Flutter App Development: FAQs & What Business Owners Should Know Before Investing

Are you interested in learning more about Flutter app development trends in 2022? If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, you may take a deep breath and relax. We’ll guide you through the most important questions and help you answer them.

What is Flutter?

Google’s Flutter is an open-source mobile application development framework. It aids in the development of cross-platform mobile applications (in iOS and Android).

It allows you to create native-looking Android and iOS apps from the same code base. It comes with a framework, widgets, and tools to help developers create visually appealing, quick mobile apps.

Google initially presented the framework as Sky during the 2015 Dart Developer Summit. Flutter will now power Google’s smart display platform in 2019 and beyond. Google Home Hub, which will allow desktop apps with Chrome OS, is part of the program.

Flutter is sometimes referred to as a portable UI framework for all screens, including web, mobile, desktop, and embedded devices, with a single codebase.

In May 2017, Google published the first alpha version. On December 4th, 2018, Flutter received its first stable 1.0 release after more than 1.5 years.

As the popularity of Flutter app development grows, you will need to have a better grasp of the framework and tailor it to your specific business needs.

Why did Google Create Flutter?

Google Flutter has several advantages for organizations. It’s no surprise that you’d receive continuous support for your Flutter apps. It was designed by Google with a layered architecture to be expressive and versatile for UI. The layered architecture allows for quicker UI rendering, resulting in more customized and stunning designs.

Many analysts see the development of Flutter as a first step toward the widespread adoption of Fuchsia. Experts believe that Google may aim to build on its success with Android with Fuchsia.

Fuchsia’s cross-device capabilities hints that Google may want to expand its footprint in the personal computer operating system industry. Experts predict that the Internet of Things (IoT) will also make an appearance in other high-tech fields.

Google is also attempting to expand the usage of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). These efforts may aid in gaining control of a dominating cross-device operating system. And contribute to future delivery and profit.

Is Flutter Good?

Flutter framework aids in speedier development, eye-catching UI, cost-effectiveness, and ease of development. However, it is preferable to compare the advantages of Flutter to those of React Native and Xamarin.

Let’s go check it out.

Table 1. Mobile Application Development Platforms Comparison

Every framework has advantages and disadvantages. With Flutter allowing for speedier app creation, it is quickly becoming the preferred choice among developers. In the graph below, we can see how Flutter is becoming more popular.

Image 1. Mobile Application Development Platforms Comparison (Popularity among developers)

Finally, it is up to you to select the framework that best meets your mobile app development requirements.

What is Flutter used for?

Flutter is used by mobile app developers to generate visually appealing user interfaces. Developers may create mobile apps fast using the Flutter framework. It is an excellent choice due to the rapid development of low-cost mobile apps. Designers may utilize Flutter to create unique design visions. It may also be used as a prototyping tool.

Developers may use the Flutter framework to create 2D mobile apps that operate on both Android and iOS. It is very simple to create apps that integrate geolocation, camera, network, storage, 3rd party SDKs, and other features.

Who is Using Flutter?

Google, Alibaba, and Abbey Road Studios are among the key market participants with applications.

Let’s take a look at a few players that have used Flutter effectively.

1. Groupon

Groupon, the American global e-commerce company, launched in November 2008, has been using Flutter to create customized app experiences. With award-winning apps, their focus has been on delivering beautiful customer experiences.

2. EMAAR

The leading global property developer Emaar Group chose Flutter as the development framework. Emaar built a new app designed for mobile-first interaction, and developers incorporated distinctive blockchain-based features.

3. Nubank

The Latin American neobank, Nubank, started using Flutter as their leading technology for mobile development. With Flutter, the neobank has been working on solutions to end the complexity of traditional banks. They also attempt to place the financial control back in the hands of the user.

Tencent, The New York Times, Square, Sonos, and Capital One are among some other firms that use Flutter. Why? Flutter, according to experts, is the future of mobile app development. So, if you want to create an app with minimal UI, Flutter is a good place to start.

What Language is Flutter?

Flutter is written in the Dart programming language, which was launched by Google in 2011. Dart syntax is fairly simple to grasp. And because it supports the majority of object-oriented ideas, it is quite simple for JavaScript or Java developers to use. It has much easier syntax than TypeScript and Flow.

Dart has a library of software packages that may be used to improve the functionality of programs. For example, it provides packages that allow developers to use Firebase and construct serverless apps. Dart may also be used as an Ahead of Time (AOT) and Just in Time (JIT) compiler for improved speed.

