The world of mobile applications is gaining strength every day through solutions that aim to simplify the development process, whether in the accelerated production of features, but also in publishing on each platform.

With Android and iOS dominating the market, many companies found themselves with separate teams to maintain their app versions. However, one solution — developed by Google — virtually eliminated the need for specific versions. And that solution was precisely Flutter.

So, if you want to know what Flutter is, its main features and advantages for mobile development, don’t miss the article we prepared on the subject. Good reading!

What is Flutter?

The Flutter framework is a software development kit (SDK) for mobile apps created by Google. From the tool it is possible to create, with a single database, applications that run on Android and iOS platforms.

This use of single code has profound impacts on mobile app development. The cross-platform application helps to save business resources, in addition to preventing applications from getting different functionality.

For companies that maintain two mobile development teams, for Android and iOS, the disparity between app versions is recurring. These differences can occur due to the capacity of the team, but also due to the different publication process in the stores.

Apple’s App Store, for example, has tighter publishing controls, while Google’s Play Store is more agile and tolerant of publishing apps for users. This feature ends up impacting each update and making it impossible for users of both stores to receive the same app.

Flutter’s main features and advantages

Flutter, in a way, revolutionized the mobile development market. While the main competitor solution — React Native — is bureaucratic and complex, Flutter offers a simpler premise, which brings great benefits for devs.

So, let’s get to know the main features and advantages of the Flutter framework:

Souce: Top Companies Who Built Their Apps In Flutter

1. Simplified and agile development

The first feature to exalt in Flutter is the agility it provides to the developer. By providing a widget system for development, it’s much easier to create interactive elements when building the software.

Thus, the final product can be more agile — as expected — and with high quality in Android and iOS versions. In addition, the “hot reload” option makes it easy to view the changes made to the code, providing instant feedback to the dev and, as a result, increasing productivity.

2. Single language for development

Flutter bets on the Dart language as the only source for creating its programs. Thus, it greatly simplifies the work of developers, who only need to know Dart to perform their tasks.

The language, by the way, was also introduced by Google in 2011 and, in its code characteristics, it is very similar to C# and Java. In other words, for developers used to the aforementioned languages, adapting to Dart is not a complex task.

3. Simplified initial setup

Flutter installation setup is very simple and practical. To start developing, simply install the development IDE — available for all operating systems — and build your project from scratch.

No complex dependencies or configurations to see the first codes working. This feature is important to give speed to developers, so they can launch their work faster.

4. Aesthetic and functional compatibility

Now that you know what Flutter is, it’s time to know where exactly it starts to glow. The SDK highlights native widgets, which allow for functional as well as aesthetic compatibility.

For example: when using an app created with Flutter, the same version is distributed to any mobile device, Android or iOS, no matter if the operating system is on the latest version or not.

Still, aesthetic fidelity is maintained between all the systems mentioned.

This does not happen with native apps, where we can see differences in elements — buttons and menus, for example — if the device OS has versions with visual changes.

5. Application execution speed

A big problem with other tools that build versions of an app for different operating systems is execution performance. Despite being very competent in the task, the result of the app made in these tools was below expectations.

However, the Flutter framework did away with this problem. As it uses its own components, the load and execution time of the applications — practically — is not a problem for the user. In other words, Flutter allows for an almost native quality of your published apps.

6. Google Support

Finally, to finish understanding what Flutter is and its main features and advantages, we have an important point for developers who are interested in the tool: the full support of Google.

In this sense, we are talking about a vibrant and active community, which brings a series of solutions for the best use of the tool. In addition, Flutter documentation is quite complete, whether you are just starting out or are already a programming veteran.

So, based on all the features and benefits we’ve brought here, we can see that Flutter is the perfect tool for companies that want to be more productive and cost-effective in creating apps.

As it is in Google’s great interest to maintain a mobile community creating and evolving software solutions, it is only natural to offer the best resources to make this happen.

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