Why I think it is!
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash.
This is a reply to Michael Long’s article from September entitled “Why Flutter Isn’t the Next Big Thing.” In his article, Michael shared his opinion on the Flutter framework and how it lacks the features and support to become the next big thing.
I am here to discuss my views on the matter.
It’s Not React Native
I am not going to slam the React Native framework because I know a lot of companies are using it successfully. I agree that most companies went with React Native because they already had JavaScript developers. One of the main differences between Flutter and React Native is how things are presented on the screen. Flutter is responsible for writing directly on the canvas, which allows it to perform at 60 FPS. React Native, on the other hand, has to pay a toll each time it needs to access a native component.
I have worked with both Flutter and React Native and found Flutter to be more intuitive, easier to use, and I was able to build apps much faster.
It’s Not Native
There is a common misconception that Flutter apps should look native on each platform. Flutter allows you to write apps that look good on both platforms. This can be accomplished by using the Material UI framework. It is not advisable to render different views based on iOS or Android platforms.
Second-Class Citizenship
When you are developing a Flutter application, you should not be targeting separate platforms. I do agree that if you use MaterialApp, then it looks like Android, but you can easily customize it. A Flutter app is not an iOS app or an Android app — it is a Flutter app. It showcases a different look and feel, and it can be customized to your needs.
You Still Have to Write Your Application Twice
Again, you don’t have to make the user interface native for each device. You just have to come up with one user interface that works for both platforms. Remember: If you are writing platform-specific views when using Flutter, then you may have taken a wrong turn.
Debugging
Having worked with dozens of Flutter apps, I don’t find debugging Flutter apps any different from debugging iOS apps using Xcode. I use VS Code and debugging is a breeze.
#flutter #programming #ios-development