Is Flutter Only for UI?

Using Flutter, you can easily create apps for the web, desktop, and embedded devices. From a single codebase, developers can create amazing apps.

Isn’t it lovely now? As a result, Flutter has the potential to be a game changer for businesses. The framework’s development for both UI and app development will continue to accelerate.

Flutter can create some of its apps, such as Stadia, using the programming language Dart. The Flutter framework is used by certain firms, like the New York Times, to construct mobile apps. Several major firms, like eBay, Square, Sonos, Alibaba, Capital One, and Tencent, are already creating apps with Flutter.

Developers may utilize Flutter for natively developed programs in addition to creating attractive UIs.

The framework may be used to create cross-platform native apps. It also supports the BLoC pattern and Redux for your app’s responsiveness. Meanwhile, according to the most current 2019 StackOverflow developer poll, Flutter is one of the most popular developer frameworks.

Is Flutter Backend or Front End?

Flutter provides developers with a simple answer to the backend and frontend problems. Typically, frontend and backend files are distinct in Android app development. Flutter, on the other hand, has a reactive framework that use a single language (Dart) for both frontend and backend development. Flutter employs widgets, which reduces the necessity for obtaining references.

Everything in the Flutter framework is a Widget. You may use widgets from a contemporary reactive framework to construct the Flutter UI. Widgets are similar to LEGO bricks in that you can combine them to form an item and then change its appearance.

Widgets are the building pieces of a Flutter program, and each widget is an immutable user interface declaration. Developers may quickly organize backends using widgets and a single language.

How to use Flutter?

If you want to learn how to use Flutter, then the best way would be to refer to the documentation. It’s complete, making the learning, and developing of applications a seamless experience.

Read more: https://Flutter.dev/docs.

The documentation can walk you through topics, such as how to start with Flutter, some examples of apps, widgets, the API docs, and more.

Before you get started with using Flutter, you’d need to install the tools to use Flutter and become familiar with the IDE. Depending on the OS you are using, you can install Flutter on your system. Let’s take a look at installing Flutter on Windows.

Installing Flutter on Windows

To install Flutter on Windows, you can use these steps:

1. Download Flutter from https://storage.googleapis.com/Flutter_infra/releases/stable/windows/Flutter_windows_v1.2.1-stable.zip
2. Extract the file and place it in your desired folder on your system.
3. Locate Flutter_console.bat
4. Run Flutter_console.bat to start the installation.
5. Download and set up Node.js; you can download it from https://nodejs.org/en/download/.
6. Finally, we will need to download and install Git for Windows 2.x: https://gitforwindows/org/.

For Flutter, you can choose to use Android Studio/IntelliJ or Visual Studio (VS) code with Mac/Windows as your OS. IDEs are quite suitable for developing mobile applications.

You will also need plugins for the Dart compilers, code analysis, and the Flutter developer workflow. After the setup, you’d be ready to start developing your applications. You can refer to the documentation at any time you need it.

What are some examples of Flutter Development?

It’s possible to make spectacular apps with the Flutter Framework. Let’s take a look at some examples.

1. Reflectly

Reflectly is a journal that uses AI to help its users to reflect on their daily thoughts and problems.

Founder and CPO at Reflectly, Jacob Kristensen, says, “We had a huge issue with the cross-platform compatibility of our UI.” He adds, “…getting started with Flutter was truly awesome.” With crash rates down tenfold, and users happier than ever, Flutter was quite a perfect fit.

2. KlasterME

The KlaterMe app allowed users to create, share, and discover various forms of content. The Co-founder and Developer at KlasterMe, Abin Baby, says, “Flutter almost works like magic.” He adds, “Flutter has an enthusiastic and helpful community around on Github, Google groups, and Stack Overflow.”

3. Hamilton

The app for Broadway musicals—Hamilton uses Flutter to create a better user experience. Mike Karns says, “We wanted something to make the show more accessible for our fans. So we wanted to develop an app to meet the needs of fans as we started to expand the brand.”

That’s when they turned to New York-based development firm, Posse, the development firm decided to use Flutter. With the Flutter UI kit, developers and designers could create beautiful native experiences. The experiences reflect pixel-perfect results and high performance.

5. Top Goals

You can follow your favorite teams live with Top Goals app. The Creator of the app and Senior Software Engineer, Victor Bonnet, says, “I was highly surprised about the performance, and I also loved playing with animations.”

