Flutter is becoming a hot topic now apparently. The open source mobile app development framework developed by Google is getting rapidly adopted by mobile app development companies evident from the increasing rate at which Flutter apps are popping up on Google Play. Considering the fact that the framework’s first stable release, Flutter 1.0, was on December 4th, 2018, this can be seen as a rapid growth.
One major reason behind Flutter’s increasing demand could be the fact that it actually makes cross-platform app development work. Flutter facilitates much easier cross-platform mobile app development i.e. there’s no need to develop iOS and Android apps separately with Flutter. Only a single codebase is needed for both platforms. But this is just one of its many benefits.
App developers who want to develop or improve their apps should be aware of everything Flutter can do, including its benefits.
Though it does have a fair share of cons, in this blog, we will be exploring only the major advantages of using Flutter for app development.
Faster app development
Many developers vouch for the fact that mobile app development is much faster with Flutter without compromising app quality. Faster app development with Flutter is also attributed to one particular feature of the framework called ‘hot reload’. With ‘hot reload’, any changes in the code are instantly reflected on the app. This allows the app development team to add features and fix bugs faster.
The feature also facilitates better collaboration between designers, developers, and testers allowing them to do quick experiments and test out ideas on the go. Not all changes can be ‘hot reloaded’ however but the feature has seemingly made Flutter a great choice for many companies offering enterprise application services.
Single codebase
As mentioned before, Flutter is a great cross-platform app development framework requiring the developers to write just a single codebase for an app that can run on both iOS and Android. The framework doesn’t depend on platforms. Though the developer can have the same app on both iOS and Android, it’s still possible to distinguish between them.
Lesser testing effort
Because one app can be on two platforms with Flutter, the QA & Testing process would be faster. The testing team won’t have to put a lot of effort to test both the iOS and Android versions of the app. They essentially have only one app to check.
Faster apps with better UI
Flutter apps have been found to be particularly faster providing smooth, seamless scrolling experiences while in use. Thanks to the framework’s built-in widgets, advanced APIs, and scrolling & navigation features, developers can create apps with stunning, immersive user interfaces.
Great option to develop MVP
Due to its cross-platform nature and its capability to speed up development, Flutter is a great choice to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). It essentially gives a functioning app to a business quickly and at reduced development costs.
Close ties with Fuchsia
Fuchsia, a capability-based OS that Google is currently developing, turned a lot of heads ever since in appeared on GitHub in 2016. It’s based on a new microkernel called Zircon, and is reportedly capable of running on many platforms – from embedded systems to mobile devices and personal computers. Now it’s been revealed that Fuchsia’s UI and apps are written with Flutter. The official release of Fuchsia will trigger big changes in app development, and developers with hands-on experience with Flutter will be able to capitalize.
Conclusion
Flutter certainly is one of the most intriguing mobile technologies available today. Though many organizations are still hesitant to embrace it, the framework is slowly gaining momentum especially after the reveal of its ties with Google’s Fuchsia. Flutter could be the future of mobile app development, making even smaller businesses capable of affording mobile apps on popular platforms.
