Sprint 9 :: Flutter: the technology behind your next mobile product
by Daniel Cabral
In an age where both newcoming and experienced developers can have headaches caused by the sheer amount of potential options to choose from for mobile development frameworks, it’s interesting to look into why Flutter is finding so much success.
Naturally, the fact that it’s developed and maintained by Google is a huge credibility booster, but what actually makes Flutter different and.. dare I say it, better? (I’ll leave that for you to decide)
⏩ Speed of development:
The world moves fast, and the mobile application world follows suit. It is important to minimize time spent on development and this is where a cross-platform framework like Flutter can help. Instead of building two separate native apps for Android and iOS, you can achieve both with just one codebase! Now, this might not be news to you, given that there are many cross-platform frameworks just like it. So, where does Flutter really shine?
📱 Flexible UI:
When it comes to UI customization, no-one can compete. Flutter has a layered architecture that allows for you to control every pixel on the screen. And when you couple that with Flutter’s built-in widget library, it couldn’t be easier to create beautiful and highly performant applications.
⌨️ Dart Language:
Dart is the programming language used in Flutter. Developed by Google for the purpose of supporting mobile, desktop and web applications, it maintains a close relationship with Flutter. Almost all of Flutter’s code is written in Dart, which is great because it means practically everything can be customized! And let’s not forget some of the built-in tools we have access to for easing the development headaches we’re trying to avoid, like: Dart DevTools, which allows for debugging, and the Widget Inspector to help visualize the tree hierarchy.
✨ Performance:
If you thought I was out of great things to say, you were wrong! Flutter apps can run at up to 120 frames per second if the device supports it, so look no further if a smooth user experience is one of your priorities.
🔃 Versatility:
I don’t think it would be an understatement to claim that Flutter is changing cross-platform development as we know it.. Although it would be a fair point to make that these are not yet at the desired level, Flutter also allows you to build for web and desktop, all while sharing the same codebase you’re using for your mobile apps!
So look, I get it.. I’ve talked up Flutter and made it seem like the best invention since sliced bread. 🍞 But why should you take my word for it? Don’t. Success stories include Alibaba, MyBMW, eBay Motors, Google Pay, iRobot, Nubank, Toyota and many more. In fact, here are a couple of testimonials:
“Everyone loved Flutter — you could see the thrill on people’s faces as they talked about how fast it was to build a user interface.”
David Ko, Engineering Director, Google Pay
“Having Flutter as our main technology has significantly reduced the barrier, allowing new engineers to be able to contribute to our app within days after being onboarded.”
Noe Branagan, Engineering Manager, Nubank
Seeing Flutter among the top players for cross-platform mobile development frameworks and rising, whilst having come out later than most, the odds favor Flutter to be a solid option for the foreseeable future when it comes to choosing a reliable, performant, easy-to-use technology for your next mobile product! 🚀
Daniel Cabral & The Product Land ⛰️
Wanna know more? Stay tuned and subscribe for the next sprints! ☟
And also.. get in touch with us if you want to! 🌐