The Benefits of Using Flutter for Building Your Next App

Many developers are choosing to build apps using cross-platform frameworks, rather than native frameworks. Native frameworks involve using multiple codebases for different devices, resulting in longer developing times and higher production costs. On the other hand, cross-platform frameworks allow developers to build apps for both iOS and Android with one single codebase–cutting down on production costs, while still reaching a wide range of users.

There are many cross-platform frameworks to choose from, but Flutter is growing in popularity among software development teams–currently, Flutter has 131,000 stars on Github (and rising) and there are over 200,000 apps built with the Flutter framework in the Google Play store alone.

What Is Flutter Technology?

Released in 2017, Google’s Flutter is an open-source UI toolkit that allows developers to make apps for mobile, desktop, and web apps from a single codebase. Flutter is a complete SDK (software development kit) that comes with a framework and other tools, including a library of pre-built Material Design and Cupertino widgets.

Flutter apps are developed in Dart, which is a powerful object-oriented language, but the framework itself is developed in C++. Graphics are rendered using the Skia engine, an open-source graphics library written in C++. This efficient implementation results in light and high-performance apps.

What Are the Benefits of Using Flutter?

Shorter Development Time

In addition to the time saved from creating an app using a single codebase, rather than multiple codebases, Flutter has other tools that speed up development. For example, Flutter’s stateful hot reload allows developers to view changes to the UI in real-time when updating or debugging apps. Flutter also has a Static Code Analysis tool that analyzes the Dart code in order to find bugs or other errors before execution.

Higher App Performance

Compared to Xamarin or React Native, Flutter offers an overall higher app performance, with a quicker rendering of UI and graphics, and seamless integration with the OS platform.
Users will find that Flutter apps load quickly and run fast. The Flutter team promises 60fps or 120 fps on devices capable of 120Hz updates. Graphics and animations are drawn on the screen in real-time by the rendering engine Skia, much like in a video game. In comparison, technologies like React Native and Xamarin tend to run slower. Additionally, Flutter-based apps load faster, since their run time is lighter in terms of memory requirements, compared to other platforms such as Ionic or Xamarin.

Native-Like UI Design

Flutter promises beautiful and native-like apps whose UI is more stable than that of React Native and Xamarin. Despite the device or screen size, Flutter’s UI remains consistent and is more likely to appear the same on older versions of iOS and Android systems.

Truly Cross-Platform

Flutter 2.2 can be used to create mobile, desktop, web, and embedded apps. The UI and UX of Flutter apps will remain consistent and beautiful on any screen size and on any of the five operating systems: iOS, Android, Linux, Microsoft, and macOS.

AccelOne Uses Flutter to Build Custom Apps and Deliver Custom Solutions to Unique Challenges

A client contracted our software development company, AccelOne, to build an app that would help local independent coffee shops connect with their customers. Customers can download the app and search for coffee shops nearest to them and then “skip the line” by ordering ahead. They can also create a profile and earn loyalty points that can be redeemed in the shops.

AccelOne used Flutter to develop this app in record time while providing a consistent UI and UX experience on both Android and iOS. If you’re looking for a software development solution, consider hiring a software development team of expert Flutter developers. To learn more about how AccelOne can help you build a Flutter app, contact us Online or call 800.863.6814.