The way Flutter is setting the trend in app development is making Flutter a leading framework for developers. Know how and why? Let's dive in the guide.
8 Reasons Why Flutter is the Future of Mobile App Development
1. Flutter is the Future of App Development: Here's
the Proof
Flutter has emerged as a transformative UI development framework. It has been
continuously making impressive progress in the world of app development since its
inception. By empowering developers to build cutting-edge mobile apps, it has set out itself
as a market disruptor. Its ability to create high-quality mobile apps quickly and efficiently
makes it the top choice in the industry.
Therefore, this Google-backed technology is reshaping the future of app development. If you
are curious to know why Flutter is turning into a disruptive force and how it is becoming the
future of app development, here in this blog, we will discuss it. So, let’s dive into
The Current Market Landscape Of Flutter App Development
Flutter was launched in May 2017 by Google. It was built to support the creation of
single-code applications for web, mobile, and desktop platforms. This is a feature-rich UI
SDK that enables developers to create intuitive UIs and responsive features. Flutter helps in
not only reducing the development efforts but also costs and launch time.
Therefore, in the past few years, Flutter has evolved as one of the top cross-platform app
development frameworks in the market. This framework is used by developers and mobile
app development companies across the entire globe. Businesses and startups hire Flutter
app developers to build customized mobile apps for Android and iOS.
2. In 2023, over 13,887 companies have used Flutter in their app development tools. Out of
this, 21.48% of Flutter users are from India, 17.26% from the USA, and 6.61% from Brazil.
(Source:https://6sense.com/tech/application-development/flutter-market-share)
According to the latest mobile app industry statistics, Flutter's dominance over the mobile
app development market has increased substantially. It has gained an edge over its top rival
React Native and other popular cross-platform app development tools.
Flutter’s explosive rise in popularity over the years
https://insights.stackoverflow.com/trends?tags=flutter%2Creact-native
3. Cross-platform frameworks used by developers worldwide (2019- 2022)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/869224/worldwide-software-developer-working-hours/
Examples of successful apps built with Flutter
Flutter has been used by various companies including leading brands. There are many top
mobile apps built with Flutter that contributed to business growth. Below are mentioned
some of them.
1. Alibaba Group's Xianyu: Xianyu is one of China's largest online marketplaces for
second-hand goods.
2. Google Ads: Google developed the Google Ads app using Flutter.
3. Tencent's Nowcoder: Nowcoder is a platform for IT and software engineering
learning.
4. Reflectly: Reflectly is a popular mindfulness and journaling app.
5. eBay Motors: eBay Motors, a branch of eBay focused on automotive sales, used
Flutter to develop its app.
6. The New York Times Crossword: The New York Times chose Flutter to build the
mobile app for its renowned crossword puzzle.
7. Nubank: A leading digital bank in Brazil, employed Flutter for its mobile banking app.
4. 8. Dream11: It is a fantasy sports platform in India that utilized Flutter to enhance the
user experience of its app.
9. Hamilton: The official app for the hit musical "Hamilton" was built with Flutter.
10. Hookle: Hookle is a social media management and content scheduling app.
What Features Make Flutter a Better Cross-Platform
Development Framework?
Flutter has gained popularity as a leading cross-platform development platform. It stands out
from other frameworks due to several reasons. Here's a detailed explanation of the features
that make Flutter a compelling choice for developers and businesses looking to build
feature-powered mobile apps.
1. Single Codebase
Flutter allows developers to write code once and use it across multiple platforms Android,
iOS, web, and desktop. This single codebase approach significantly reduces development
time and effort. As a result, it helps in saving a significant amount of the cost of app
development.
2. Hot Reload
One of Flutter's most celebrated features is its "Hot Reload" functionality. Developers can
instantly see the impact of code changes in the app without restarting it. This feature
accelerates development, making it highly efficient and productive.
3. Expressive UI
Flutter provides a rich set of customizable widgets. It allows developers to create visually
stunning and highly customized user interfaces. Unlike some other cross-platform
frameworks that use native components, Flutter renders its widgets directly on the canvas.
Consequently, it allows for pixel-perfect UI control and delivers high-quality UX.
4. High-performance
Flutter's architecture includes a high-performance rendering engine called Skia. This engine
ensures smooth animations and fast UI rendering. This is particularly important for
applications that require a fluid and responsive user experience. Thus, apps built with Flutter
deliver excellent app performance.
5. 5. Access to Native Features
Flutter allows developers to access native platform features and APIs using platform
channels. This means that you can seamlessly integrate platform-specific functionalities into
your Flutter app. As a result, it gives you full control over device capabilities.
6. Rich Ecosystem
Flutter has a growing ecosystem of packages and plugins available on the Flutter pub. dev
repository. These packages cover a wide range of functionalities, including database
integration, state management, and third-party service integration. This extensive library of
packages simplifies development and speeds up the process.
7. Consistent Design
Flutter's widgets are designed to follow the Material Design guidelines on Android and the
Cupertino design principles on iOS. This ensures that your app maintains a consistent look
and feel on both platforms while allowing for customization.
8. Extensive Community Support
Flutter has a passionate and active developer community. This community contributes to the
framework's growth by creating plugins. It provides support on forums, tutorials, and other
helpful resources. This community support is highly useful for Flutter developers for
problem-solving and learning.
