app all by yourself is perhaps the best way to find out if you cut it?
Another great feature is that your Flutter app will appear the same on devices that have older iOS and Android versions. Flutter is created to run on Android Jelly Bean or newer versions and iOS 8 or newer versions.
4. Compatibility
The widgets become part of the app and not the platform used. Therefore, a majority of performance issues when testing on different OS versions are removed straightaway. This speeds up testing time.
5. Open-Source
The open-source nature of both Flutter and Dart lend several advantages. There is a growing community of expert Flutter developers who contribute to the vast resource pool. This by itself is a great tool for upcoming developers. This means you can get over any obstacle that you may encounter while developing a project. Once again, this is a great time-saving tool. Nevertheless, not every tool needed for every developer is found in these libraries; Google’s support for Flutter is indeed mention-worthy.
6. MVP
Do you have tight budget strings? Are you a startup mobile app development company? If you are thinking of an MVP (minimum viable product) or proof of concept (POC) to show to your clients, Flutter is the answer. This cannot be truer when you do not have much time on your hands and deadlines are tight.
7. Reduced Costs
Reduced development time and a smaller-sized team mean the savings in costs are considerable. For some businesses, this may mane the capability to incorporate more features for lesser costs. This can be a great chance to make their mark in the market with impressive apps at moderate costs for start-ups.
Flutter Showcase
Listed below are some popular apps made using the Flutter framework.
eBay Motors App can be used directly from consumers’ phones to buy and sell vehicles. Listings can be created in a jiffy and the app allows you to browse thousands of different vehicles on your phone. From scanning license plates to uploading one-minute videos of your vehicle, the app is versatile and provides all functionalities for car enthusiasts.
Reflectly was initially written using React Native and subsequently rewritten using Flutter. When the number of users increased the developers faced many challenges and in 2018, they decided to abandon the existing codebase and rewrite the app in Flutter. Reflectly is a personal journaling app that has been well received by users. Simple and beautifully designed, this app boasts more than 8000 daily users across the world.
Google Ads is built using flutter that helps users to track, manage and optimize ad campaigns from their Android/iOS Smartphones while on the go. The app strives to show the world what is unique about your business. This makes it easy for you to reach out to customers looking out for products/services you offer.
Final Thoughts
Zartek is a well-known flutter app development company in Canada and has experts who have worked on a number of projects at excellent retention rates. Zartek's flutter app development services in Canada cover a wide spectrum of industries. Flutter technology enables us to deliver your mobile applications with remarkable features.
Zartek never compromises on application quality and believes in timely delivery while always maintaining development costs. We also give due importance to technical and communication support along with end-to-end development. Being one of the leading flutter development companies in Canada, Zartek offers a separate accessible team is assigned to give 24x7 support service to our customers. Zartek takes good care of the timely maintenance and updates of the applications. Project delivery within a promised time is always guaranteed to our valuable customers with an accurate plan on the development platform, design complexity, features and functionalities to be included, app testing, etc.
Do you want to choose Flutter for your business app? Nobody but you can make that decision. If Flutter’s advantages suit your business app requirements, then go for Flutter. However, it is popular opinion that Flutter’s advantages far surpass any disadvantages that it may have.
