Introduction

When Flutter cross-platform development initially gained traction, many hailed it as the "next big thing." Even in its early versions, it was highly stable, and over the years, it has only improved. However, some skepticism can recently be seen within the developer community, particularly on platforms like Reddit and Stack Overflow, suggesting that Flutter didn’t quite live up to its initial hype.

But if you ask me, this perception is far from accurate. While Flutter does come with certain limitations, these are continuously being addressed with each new update. The adoption rates speak for themselves—over 42% of developers now prefer Flutter. The community is highly engaged, and the platform continues to grow and evolve. In many ways, Flutter’s journey is just beginning. Keep reading to discover why Flutter is the future of app development.

But before getting into the excitement, let’s explore some of the reasons behind the opposing viewpoints.

Limitations in Flutter Cross-Platform Development

1. Large App Sizes

Flutter-based apps tend to have larger file sizes compared to native apps. This is due to the inclusion of the Dart runtime and the Skia graphics engine, which are bundled within the app to ensure cross-platform consistency. For instance, even basic "Hello World" Flutter apps can start at around 4.5 MB, significantly larger than their native counterparts.

2. Unanticipated Platform Incompatibilities

Flutter's platform support is still limited, restricting development for systems like watchOS, tvOS, and Apple CarPlay. As the demand for smartwatches and other wearable devices grows, this poses a challenge for developers looking to build apps across all platforms.

3. Dart Learning Curve

Flutter has a modest learning curve as it’s based on Dart, a relatively older programming language. Compared to other modern programming languages, Dart’s utility has taken a back seat in the industry. That said, learning Dart is not too challenging.

4. Limited Access to Native APIs

While Flutter provides an expansive set of APIs, certain advanced features, such as biometric authentication or complex camera functions, may require additional third-party plugins or custom API development. You may also have to hire Flutter app developers to build these APIs for your app. This can introduce extra layers of complexity and add to the expenses, especially for apps that need deep integration with platform-specific features.

5. Better for Android than iOS

Flutter generally performs better on Android than iOS due to Android being its primary development platform. Hot reload, UI rendering and certain animations tend to work better on Android. At the same time, on iOS, issues like larger app sizes, slower animations, and native feature limitations (such as lack of proper support for gestures and system navigation) are more commonly encountered.

Despite these interesting constraints, Flutter is the preferred hybrid app platform. Let’s see why.

Building Apps with Flutter: Why it Remains a Top Contender in the Application Development Space

Flutter, with its multi-platform capabilities and future-ready architecture, has consistently proven itself as a top choice for developers and businesses alike.

1. Exceptional Performance

Flutter has been and is still known for its remarkable performance, achieving frame rates of 60 to 120 frames per second. It is based on Dart, a mature programming language that compiles Ahead-of-Time (AOT). By running natively on each platform (iOS and Android) without needing additional layers or bridges, Flutter cross-platform development delivers better results than native development.

2. Highly Compatible with Progressive Technologies like AI

Flutter’s flexible architecture makes it highly compatible with reformist technologies like AI for faster, future-agnostic app development. In fact, it already has several AI-based offerings, including Google AI Dart SDK, Vertex AI Agent Builder, and it’s about to launch the Gemini AI API for Dart-based programming. Using these SDKs and APIs in combination with plugins like tensorflow_lite and ML Kit, Flutter developers can add functionalities such as image recognition, natural language processing, or predictive analytics without complex configurations.

3. Countless Open-Source Packages

Flutter has a vast library of open-source packages. Popular packages like http for handling API requests, shared_preferences for local storage, and in_app_purchase for implementing in-app purchases enhance the development process. Other highly-used packages include SQLite for database management and Frideos_flutter for adding custom widgets. These free, ready-to-use packages provide developers with a reliable, cost-effective toolkit for building apps with Flutter, saving time on custom coding and enabling faster feature rollouts.

4. Ideal for MVP Development

As an open-source platform highly efficient for hybrid apps, Flutter has become a developer favorite for building single-feature apps or MVPs, whether you're developing Flutter for Android or iOS-based MVPs. Its single codebase works across iOS and Android, saving both time and costs. It also offers a variety of readily available components and a vast collection of libraries and plugins, making it easy to add features quickly and allowing for faster MVP iterations.

5. Excellent Mobility and Portability

Apps built with Flutter are highly mobile and portable, allowing developers to move them from one platform to another without losing their functionality. This portability makes it ideal for apps that require frequent updates or need to be used across various environments, such as between mobile and desktop screens, or from local devices to web-based platforms.

6. Strong Security Focus

Flutter offers multiple security features, making it a reliable choice for building secure apps.

• Secure encryption-based data storage
• App permissions and access management
• Biometric authentication, even though it may require some additional coding
• Secure API communications
• Code obfuscation, keeping your app’s code safe from reverse-engineering

This is especially valuable for industries like finance and enterprise where safeguarding user data is critical.

7. Multi-Platform Development

The biggest advantage is its multi-platform development capabilities, which allow developers to utilize Flutter for iOS, Android, web, and desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) using a single codebase. Its Skia graphics engine ensures that the UI looks and performs consistently across all these platforms.

