What is Flutter?

In this guide, we will explain everything you need to know about Flutter.

What We Cover

• What is Flutter ?
• Disadvantages of Flutter
• History of Flutter
• Why Flutter ?
• Flutter in the future

What is Flutter?

Flutter is a Mobile UI Framework and a free and open source Software Development Kit (SDK). By the 1400s, mobile apps were becoming increasingly popular. Fortunately, there are several programming tools available to developers. One of these application development tools is Flutter.

Simply put, Flutter allows developers to build a Native Application with just one source code (Codebase). A native application is built for use on a specific device and operating system. The ability to develop a native application with just one source code in Flutter means that you can build two or more different applications for iOS and Android with just one programming language and one source code. Flutter consists of two important parts, which are as follows.

• SDK (Software Development Kit): A set of tools that help develop an application.
• Software Framework (Widget-based interface): A set of user interface components that can be customized as needed. For example, buttons, text inputs, sliders, and other elements in applications can be considered as examples of Flutter widgets.

What is a widget in Flutter?

Each widget is defined as a Structural Element, a Stylistic, a Layout Aspect, and many more. Structural elements include a button or menu, and a font or color pattern can be examples for a style element. Padding ‌ (internal distance from the element to the margin) can also be mentioned for a design aspect. The central idea of ​​Flutter is to use widgets. In fact, it is possible to build an entire user interface from zero to one hundred with widgets.

It is noteworthy that Flutter does not use OEM (original equipment manufacturer) widgets. However, Flutter has its own built-in widgets that look just like native apps for Android or iOS apps. Naturally, developers can create their own custom widgets in Flutter. It also provides developers with a Reactive-Style View Flutter . Currently, Flutter is the only mobile SDK that provides responsive views without the need for a JavaScript bridge. This is why many developers use Flutter in their projects.

What is Dart?

Dart is a Typed Object Programming Language. Dart can be used to build mobile applications. Dart focuses on front-end development. Dart programming language is used for development with Flutter. Google introduced dart in early 1390 and has greatly improved it over the years. Dart syntax can be compared to JavaScript.

Why is dart used in flutter?

One of the reasons for using dart in the Flutter is to prevent performance problems. These performance problems can occur due to the use of a Compiled Programming Language, which acts as a JavaScript bridge. Flutter compiles Dart for native platforms (Ahead of Time | AoT) to native code for different platforms (Ahead of Time | AoT).

This way, Flutter can easily communicate with the platform without the need for a JavaScript bridge. A JavaScript bridge is a context switching process between the JavaScript domain and the local domain. AoT compilation leads to faster application loading and opening.

To achieve this, Flutter creates many objects that may appear in a single frame. Dart uses generational Garbage Collection, which is very efficient for this type of system. Dart has a repository of software packages to extend the capabilities of applications. Dart, for example, comes with Firebase access packages so developers can build server-free applications. Another package allows access to a Redux data warehouse, or facilitates access to the services of an operating system or hardware on a platform such as a camera.

History of Flutter

Flutter was introduced by Google in 1397. Of course, Flutter has been around since 2015 and was introduced by Google, but it was in a trial phase until mid-2016, when it was officially released. The first version of Flutter was known as the code “Sky”. At the time, Sky only ran on the Android operating system.

Why was Flutter made?

The motivation for creating a flutter lies in exploring for greater speed. According to Eric Seidel, Google’s flutter project manager, in the early stages of fluttering, the framework was only conceived as a scaled-down version of Chrome. The developers of Google tried to change Chrome in a way to eliminate the compatibility of Chrome with the web. They tried to remove many of the chrome accessories to see how much they could speed it up.

They achieved something that could not render any web page. However, it was possible to carry out the necessary benchmarks, and when the assessments were done, a twenty-fold increase in speed showed that there was something worthwhile to build. Thus, a rendering engine was formed. Also, at that time, searches were underway to find a suitable programming language.

