Written By :Appsierra

Thu Mar 28 2024

5 min read

Flutter vs Native Technology: Choosing the right Mobile App

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flutter vs native technology

The most well-known mobile app platforms make use of native technologies for developing iOS and Android apps. For example, iOS utilizes Swift with X code or Java whereas Android uses Kotlin with Android Studio. Recently cross-platform frameworks such as Platter have been on the rise. Platforms like these offer native performance for Android and iOS in a single code base.

What would you think about developing one app for both iOS and Android platforms instead of developing apps with distinct codebases? When you do not have to go through the entire process alone. So before differentiating between Flutter vs Native technology let’s have a look at what they are.

What is Flutter?

Flutter could be understood as an open-source structure that uses Dart by Google as its programming language. The framework is usually considered an improved UI tool kit used for developing cross-platform applications with a single code line. It offers accessibility for creating an easy-to-read and flexible UI with native performance.

Flutter has been used in the following cases:

  1. MVP mobile apps
  2. Material design apps
  3. OS level based apps

A team of Google developers and the Flutter community supports Flutter.

What is Native Technology?

Developing mobile applications by using native involves developing app-specific for Android, iOS, and Windows. It is primarily performed to allow the app to benefit from the features of the device such as GPS, camera, etc. Native applications are installed by application platforms like App Store for iOS and Google Play Store for Android.

Native has been used in the following cases:

  1. AR/VR apps
  2. Apps with enhanced animations.
  3. Apps designed for gaming.
  4. Standalone native apps.
  5. Apps with advanced UI.

Some majorly used frameworks and programming languages include Swift, Objective-C, and Xcode for iOS and Kotlin, Java, and Android Studio for Android mobile app development technology.

Flutter vs Native Technology: Comparable Metrics

Below is the comparison of Flutter vs Native:

1. Speed and Cost of Development

Flutter and Native are to be compared based on speed and cost of development:

Flutter

Flutter implements the right ones and runs anywhere. It will allow a developer to write a single code for both iOS and Android platforms. This process will reduce the cost and time required for developing platforms. Flutter allows a developer to write quotes with ease. Additionally, it becomes easier to understand and even developers could learn it easily due to the economic cost of training.

Speed and Cost of Development

Native Technologies

It depends on your budget, schedule, and scalability to design the app utilizing native technology. The development of small and business applications utilizing indigenous technology is mainly intended to meet Android and iOS consumers' expectations. In such a situation, the team may be bigger, or for Android and iOS, there will be two independent teams. This strategy adds to the investment budget because the teams are required to build two programs for various platforms.

2. Code Maintenance

Flutter and Native are to be compared based on code maintenance:

Flutter

Flutter is more manageable as it requires you to maintain one code base for both iOS and Android apps. Its simplicity helps developers in identifying problems, finding and using external tools, and integrating third-party sources. The time required for releasing updates and changing app features and specifications is lower as compared to native structures. It also allows flexibility that facilitates business stability.

Native Technologies

Maintaining a native app is very time-consuming and more expensive because you will be required to program your app for different platforms. For example, maintaining two different code bases requires the developer to identify bugs and issues for every platform and create further updates regularly. The cost of maintenance increases with an increase in the line of supported operating system devices.

3. Native Features and Integration Capacities

Flutter and Native are to be compared based on native features and integration capacities:

Flutter

Using Flutter the integration of complex features from external sources and plugins becomes much easier. Nevertheless, developers understand that language and functionalities think of such integration as more advanced. The embodiment of specific features for Android and iOS requires adding on plugins such as Android Archives and Cocoapods. However, the flutter system comes with a set maximum capacity for incorporating native modules by default Xcode off Android Studio.

Native Technologies

iOS and Android integration by different frameworks and programming languages differ depending upon the use of software designing patterns and app performance. The majority of the native framework used for developing iOS apps offers improved safety and expressive features with the possibility for faster integration.

4. Application Performance

Flutter and Native are to be compared based on application performance:

Flutter

Flutter can communicate between native modules without a bridge. It is made possible as it has a default availability of knitted components. According to the performance metrics used by an average device, the Hello World app performs at 60 frames per second. Therefore the time required for rendering each structure doesn't exceed 16 seconds.

Native Technologies

Android and iOS apps show excellent performance without relying upon any external library kit. This performance is O2 native performance functionality. Native apps perform excellently at 60 FPS and 120 FPS. besides the performance doesn't diminish in apps with four animations. Native Technologies can load to the ramp-up to a maximum of 30 to 45% GPU usage of the overall GPU performance.

Consequently, native Technologies can also use up to 118MB Of device memory if you have heavy app dupe. Native Technologies may overload your device forever unless you go for a specific external SDK alternative for enhancing performance with low memory usage.

5. Application Size

Flutter and Native are to be compared based on application size:

Flutter

The Dart and C/C++ Virtual Machines decide the size of an application largely. For example, Flutter's "hello world" app consumes memory space similar to 1.5 MB. However, Flutter may also be constructed to include all programs and assets to avoid problems of size. The usage of unique tags like –split-debug-info on Flutter also helps decrease code sizes.

Native Technologies

A simple "hello world" app may display the smallest size available to Android and iOS platforms via native technologies. In such an instance, you will observe that 539 KB and no more than 550Kb for Kotlin are the size of this Android app with Java. The "Hello World" app's size on iOS, however, fluctuates from 1MB to 3MB. The size of an app may vary from 15 MB to 35 MB concerning Android. If you use an external third-party program, however, you may drastically minimize its size.

Conclusion

This article about Flutter vs Native technologies is designed to give you an overview of the right mobile app development technology. You should be able to make use of what you learned and start to work on appropriate technology for your needs with your developer. 

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