8. Built-in Responsive UI Features

Flutter comes equipped with several built-in responsive UI features. Its LayoutBuilder and MediaQuery tools allow dynamic adjustments of UI elements based on screen dimensions, providing a consistent UX. Additionally, its widgets are highly flexible, allowing developers to experiment with custom breakpoints, making it easy to design interfaces that work equally well on mobile phones, tablets, and desktops.

9. Easy Integrations with CI/CD-Based Automation

With Flutter, CI/CD integration is hassle-free. With tools like Codemagic, GitLab CI, and Bitrise, developers can configure pipelines to automate all application development and deployment tasks such as unit testing, building APKs/IPA files, and deploying updates efficiently. This ease of integration expedites the overall Flutter cross-platform development process.

10. Simplified QA

Another big advantage of building apps with Flutter is how it simplifies the QA and testing process. Since Flutter uses a single codebase for multiple platforms, testing becomes much easier, teams only need to verify a single version of the app that works spotlessly across iOS and Android. Plus, Flutter’s hot reload feature allows developers to test changes instantly, making it easier to catch bugs and speed up the development cycle.

11. Value-Driven Development

Building apps with Flutter offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional native development. While developing a native app can range from $30,000 to $250,000, depending on factors like complexity, location, and resources, Flutter development costs typically start at $20,000 and can go up to $200,000 or more. The key difference? A Flutter app works across multiple platforms, whereas a native app, often built at a higher cost, is restricted to just one. [Source: Cost to Hire A Mobile App Developer Globally]

12. Vast Developer Pool: A Key Advantage for Businesses

Another major advantage of choosing Flutter for cross-platform app development is the vast and still growing pool of expert developers, despite it being a relatively new one. Being launched by Google, the tech giant, drove countless developers towards it, resulting in an active community of people working on advancing it with each passing day.

For a business owner, this means easier access to top-tier talent, enabling faster project kick-offs and smoother development processes. From seasoned professionals with years of experience to cost-effective junior developers who are just getting started, you have all the options based on your requirements.

Even if you don’t want to hire full-time, you can augment your in-house teams and hire Flutter app developers in India on a project or contract basis. This allows you to have full control over the development process, as the developer or team works exclusively on the project.

If you don’t want the hassle of managing Flutter developers, you can simply outsource Flutter app development services. This allows for quicker scalability, access to talented resources, and reduced management overhead as you pay a single, straightforward fee.

Real-World Examples of Flutter’s Potential

World-famous organizations like Alibaba, BMW, and Google have hired Flutter app developers for their own applications. Let’s explore some prominent apps that have been built using this platform.

Google’s AdWords: Built using Flutter, Google's famous online advertising app enables advertisers to seamlessly manage campaigns across both Android and iOS. The smooth UI transitions and dynamic rendering of complex ad-related data points highlight Flutter’s capability to handle high-performance, data-intensive applications with ease.

Alibaba Xianyu App: Alibaba’s Xianyu app, an online web platform for trading second-hand goods, was developed using Flutter to enhance user experience and improve development efficiency. With over 50 million downloads, Xianyu handles millions of active users simultaneously. By adopting Flutter, Alibaba was able to reduce development time by 30% while maintaining performance and scalability similar to native apps.

Samsung SmartThings App: Samsung’s SmartThings app, built using Flutter, is designed to manage smart home devices like thermostats, lights, security cameras, and more. One of the key features of this app is real-time device synchronization, allowing users to control their devices seamlessly across different platforms: Android, iOS, and even the web. Flutter’s cross-platform capabilities are particularly evident in how the app maintains a consistent UI and performance, regardless of the operating system.

Toyota Infotainment System: The 2020 Toyota Avalon’s infotainment system, powered by Flutter, is an excellent example that portrays how the framework can be extended beyond mobile apps to automotive technology. This system enabled Toyota to deliver a unified UX across mobile devices, web interfaces, and the car’s in-dash system through features like GPS navigation, music streaming, vehicle diagnostics, and integration with smart home systems, all of which require real-time data synchronization and smooth graphical interfaces.

Realtor.com: The famous real estate listing platform Realtor.com was also built on Flutter. It allows users to search for properties, view detailed listings, and even get targeted notifications about new properties. Flutter’s rich UI components helped Realtor.com provide a visually appealing and intuitive interface where users can easily visualize themselves in the space. It also allowed them to add VR tours with 360-degree views.

What Lies Ahead?

In just a few years, Flutter has solidified its place as a leading platform in app development. With its exceptional performance, seamless integrations, and compatibility with advanced technologies like AI, it holds significant promise for modern applications. That said, there are some limitations, such as larger app sizes and platform incompatibilities, particularly with certain iOS devices. However, Flutter continues to improve with each update, addressing these challenges. As it expands its capabilities and further optimizes its features, more and more businesses plan to hire Flutter app developers—you can expect more complex and innovative cross-platform applications in the future.