If you have decided to build a mobile application, either for public release or to be used internally, one of the first decisions that you are going to have to make is which app development framework to use.
Even if you are outsourcing the development, it is good to have an idea of what frameworks are out there and which are popular. Flutter is one framework option. Created by Google, it is the most popular mobile framework worldwide and it works across different platforms. It has been used to build apps including eBay Motors, Google Pay, the New York TImes, and MyBMW.
This short guide will help you understand the pros and cons of the Flutter framework so that you can decide whether it is right for you.
What are App Development Frameworks?
You can think of an app development framework like a skeleton. It establishes the basic shape of what will ultimately be created, but around that structure there can be many variations. An app framework comes in the form of pre-existing lines of code around which the developers must fill in the gaps.
Developers tend to specialise in certain frameworks. For example, there are Flutter developer as well as Angular and Vue.js developers. Some of the reasons developers use frameworks are because:
- they allow apps to be built faster and code to be reused,
- they enable a more consistent quality of apps with fewer bugs,
- the developers can seek help using community support in the case of popular frameworks,
- they have already been tested at scale, meaning less will have to be changed when the number of users for an app grows,
- and some frameworks work across platforms, which saves developers from building the same app multiple times.
What is different about Flutter?
Flutter is an open-source framework that launched in 2018. It can be used to build apps for iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, and Linux. It uses a programming language called Dart, which was developed by Google to make it easy to build user interfaces.
Open source means that the original source code is freely available. The main advantages of this are that it is cost-effective, customisable, and there is typically support from a large community of developers using it.
Flutter is also a bit more than just a framework, as there are various tools, libraries and other extras available for it. These are essentially just more pre-existing pieces of code that make an app look a certain way or do certain things.
Flutter Advantages
In addition to the general benefits of frameworks, Flutter offers:
- fast and smooth performance across different platforms,
- low cost,
- lots of educational materials and resources,
- good security features,
- easy app testing,
- the ability to add features to apps developed with different frameworks.
Flutter Disadvantages
- It produces large, memory-consuming applications.
- Dart is not a widely known programming language, although its popularity is increasing.
- It occasionally runs into problems with iOS devices
Good developers will advise you on which framework to use, based on their abilities, your needs, and your country’s regulations and basic online safety expectations. However, when it comes to solid, cross-platform apps with lots of features and visual appeal, Flutter is a good bet.