At one point, Flutter was written in JavaScript. According to Eric Seidel, the development team has done a number of rewrites. They had a processing engine written entirely in C ++. Then, they started writing more JavaScript code. However, they encountered problems with the JavaScript code and, as a result, began searching for another programming language. By the time they found the dart, all or most of the C ++ code was gone.

Where did the idea for the name Flutter come from?

According to Eric Seidel, naming a job is generally very difficult. The founders of darts used a method called trademark search. Searching for a trademark ensures that it is possible to use a name in different countries. However, this is not cheap and may take a long time.

However, the creators of Flutter could not find a suitable and usable name. As a result, they decided to use the names of companies that Google had bought in the past. The name “Flutter” has its roots in a small startup that Google bought in the past. This startup had failed. But its name was still owned by Google, and so the name Flutter was chosen by the development team.

Has the dart been modified for use in the flutter?

According to Eric Seidel, one of the founders of Flutter, in the early years of darting in Flutter, many features were added to the dart by the Dart team specifically for use in flutter development. For example, the ability to create trailing comments on the dart to format the fultter is one of the additions to the dart.

Flutter Applications

Flutter technology called “Flutter 1.0” was formed in mid-1397. Since then, Flutter is no longer just a toolbox for mobile operating systems, but has also proven its ability to produce products for desktop browsers.

Web support for Flutter

In early 2009, the Flutter Development team presented a demo version for web development, originally called the Hummingbird. However, after a while, its name was changed to “Web Flutter”. Flutter provides advanced operating system features such as geolocation coordinates (GPS), sensor data collection, license management, Bluetooth, identity documents, and other features in Google-supported plug-ins.

If an application is dependent on an OS-Level Feature feature and that feature is not available as an add-on, Flutter can communicate between the Dart programming language and local code using platform channels.

What kind of applications are developed with Flutter?

It can be easily said that any type of application can be developed using a flutter. From building apps for online retailers to banking and big business, you can use the flutter. The following is a list of some of the applications that can be developed with the flutter.

• For a variety of online retail purposes, including customer loyalty programs, catalogs, and online stores
• Banking and Financial Technologies (Fintech), which is compatible even with small businesses.
• Suppliers and franchisees
• Large businesses such as call centers, couriers and relocations and other large-scale businesses

Why you should learn flutter?

Easy to use and learn, fast implementation, suitability for startups, comprehensive documentation, and a growing community are just some of the reasons Flutter excels. So far, thousands of apps developed with Flutter have been released in various app stores. A notable example of this is the Xianyu app, developed by the Alibaba team and currently used by more than 50 million users. In this section of “What is Flutter”, each of the reasons why Flutter is superior to its competitors is examined.

Simplicity of learning and using the Flutter

Flutter is a new framework, and building mobile applications with Flutter is much easier than other software development frameworks such as Java, Swift, and React Native. It can be said that many software developers before Flutter were not very interested in developing applications on mobile devices and only after Flutter entered the field of mobile development. In Flutter, the coding volume is greatly reduced.

High speed of development and efficiency of the Flutter

With the flutter you can change the code and see real-time results in the emulator or hardware. This feature is called Hot-Reload. After saving, it takes very little time to update and run the application, and the modified code will reload in less than a second.

Meanwhile, the app is still running and does not need to be restarted. It is only in certain editing operations that programmers are forced to restart the application. Even so, reloading the app takes very little time. But if the changes are only to the extent of changing the size of an element, these changes are done immediately. This feature simplifies the process of adding a new feature and fixing errors.

Proper execution speed and proper performance of the Flutter

Another reason for Flutter’s acceptable performance is its use of darts because, as explained, Dart translates native code to AoT. Also, Flutter uses its own widgets, so there is no need to use OEM widgets. As a result, there will be less interaction and correspondence between the application and the platform, which will improve the performance and speed of the application developed with Flutter.