9. Web and Desktop Support
Flutter's ability to target web and desktop platforms in addition to mobile is a significant
advantage. This means you can use Flutter to build applications that run on a wide range of
devices. As a result, it empowers you to expand your user reach across all platforms.
10. Open Source & Backed by Google
Flutter is an open-source project. It benefits from community contributions and is not tied to
any proprietary platform. It is backed by Google, which adds credibility and ensures ongoing
development and support.
11. Reduced Testing Effort
Since Flutter uses the same codebase across platforms, testing becomes more streamlined.
You can focus on testing the core functionality of your app once, reducing the testing effort
and improving overall app quality.
6. 12. Cost-Efficient
Developing with Flutter can be more cost-effective for businesses because it reduces
development time and effort. It also minimizes the need for platform-specific developers and
provides a consistent user experience across platforms. Hence, Flutter helps in building
mobile apps at reduced costs.
Comparison of Flutter with Other Cross-Platform Development Frameworks
Feature Flutter React Native Xamarin
Development
Language
Dart JavaScript C# (XAML for UI)
Single Codebase
for Platforms
Yes Yes Yes
Performance Excellent; Native
compilation
Good; JavaScript
bridge
Good; Uses Mono for
compilation
UI Components Custom widgets; Rich
library
Native components;
Extensible with
libraries
Native components;
Extensible
Hot Reload Yes Yes Yes
Community and
Ecosystem
Growing; Active Large; Active Large; Active
7. Development Time Fast, due to Hot
Reload
Good; Slower than
Flutter
Good; Slower than
Flutter
Learning Curve Moderate; Dart may
require adjustment
Low; Familiar web
technologies
Moderate; C#
familiarity helps
Native-Like Look
and Feel
Yes Yes Yes
Platform-Specific
Code
Required for some
advanced features
Required for some
advanced features
Required for
platform-specific
features
Integration with
Native Code
Easy through platform
channels
Possible, but requires
extra effort
Strong support for
native integration
Community
Support and
Libraries
Growing library support
and active community
Extensive library
support and a large
community
Extensive library
support and
community
Web and Desktop
Support
Yes (Experimental) No Yes (with Xamarin.
Forms for desktop)
Backed by Google Facebook Microsoft
8. Licensing Open-source Open-source Partly open-source;
commercial options
Why Flutter is the Future of App Development
Flutter's status as the future of app development is rooted in its unique set of features and
advantages. It addresses many of the challenges faced by app developers today. Being
open-source, Flutter benefits from continuous improvements and updates from its active
developer community and Google. This ensures that it remains up-to-date with the latest
industry trends and technologies. Here are the following reasons why Flutter is becoming the
future of mobile app development.
1. Performance and Speed
Flutter compiles native ARM code, which results in high app performance. It offers smooth
animations, fast UI rendering, and excellent responsiveness. As a result, it stands out as an
ideal choice for building apps that require high-standard features.
2. Rich Ecosystem of Widgets
Flutter comes with a rich set of pre-designed widgets for common UI elements. Additionally,
the Flutter community actively contributes to a vast library of packages and plugins that
extend functionality. Hence, its usage to integrate various features into apps will increase
more in the near time.
3. Web and Desktop Support
Flutter has expanded beyond mobile to support web and desktop application development.
Developers can use a single codebase to target multiple platforms. Thus, developers and
mobile app development companies will use Flutter predominantly due to its multi-platform
support.
4. Strong Community and Resources
Flutter has a rapidly growing and engaged developer community. This means that
developers have access to a wealth of tutorials, documentation, and support resources to
help them overcome challenges. So, new Flutter developers will have good community
support and start with app development.
5. Google's Ongoing Investment
Google continues to invest in Flutter. The tech giant is always working to ensure its
long-term viability. Google's backing adds credibility and reassurance for developers and
businesses alike. In the near time, Google will release more updates for Flutter to make it
more useful.
9. 6. Cost-Effectiveness
Flutter's cross-platform nature and faster development times translate to cost savings for
businesses. It allows startups and enterprises to build high-quality apps within budget
constraints.
7. Expanded Industry Adoption
Flutter is being adopted across various industries, including finance, e-commerce,
entertainment, healthcare, and education. This widespread adoption is a testament to its
versatility and suitability for diverse app needs. Therefore, businesses across different
industries will prefer Flutter for building market-ready apps.
8. Flutter for Embedded Systems
Flutter's adaptability extends to embedded systems. It is quite suitable for developing user
interfaces for devices beyond smartphones and tablets, such as smart TVs, IoT devices, and
more. As the demand for Flutter app development services is increasing for other emerging
technologies, Flutter’s development adaptability will make it a prominent framework in the
near time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Flutter has emerged as a true pioneer in the realm of mobile app
development. Its unique combination of features and capabilities has propelled it to be at the
forefront of the competition, making it not just a trend but a transformative force.
As we look ahead, Flutter's trajectory seems destined to redefine the way we build, deploy,
and experience applications. Therefore, its evolution as the future of mobile app
development is not a surprise.
For business, this gives a huge market scope to launch a business-oriented mobile app with
future-proof technology. RipenApps being the top Flutter app development company can
assist you in building a top-notch mobile app using Flutter for your business.