Flutter App Development: Is it the Right Choice for Startups?

Imagine that you have published an Android app that is experiencing daily growth. The pressure to release an iOS version is intensifying. Some users have also requested a lightweight web version of the application. You have neither the budget to hire a developer nor the time to learn an entirely new programming language, let alone create a production-ready launch.

Here is where cross-platform application development comes into play. Cross-platform app development allows you to create an app for multiple platforms using a single codebase. The Android app's code can be deployed on iOS, the web, or as a desktop application with minimal modification. This eliminates the need to maintain a separate codebase entirely. Isn't that fantastic? Flutter, React Native, PhoneGap, Ionic, and Xamarin are the cross-platform app development frameworks and tools available on the market. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. This article will discuss Flutter and its advantages and disadvantages.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is Google's UI toolkit for developing natively compiled applications for mobile (Android, iOS), desktop (Linux, Mac, Windows, Google Fuchsia), and the web from a single codebase. The first version of Flutter ran only on the Android operating system and was introduced at the Dart Developer Summit in 2015. Flutter 1.0 was released at the Flutter Live event on December 4, 2018, signifying the first "stable" version of the Framework.

App development was costly when Objective C/Swift and Java/Kotlin were the primary languages for mobile development. You had to develop two separate applications, which required you to perform the same tasks twice.

Several frameworks for creating hybrid (or cross-platform) apps in HTML5 and Javascript have been developed to solve this issue. Among cross-platform toolkits such as Phonegap, Xamarin, React Native, and others, the Flutter framework has rapidly gained popularity among developers, businesses, entrepreneurs, and end-users.

Flutter is a portable UI toolkit for developing native-like mobile, web, and desktop applications using a single codebase. It incorporates Material Design and Cupertino widgets and the programming language Dart. Flutter developers can create native-looking and -feeling spectacular user interfaces. Even though you're using a single codebase, it behaves naturally on all platforms.

Flutter is the only framework with a mobile SDK that provides a responsive design without using a Javascript bridge, achieving performance comparable to that of its relative and direct competitor, React Native. It easily integrates with applications for various platforms, including Android, iOS, Linux, MAC, Windows, and Google Fuchsia.

What Programming Language is the Foundation of Flutter?

The Flutter SDK is based on the Google-developed Dart programming language. Its purpose is to replace traditional JavaScript. On a server, Dart programs can be executed directly, whereas, in a web browser, they are converted to JavaScript using the Dart2js transcompiler.

Dart is used to develop apps for Google's new platform, Fuchsia, directly. Its structure is comparable to popular object-oriented programming languages such as Java and C#.

What is the Purpose of Flutter?

Flutter is utilized for the development of cross-platform applications for iOS and Android using a single codebase. Flutter-enabled applications are native iOS and Android apps that are highly compatible. Before deployment, the applications are compiled for their respective platform.

However, Flutter does not require a browser or runtime module to execute an application. Using a single codebase, you can create web apps for browsers and native applications for macOS, Linux, and Windows with the assistance of Flutter app development. In addition, Google uses Flutter to improve the user experience of various Google Assistant and Google Home Hub modules. Additionally, renowned eCommerce platforms such as Alibaba Group, Groupon, and eBay use Flutter to provide customers with a seamless user experience.

Advantages of Flutter

High Efficiency

Because Flutter is cross-platform, you can use the same code base for iOS and Android applications. This will undoubtedly save you time and resources.

Excellent Performance

Dart compiles to native code, and Flutter has its widgets, so there is no need to access OEM widgets. This results in less mediation between the application and the platform. Flutter is the only mobile SDK that supports reactive views without needing a JavaScript bridge. This results in quicker app startup times and fewer performance issues.

Rapid and Easy Development

One of the most lauded features of Flutter is hot reload, which enables you to view code changes on emulators, simulators, and hardware in real-time. The modified code is supplied in less than a second while the app runs without requiring a restart. This is useful not only for UI development or feature addition but also for bug fixing. Flutter claims in its documentation that programming with Flutter is so simple that no prior programming experience is necessary: "Experience with object-oriented languages is certainly helpful, but non-programmers have created Flutter apps!" Only one way exists to determine whether this is true.

Compatibility

Since widgets are part of the application and not the platform, compatibility issues between OS versions are likely minimal or nonexistent. This results in less time spent testing.

Open-Source

Flutter and Dart are both open-source and free to use, with extensive documentation and community support to assist you with any issues you may encounter.

Development of Cross-Platform Versus Native Applications

The world is currently experiencing a digital transformation that has become an integral part of our lives. As the number of mobile applications and operating systems increases at an accelerated rate, there are two significant concerns for startups:

Globally, there are approximately 6 million app users. Therefore, is it possible to launch an application on a budget?

Is it possible to establish a foothold in this dynamic market and make a difference, given that new startups emerge daily?

The only way to overcome these obstacles is to develop a cross-platform application with an innovative concept. Creating a cross-platform application is more accessible and less expensive for a startup.

Is Flutter the Best Option for Developing Apps for Startups?

Configuration

Flutter provides a user-friendly IDE configuration for iOS and Android platforms. Flutter Doctor, an integrated CLI tool, assists developers in establishing an environment for application development.

Engineering Architecture

The technical architecture of a mobile application development project is decisive. Skip is the foundation for Flutter that provides everything required for application development. Flutter does not need an external bridge to connect native components, as everything is within its framework.

Development API & UI

Flutter provides a vast selection of libraries and components for native elements, including state management, testing, UI, navigation, UI rendering components, and API access.

Test Support

Flutter includes comprehensive documentation for application testing, widgets, and various other innovative and unique features.

Create Automation

With Flutter's development services, launching applications in the app store and play store is more accessible. It provides a CLI interface to expedite the app's release by accelerating the development process.

DevOps Support

After the application has been successfully released to the market, it is essential to maintain it and issue regular updates. Flutter's CI/CD support simplifies post-installation maintenance.

Conclusion

Flutter is now a compelling framework that cannot be ignored. Whether you like or dislike Flutter, as an iOS app Developer, you must experiment with Flutter and Dart to comprehend their true capabilities. Whether Flutter will replace native iOS applications is still unknown. While we await this answer, it is safe to say that Flutter's future is exceptionally bright. Even if it fails to replace native app development, it has already demonstrated the best UI design framework currently available.