High compatibility in the Flutter

Using flutter with custom widgets leads to fewer compatibility issues. With Flutter, developers will have fewer problems with different versions of the operating system and can spend less time testing the application on older versions. It is also safe to say that applications developed with Flutter will be compatible with future versions of the operating system.

It should be noted that when a new version of Android or iOS is released, the flutter widgets need to be updated. This update should be done because Flutter does not use native platform widgets. Given that Google itself makes extensive use of Flutter for internal use, the Flutter team is always keen to keep the Flutter widget collection as up-to-date as possible and as close to the platform widgets as possible. In addition, Flutter widgets are customizable and can be updated by different people. It is also possible for the application to use new widgets in older versions of the operating system.

Save time and money with the Flutter

Flutter is a cross-platform development tool. This means that software developers can use the same basic code to develop an iOS and Android application. Multi-platform development is the best way to save time and resources during the production process.

Open source Flutter

Flutter is an open source technology surrounded by an active and busy community of developers. These people provide support, are involved in extensive flutter documentation, and develop useful resources. Both Darts and Flutter are free.

Flutter compatibility with MVP startups

• MVP startups are companies that offer viable products and minimal acceptance. Flutter‌ is a good choice if the goal of a company is to show the product to investors as soon as possible. The following are four reasons why a MVP might use a flutter to develop an app.
• It is cheaper to develop a mobile application using Flutter. This reduction in cost is due to the fact that there is no need to produce and maintain two separate applications (one for Android and the other for iOS).
• Just one developer is enough to produce an MVP.
• The efficiency will be high. This means that there will be no difference between a native app and a Flutter app.
• The visual beauty is remarkable. This means that it is easy to create a beautiful and valuable user interface for customers by using the widgets (widget | tools) that Flutter provides to programmers.

Have complete documentation

For a new technology, having the right documentation is very important. Many lessons can be learned from Flutter’s documentation. Everything is presented in full detail and with simple examples for practical and basic cases. Whenever a user encounters a problem with any of the widgets in the process of developing their application, they can review the flutter documentation and answer their question.

Growing Flutter Society

Flutter has a strong community, and over time this community becomes stronger. Many Flutter developers and programmers are very interested in partnering with efficient content production and are aware of the high potential and large number of Flutter users. A simple search reveals that there are a considerable number of Flutter information exchanges across the Internet. In the following, some of these community centers are listed as examples.

• Awesome Flutter : A GitHub repository with a list of articles, videos, component software, utilities, and other features needed for the flutter.
• It’s All Widgets! : Has a list of open source applications developed with Flutter.
• Flutter Community : Flutter Community is a Medium Publication. Where you can find articles, tutorials and other useful content about Flutter.

Android Studio and VS Code support for Flutter

Flutter is available in Integrated Development Environment (IDE). An IDE is a software program that provides comprehensive and extensive facilities for software programmers and developers. An IDE must consist of at least one Source Code Editor, Build Automation Tool, and Debugger. The main IDEs for development with Flutter are Android Studio and Visual Studio Code.

Android Studio is a complete software and has all the necessary tools. To get started with Flutter in Android Studio, you need to install Flutter with Dart extensions in Android Studio‌. The Visual Studio Code, commonly referred to as the VS Code, is a lightweight tool that has all the features and requirements provided through plugins. To get started, it is recommended to use Android Studio; Because there is a need to make fewer adjustments.

Flutter compatibility with freelancing

People who are interested in freelancing should consider Flutter. At the beginning of the 1400s, flutter technology could revolutionize the software world. This means that many businesses will be looking for Flutter developers. Recently, one of the largest freelance platforms in France, Malt, has published 1400 growing trends. Flutter has grown more than 303% over the past year on the Malt platform.

What are the weaknesses of Flutter?