6. Pairing

The Pairing app aims to connect singles and is a safe environment for finding the right match. The Co-founder at Pairing, Ronen Rabinovici, says, “Business-wise, one needs to understand that Flutter gives you a cross-platform solution.” He adds that a massive advantage of Flutter is the Instant Run. And developing with Flutter feels like native development.

7. Meeve

Meeve is another fantastic app that connects people offline. The Co-founder at Meeve, Ishaan Bahal, says, “Development in Flutter is a breeze.” He adds that Flutter can reduce development costs by half.

8. Birch Finance

The app encapsulates credit card rewards and helps its users to manage and optimize existing cards. The app is a beautiful way for users to find the best card for them.

9. Coach Yourself

The Coach Yourself app is a brilliant meditation app for the German-language market. Users can use the app to strengthen their personal development.

If you’ve just started exploring the Flutter app world, then here are some simple examples that can help you with Flutter app development.

Read more: https://github.com/nisrulz/Flutter-examples.

So, have fun exploring and creating amazing apps.

What are the Prerequisites for Flutter Development?

To create apps with Flutter, you’d need:

1. A computer – Mac or PC.
2. Install Flutter on the OS of your choice.
3. Get the Flutter SDK.
4. Install the IDE, such as Android Studio.
5. Install the Flutter and dart plugins.

Now, you’re nearly ready to start creating your Flutter apps. You can always refer to the documentation at any time. Read more: https://Flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install.

When developing, what can help you is:

1. Know-how of Dart language
2. Know-how of object-oriented languages such as Java, C++, and OOP concepts
3. Some necessary knowledge of native Android development
4. Willingness to learn

As you dive into development, it would help to know some more benefits of Flutter. Let’s check them out.

1. Faster Code Writing

With Flutter, developers can write code fast. They can make changes in the code and see them directly in the app. With hot reload that takes milliseconds, developers can add features, fix bugs, and also experiment faster.

2. Less Testing

It’s quite simple! If you have the same app for two platforms, then it means less testing. Because of a single codebase, developers can now write automatic tests only once. The method makes the QA process fast.

3. Perfect for MVP

Flutter is perfect as an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). So, when you have very little time to show to your investors, you’ll find Flutter handy.

4. Excellent performance

Flutter has outstanding performance because it uses Dart, which compiles into native code. Flutter has its widgets, so you’ll not need to access OEM ones. With these exciting features, developers benefit from fast app startup times and lesser performance issues.

5. Open-source

Flutter is an open-source technology, and an active community of developers supports it. The community contributes to the tool’s extensive documentation and also offers helpful resources. The best part, both Dart and Flutter, is free to use.

6. Excellent Flutter documentation

Flutter has an extensive library with a broad base of examples. Even widgets and class documentation are intensive. So, developers can benefit from the well-written documentation.

With increasing benefits, it is easy to say that using Flutter can help in seamless app development. However, the bigger question is, should you use Flutter to create an app?

Let’s check out.

Flutter mobile app development delivers a variety of advantages for enterprises. With its numerous advantages, you should think about using it to create creative apps. You may also be confident in its support because it is backed by a behemoth like Google.

Flutter’s future in app development seems bright. It is ideal for developing cross-platform apps. And the hot reload function adds to the excitement.

So, be ready to dive into the Flutter framework and create unique mobile app development solutions.

Flutter is becoming increasingly popular among mobile developers all around the world. Why? It is to be ahead of the competition and to reap the benefits of the framework.

The Flutter developer team is apparently working on a project dubbed ‘Hummingbird.’ Experts predict that with the new initiative, developers would be able to create iOS, Android, and web apps from a single codebase.

Flutter has caught the attention of web developers as a result of this new breakthrough.

Flutter will find a way to be one of the leading alternatives for app development in 2022 and beyond. The Flutter framework is rising in popularity because to its ease of use, shorter development time, and lower investment.

While the Flutter community works hard to improve the framework’s efficiency, you may expect improved standards of cross-platform development with Flutter in 2022 and beyond.

Do you want to learn how to create a beautiful mobile app with Flutter? Please contact us.

We are an award-winning online and mobile app development firm with extensive expertise in creating safe mobile applications for startups to Fortune 500 enterprises.

We have assisted several corporations and individual entrepreneurs in making their app ideas a digital reality.

Let’s talk about it.