Cross-Platform App Development: React Native v/s Flutter

The mobile app development industry has seen rapid growth in the past years with cross-platform app development solutions becoming popular. And, there are two solutions that the mobile developers considered: React Native and Flutter. Both development platforms allow the developers to create native applications for Android and iOS with a single codebase.

However, both frameworks have significant differences that should be considered by mobile app developers . Therefore, this blog will take you further to know about both platforms briefly and know which one is perfect for cross-platform mobile development. Let us get started without any further ado.

But, before we begin, let us learn about cross-platform app development and its benefits to the industry.

Cross-Platform App Development

Cross-platform app development is a process of creating an application that can be used on various devices and operating systems. Some of the top benefits of cross-platform app development include the reach of a wider audience, reduced development costs, and many more.

1. Reach to Wide Audience

It is one of the biggest benefits of cross-platform app development to reach a large number of audiences. By building a mobile app that can be used on various devices and operating systems, there is an increase in the number of people who can use the mobile app. This is essential for business owners who want to reach as many customers as they can.

2. Low App Development Costs?

One more benefit of cross-platform app development is keeping the app development costs reduced. Developing an app for multiple platforms is more expensive than developing separate apps for every platform. Businesses have reduced their development costs by 50% after being associated with cross-platform development.

Comparison of React Native and Flutter

React Native and Flutter are two very popular frameworks for cross-platform app development. But which one is the best? Let us know about both platforms to see which one is the right fit for your app development project.

What is React Native?

React Native is an open-source mobile application development framework started by Facebook that lets mobile app developers develop native applications for Android, iOS, and web devices. The framework was announced in 2015 by Facebook and has now become the most used mobile app development framework.

Feature of React Native

• Flexibility
• Easy to Learn
• Huge Community
• Optimized Performance
• Third-party Library Access

Pros

• The platform is used by the most recognized companies around the world such as Walmart, Skype, Instagram, and more.
• The framework offers excellent performance through its native process rendering the UI components.
• As the platform is created by Facebook, it has strong support and backup.
• React Native is a mature platform that provides standalone components that can be easily used in other projects.

Cons

• There are steep learning curves for beginners.?
• Less availability of plugins and features as compared to other platforms.
• Require knowledge about native code such as Java to customize existing components of the app.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is an open-source mobile software development kit that was created by Google to build mobile native applications for iOS, android, web, and other embedded devices using a single codebase. The framework was announced as “Sky” at the Dart Developer Summit in 2015 and was recognized as Flutter in 2017.

Features of Flutter

• Open-Source Mobile SDK
• Personalized Widgets
• Support Multiple Programming Languages
• Native Performance
• Pre-built Cupertino Widgets and Material Design

Pros

• Developed and designed by Google, Flutter also has strong support and backup.
• The platform has fully customized widgets that focus on the smallest details.
• The new version of Flutter has a new approach and fresh ideas to develop a mobile app.
• The Hot Reload feature of the framework allows fast app development and iteration.

Cons

• Debugging is tricky.
• The learning curve is steep for beginners who are new to developing mobile apps.
• There is no large community as compared to React Native.
• The framework is still in the beta phase so there are many crashes and bugs.

So, to choose the ideal framework for your project, it is necessary to focus on your specific needs. If you require a fast turnaround time and want to spend time learning the framework, then React Native should be your pick. And, if you want something easy to learn that also offers great performance, then Flutter is the right choice.

Whichever framework you choose between the two, it is also required to connect with expert mobile app developers from the top app development company in Bangalore and get the desired cross-platform app developed for your business.

React Native or Flutter: Which One to Select for the Project?

When you want to choose between React Native and Flutter for developing a cross-platform app, there are some key factors to consider.

The first factor is the cost. React Native is more expensive to develop as compared to Flutter as it needs more expertise.

The next essential factor is time. Flutter takes more time to develop as the framework is still in its early stage.

The third most necessary factor is functionality. React Native provides more functionality and features, while the functionality offered by Flutter can be used with plugins.

These are the three factors to consider when selecting between React Native and Flutter to create a cross-platform app. You can get help from these factors to make the right decision for your project.

Summing Up

React Native and Flutter are perfect choices for cross-platform app development. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and selecting the ideal one is based on the needs of your mobile app development project.

React Native is a popular framework that delivers excellent performance, good community support, and ready-made components. It can also be built using JavaScript, which makes it accessible for mobile app developers who are familiar with web development.

On the other hand, Flutter is a newly established framework that also offers good performance and a great range of personalized widgets. The unique approach to building UIs with a single codebase by Flutter offers fast development time and flexibility. But, mobile app developers require more time to learn Flutter if they are not known to Dart programming language.

So, which frameworks you select, cross-platform app development improves the productivity of your business and helps you offer top-notch applications to clients across different platforms.

Also, for more information about React Native or Flutter, we have expert app developers associated with us and making us recognized as the leading mobile app development company Bangalore who can even handle both frameworks to deliver you a mobile app within a short period. Do contact us for more consultation.