Like other development tools, Flutter has some drawbacks. Flutter is a fledgling technology and still has a lot to grow. As a result, there are some shortcomings that are expected to be addressed in the future. In the following article, “What is a flutter?”, Some of these shortcomings are stated. It should be noted that these shortcomings existed at the time of writing and may be remedied in the future.

Large application file size

One of the unavoidable drawbacks is the large file size of applications that are developed with the flutter. In some cases, large file sizes may be a major issue, prompting developers to choose other development tools. Also, despite the increase in storage capacity of mobile phones in recent years, there are still many users who face the problem of lack of space in their device and the volume of applications can be an important issue.

Many users of older phones have to choose between keeping an app and their photos. Although a large file size means reduced runtime and increased speed. Therefore, the choice between the high volume of the application and the speed of execution depends on the desire and taste of users. However, recognizing the tastes and tendencies of the audience is not an easy task.

Lack of third-party libraries in Flutter

Third-party packages and libraries have a significant impact on software development. Because, these libraries provide features for developers. These third-party libraries are usually free, open source, pre-tested, and readily available. However, given that Flutter is a new tool for mobile application development, finding such free software packages and libraries is not an easy task. Of course, the flutter is still growing and getting better.

Some Flutter problems with iOS

Flutter was developed by Google. For this reason, developers are concerned about implementing Flutter on iOS. Given that Google is determined to respond directly to troubleshooting in the shortest possible time, building applications using the flutter is very fast and hassle-free. One of the recent updates to Flutter for iOS is a feature with the best pixel density. Also, iPhone settings have been created in the Flutter framework to provide Apple widgets. In addition, for the latest versions of iOS, features have been updated and added with a slight delay. So regarding the compatibility of Flutter with iOS, it can be concluded that there is not much to worry about.

Dart Problems in Flutter

Flutter uses the Dart programming language. This has both advantages and disadvantages. This object-oriented programming language is not as good as other languages ​​such as object-oriented C, Java, #C, and JavaScript. Dart may be a little tricky for some novices, which can be a significant component in developing a multi-platform application.

Flutter labor market

Given the simplicity of learning Flutter and the many features it provides to developers, a bright future awaits the labor market situation of this application development tool. Flutter, and in general, multi-platform application development, is an emerging technology. In the mobile app development job market, and especially in the field of multi-platform development, Flutter is known as a tough competitor for React Native.

Flutter was introduced after React, and React has established itself in the multi-platform application development market. But Flutter, because of its advantages, is gradually stealing the ball from React. As a result, although demand for Flutter-related jobs is currently lower than React, it can be expected that in the future there will be an increase in demand and even more job opportunities in the field of Flutter developer than React.

How is the future of Flutter predicted?

The increasing use of the Flutter framework indicates that more developers are migrating to Flutter. The efforts of the Flutter community to improve and eliminate its shortcomings have led Flutter to compete with other frameworks from now on. More than two million developers have used Flutter in the last two years since its release, and that number is growing steadily. Almost every month, half a million developers use it.

With Flutter, even large projects can be easily implemented. In most sources, Flutter has been introduced as one of the best mobile application development technologies and even in some articles, it has been recognized as the future of mobile application development. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person. One of the reasons for Flutter’s bright future can be found in the presence of Google as a solid support.

If the developer is looking to break free from the constraints and standards of the Android and iOS‌ UI components and does not need much of the native SDK features, Flutter is a good choice. Because, Flutter provides a great framework for developing fast, beautiful looking applications. However, if you are considering a mobile app with a more casual look that takes advantage of more native features or requires special third-party integration, it may be a good idea to do a little more before developing the first Flutter app. waited.

Conclusion

As you can see, Flutter is one of the most innovative mobile technologies on the market right now. Flutter is a great option for businesses looking to create apps on iOS and Android. If you are looking for programs with an amazing user interface and high performance, Flutter is also the best option.

Flutter is not a universal cure for everything, but given the breadth of coverage and speed of implementation, it is a 100% promising framework.